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England and Wales High Court (Administrative Court) Decisions |
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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> England and Wales High Court (Administrative Court) Decisions >> EL, R (On the Application Of) v The Royal Borough of Kensington And Chelsea [2022] EWHC 3185 (Admin) (20 December 2022) URL: http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2022/3185.html Cite as: [2022] EWHC 3185 (Admin), [2023] HLR 24 |
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KING'S BENCH DIVISION
ADMINISTRATIVE COURT
Strand, London, WC2A 2LL |
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B e f o r e :
____________________
THE KING On the application of E. L. |
Claimant |
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- and |
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THE ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA |
Defendant |
____________________
IAN PEACOCK (instructed by Bi-Borough Legal Services) for the Defendant
Hearing dates: 6 December 2022
____________________
Crown Copyright ©
Roger ter Haar K.C. :
Background Facts
"[EL]'s living situation is currently volatile. There is a risk that [EL] may be assaulted by his neighbours who are frustrated with their perception that the RBKC Council is taking no action to ameliorate his antisocial behaviour.
"On 13/08/2020 I completed a joint home visit with Psychologist, Dr Sarah Heke, from the Grenfell Health and Wellbeing Service. The purpose of the visit was to get an up to date mental health assessment and treatment plan.
"Following the assessment, as I was leaving several neighbours gathered outside [EL]'s flat in an attempt to speak to me about their frustration with the Council for allowing [EL] to live on their street.
"One of the neighbours was particularly vocal and loud in his expression of frustration. He blocked me from leaving and spoke with a raised volume. He was carrying a walking stick which he shook angrily.
"[EL] came out of his flat because of the shouting and interpreted his neighbours' actions as aggressive towards me.
"The neighbour began shouting at [EL] calling him "beggar" and a "useless excuse" and a "dirty" drug user.
"The argument became more heated as both parties raised their voices. The neighbour threatened to assault [EL] twice. I called the police because of the volatility of the situation and because [EL] was not heeding my advice to return to his flat.
"While I was calling the police, the neighbour raised his walking stick in a threatening manner, opened the gate to [EL]'s property and ran down the steps to his front door threatening to hit him. [EL] ran into his home and did not attempt to retaliate physically.
"I followed [EL] into the flat. The police arrived, and I invited them into the flat to make a police report."
"The purpose of this letter
"I am writing to request that [EL] be rehoused either pursuant to the Grenfell Rehousing Policy (Revision April 2019) on the basis that the permanent accommodation as offered was never suitable for [EL] and as such that the Council continues to fall under a duty to provide him with suitable long-term housing; or in the alternative, on medical grounds pursuant to 4.6 of the Housing Allocations Scheme February 2017, on the basis that his current property is having a directly detrimental impact on his current health conditions and that a move to suitable accommodation is the only way to allow his health conditions to significantly improve over time.
.
"Our representations
"As evidenced by the attached medical documents, following [EL]'s move into [the Property], there has been a significant deterioration in both his physical and mental health this deterioration is attributable to the significant levels of stress and anxiety he experiences in the property, which feelings have escalated more recently to extreme feelings of being unsafe in the property, and ultimately led to a total inability for him to settle into this property as his new permanent home.
.
"The culmination of all this is that the property which [EL] had initially hoped would finally give him a settled base from which he would attempt to recover and rebuild his life, has turned into another volatile and unsettled situation for him the cumulative impact of the property and its environment has resulted in a further and significant deterioration in his health conditions.
"It is due to this, that we request that [EL] be moved into suitable accommodation as soon as possible.
.
"Impact of his current property on his health
"The current property has had, and continues to have, a directly detrimental impact on [EL]'s mental health conditions as well as causing his existing health conditions to worsen, it has also caused him to suffer from physical health conditions as well as impacts on in his social, which have all in turn led to him experiencing new symptoms and challenges.
"We submit that the attached medical letters provide clear evidence that the current property that [EL] is living in is having a significantly detrimental impact on his mental health, such that his conditions and associated symptoms have, and continue to, deteriorate significantly. This is in part due to the treatment that he has received from his neighbours which has left him feeling unsafe, unwelcome and ultimately prevented him from ever being able to settle into this property.
