Argued 17 March 2015 Prior action(s) [2014] EWCA Civ 1383 Decided 2 April 2015 | Neutral Citation [2015] UKSC 22 Dates 17 Mar 2015 – 2 Apr 2015 | |
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Full case name Nzolameso v City of Westminster Majority Lady Hale, Lords Clarke, Reed, Hughes and Toulson Location City of Westminster, United Kingdom | ||
Nzolameso v City of Westminster was a 2015 judgment by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom that considered the way that local councils fulfil their duty to house the homeless. Section 208(1) of the Housing Act 1996 requires all local housing authorities to secure accommodation within their own district "so far as reasonably practicable".
Contents
Facts
In November 2012, Titina Nzolameso, a single mother of five children was evicted from her home in Westminster. She applied to Westminster City Council under the relevant homelessness provisions and in January 2013 the council offered her a house in Bletchley (approximately 50 miles away). Ms. Nzolameso turned this offer down on the basis that she was settled in Westminster, had ongoing health concerns and did not want her children to have to change schools. Given that the offer of housing had been refused, Westminster City Council then served notice that their housing duty had come to an end. Ms. Nzolameso then sought to review the decision under s.202 of the Housing Act 1996.
Supreme Court
The decision by Westminster City Council that their housing duty had come to an end was quashed.
Handing down the leading judgment Lady Hale stated that because the authority had not explained and evidenced the reasons for their decision as required