Review of suitability of temporary accommodation – GTS secures positive decision that client’s current temporary accommodation is not suitable.
Our client was placed by the local authority (Southwark Council) in temporary accommodation out of borough in Tower Hamlets, after they accepted they owed her and her family the main housing duty under section 193(2) of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended).
We requested a statutory review as to the suitability of the temporary accommodation on 27 March 2024 and made detailed representations on her behalf setting out the reasons why her current temporary accommodation was not suitable. Our client is disabled as per section 6 of the Equality Act 2010 and suffers from long term physical and mental health conditions. One of her three children also has complex needs and was recently diagnosed with severe autism. The family was suffering due to the long journey back and forth to the school in Camberwell and from being away from their support network.
On 14 May 2024, the local authority accepted that our client’s current temporary accommodation was not suitable. This is a very positive result as the local authority now has to find alternative suitable accommodation for our client and her family.
The conducting solicitor was Claire Wiles, head of the Housing Department, assisted by Trainee Solicitor Clémence Coignard, both working in the Housing Team at GT Stewart Solicitors & Advocates.