"In addition, this evidence makes clear that the current environment that [EL] is in, which leaves him feeling fearful and which in turn causes a state of heightened fear exacerbating his symptoms of trauma, is making it much harder for him to effectively engage in any sort of mental health treatment so as to allow his mental health conditions to be stabilised and hopefully improved such that not only is the impact of the property worsening his health, but it is also in turn preventing him from taking the necessary steps to counteract his deterioration or eventually achieve any sort of improvement.
"It is also notable that for the first time since moving into the current property, [EL] now has a very strong support network around him comprised of his Dedicated service worker, the Grenfell health and well-being service, a Mental health nurse, Hodge Jones and Allen Solicitors and ourselves he is also currently being supported to locate a new GP surgery. It is argued that a property in which he can feel safe and ultimately settled, will allow him to engage with Mental health treatment but also to ensure that he continues to engage with all of these support services, the combined effect of which should allow him a fresh start from which he can attempt to move forward with his life in terms of both his health and consequently, his behaviours.
Type of accommodation to be considered.
.
"It is clear from the attached medical evidence that the first step is to allow [EL] to move into general needs housing in which he can feel safe, which in turn should assist him in engaging with the relevant treatment and services to allow his health conditions to be better managed it is not until he is allowed to be in this position, where for the first time since the Grenfell tower disaster he is in a stable home in which he feels safe, that a genuine assessment into whether he needs supported accommodation could then be carried out.
"Conclusion
"We believe that the above demonstrates [EL]'s immediate need to be moved into suitable and settled accommodation; if this request is denied it will not only keep [EL] trapped in a property in which he feels unsafe and unsettled, but will also potentially threaten his ability to engage with mental health treatment and his support network which would surely lead to a further deterioration in his mental health and symptoms, and consequently his behaviours. It is argued that leaving him in his current property would not only damage his health but that this, in turn, could also threaten his safety .."
(1) a report from Dr Heke which stated that a move to suitable accommodation was "central to his capacity to engage in treatment";
(2) a letter from Sandra Osagiede (a Mental Health Nurse in the Grenfell Health and Wellbeing team) which stated that "a move to suitable accommodation where [EL] feels safe, accepted and settled would improve his emotional health and wellbeing"; and
(3) a letter from Ms Isaza which set out the history, described the incident on 13 August 2020 and concluded "in my professional view, the impact of the history of conflict with the neighbours, in addition to the two threatening incidents which were reported to police, has had a negative effect on [EL]'s mental health and his motivation to maintain his tenancy. Any intervention, at this point, with the aim of helping him maintain his tenancy, is scuppered by the fact that he feels he cannot settle in his property and that he is unsafe."
"Karla and I attended an internal housing meeting yesterday where the decision was made to move [EL] to a new property. Please do not share this with [EL] (the process is likely to take quite a while and we want to have made more progress before he is made aware and we think that knowing could heighten anxiety rather than reduce it) or his lawyer (who will need to liaise with housing/management for any information).
"The decision was also made to refer him to adult social services as he is simply not managing well right now and needs an increased package of support. Again, please do not mention this to him or his lawyer at this point in time.
"Could you please respond to this email with two separate lists of bullet points looking at the following-
"1) [EL]'s general needs and what adult services could do to offer additional support to that which he is getting (including any knowledge of support which you know he has engaged with in the past/what motivates ..him to engage/what deters him). Basically, what would a good support package look like for him?
"2) [EL]'s specific housing needs and what sort of property is going to be most suitable for him. Please consider his social and environmental needs, his own vulnerabilities along with the risks he can pose to others. We want to think from now about how a suitable property can best manage/minimise these. Please include absolutely anything that you feel could be relevant based on either what he has told you or your assessment of him/his situation. Don't worry about any repetition as Karla and I will tidy it up.
" I'd be really grateful if you could get this information back to me by Tuesday 16/02/2021. Sorry, I know it's not long but that will give Karla and I time to collate it before my leave at the end of the week and her leave the week following we are keen to keep the ball rolling."
"Please be advised that I currently have to remove myself from this professionals network.
"I am aware via Thais that currently the Council are not disclosing to [EL] the decision reached regarding his rehousing, and that the network will decide on a timeframe to inform him in due course, so as to manage his anxieties.
"It is our view that it is vital that [EL] and any representative he instructs is included in the process of his rehousing from the very beginning.
"I am happy to be involved and to assist [EL], however until he is made aware of the Council's current decision and involved in the process and invited to share his views, he is prevented from being able to update his instructions to me or receive any advice, and I am therefore prevented from having any further involvement in this matter.
"I will add that whilst I understand that the Council are concerned about his anxieties should he be notified of the decision, it is clear that [EL] is and has been experiencing acute anxiety around being kept in a property in which he feels unsafe, and I believe that updating him on the council's decision would alleviate those anxieties.
"I look forward to being able to rejoin the network once [EL] has been formally notified of the Council's decision and is able to instruct me further."
"Thais confirmed that RKBC have agreed to rehouse [EL] and will be making him a direct offer however at the same time, they have confirmed that they also need to apply to enforce the injunction due to the breaches, but at the same time will be moving him. Thais confirmed that at the meeting it was acknowledged that this is an unusual process and that usually housing management wouldn't rehouse in cases where there is an injunction but that they want to take this action to ensure that everything is in place to ensure his good behaviour when he does move. To set him clear guidelines and boundaries.
"Thais confirmed that she is due to speak to the client to explain all of this to him she will also explain that his engagement with them is key to shaping the offer they make to him, as he will need to accept it. As part of this, Thais will try to get his permission to make a referral to Adult social case as they believe that his needs exceed what the DS can provide. I explained that a previous referral had been made to ASC which I thought was not accepted but Thais was unsure of this and certain that they would take his case.
"Thais confirmed that she is unsure if he will consent to the referral to ASC but that he has recently been asking for a mobility scooter, which requires assessment by an ASC OT anyway so Cl may be more willing to engage with their service initially as a means to getting the scooter.
"Cl is not engaging with Sarah H[17] at all but is back in sporadic contact with Sandra[18] and Thais they are hoping that his engagement will increase whilst they try to get him rehoused. Explained my concern that it may be difficult for him to engage whilst another arm of RBKC are taking legal action against him and that it will be vital that [EL] is aware of the distinction between the departments as otherwise it will be impossible for him to trust/engage with them.
"Thais confirmed that Cl has been asking for cleaners again but that HM[19] have said they will not provide this Thais will explore this with ASC also.
"Thais confirmed that her task now is to help stipulate what Cl will require in his next property so that housing can identify one Thais explained her thoughts are that Cl needs a basement flat so that he has no neighbours below him for example Thais is keen to hear from Cl what he thinks he will need and also to hear about what locations he may want/want to avoid.
"Confirmed that it may be difficult for Cl to understand the importance of the injunction proceedings and engaging with his solicitor if he is also being told that he will be rehoused and that she must be careful not to make promises that RKBC cannot/will not keep Thais confirmed that she will explain that he must get the bank statements to his solicitor for legal representation in relation to the injunction proceedings but also engage with them to shape the offer. Thais will explain that whilst he is being rehoused he must be on his best behaviour hence the injunction being explored at the same time.
.
"Reiterated that Cl has still nothing in writing to confirm that he is being rehoused Thais agreed that she will notify Cl asap about the situation and then let me know once she has told him, so that I can support him with this .."
"Hi Clara
"We are proceeding with enforcement of the injunction on the basis of numerous and persistent breaches of tenancy and the original injunction.
"We agreed that whilst taking this action the Dedicated Service would seek to identify alternative accommodation and [EL] would be offered 1 suitable direct offer. We (GHS) won't be involved in the process because of conflict of interest.
"If a suitable property isn't identified and accepted within 3 months and the breaches continue we will convene a Tenancy Sustainment Panel with Directors and make our case for actioning the order of possession (if granted by the Court) with a view to purchasing[21] a warrant. It will be up to the panel to decide what happens after that but obviously we will go with whatever decision is made."
"Jackie called and confirmed she could only speak for a minute as she was running late for another home visit she had just had a home visit with Cl and it was meant to be a quick one, but suddenly the neighbours had become very aggressive and attempted to force their way into Cl's flat and Jackie had to call the police. Jackie confirmed it has now settled and she has left, and that she would update me fully later."
"Jackie confirmed that when she visited Cl there was an incident with the neighbours as they were attempting to force their way into Cl's property. Jackie called police and the situation was defused. Cl is engaging well with her she has visited him 3 times this week and has arranged for cleaners to go round.
"Housing updates? In their last meeting, Andrew Lay was continuing to state that they are going for an eviction, but then Mandeep jumped in to say that if he was evicted, it was agreed that the homeless team would pick him up. I asked what had changed, as the last confirmation was that housing were waiting for SS to carry out an assessment of Cl's needs so housing could look for a property for him. Jackie confirmed that Cl has engaged with SS but they have said the housing OT's[24] need to be the ones who decide what Cl's housing needs are confirmed that I share the same view hence our request for a medical move which would have been handed to the housing OT's for assessment. Jackie confirmed that this seems like wasting time as they have been saying they need SS for a long time, and now that SS have picked it up, they are saying actually the housing OTs should have done that work all along. Agreed that I would raise my requests for clarity and a decision via Rob Shaw as the housing OT's should be involved [if] they process my request properly. Agreed that I would cc Jackie into the email to Rob, so that she can push this with him.
"Jackie confirmed that she also manages to get Cl's GP to do a home visit on Monday they confirmed that Cl has a hernia, is morbidly obese and that the obesity is causing chronic severe back pain and pain in his left leg. The Dr recommended a pain patch Jackie is trying to get a service in place to come and apply this pain patch weekly. Jackie confirmed that it is no surprise that Cl has been struggling as he has been left in chronic levels of pain for an excessively long time. The DR confirmed that due to the length of time his pain was unmanaged, it was not surprising that he was using substances and the DR believes that this was an attempt to self-medicate and cope with his pain levels.
"Jackie is also concerned with Cl's access issues due to the metal staircase to enter/exit his property he is concerned that this is too difficult and painful, and that he is likely to fall.
"Jackie agreed she will support my email to housing to push for a decision and will continue to work closely with cl."
"Please see below email chain. I have been repeatedly requesting that a decision letter be issued to myself and [EL] by RBKC to confirm their position on his rehousing and to respond to our request that he be moved on medical grounds as submitted 27 October 2020.
"We are yet to receive any such written responses or confirmation. A detailed explanation of the information we are lacking is set out in my email to Simon of 26 April 2021. No further updates have been received since his response to me of 28 April 2021.
"I appreciate that this is a complex case and that there are numerous departments involved, however RBKC's continued failure to provide me with information about [EL]'s housing or their position on this matter is preventing him from being able to access the housing advice that he requires. Further, I was forced to withdraw from the complex case review meetings, which I was initially invited to, on account of the lack of information being disclosed by RBKC to [EL] about his housing with prevented me from obtaining instructions from him.
"I have included Jackie in this email, as since she has begun working with [EL] huge amounts of progress have been made in terms of his engagement and assisting him to access the support he requires I believe this supports the strong arguments that he be rehoused, to allow him to continue with this progress. [He] has also witnessed this week the abusive and threatening behaviour his neighbours are continuing to subject him to. [He] has also raised concerns over his ability to access his flat via the metal staircase and [his] concerns that due to his severe pain and limited mobility, this is incredibly painful and potentially dangerous for him.
"I would be grateful if you could look into this matter, and ensure that [EL] and ourselves are provided with the information we require."
Ground 1
In breach of statutory duty the Defendant has acted unlawfully and irrationally in requiring the Claimant to continue to occupy unsuitable accommodation and has unlawfully and unreasonably delayed in providing him with suitable alternative accommodation. It is submitted there is no good reason for the Defendant's failure to provide the Claimant with suitable accommodation. Rather the Defendant has pursued applications to commit the Claimant to prison for breach of an injunction. It is submitted this is a breach of a continuing duty.
"(1) A local housing authority shall comply with the provisions of this Part in allocating housing accommodation.
"(2) For the purposes of this Part a local housing authority allocate housing accommodation when they-
(a) select a person to be a secure or introductory tenant of housing accommodation held by them,
(b) nominate a person to be a secure or introductory tenant of housing accommodation held by another person, or
(c) nominate a person to be an assured tenant of housing accommodation held by a private registered provider of social housing or a registered social landlord...
"(4A) Subject to subsection (4B), the provisions of this Part do not apply to an allocation of housing accommodation by a local housing authority in England to a person who is already-
(a) a secure or introductory tenant, or
(b) an assured tenant of housing accommodation held by a private registered provider of social housing or a registered social landlord.
"(4B) The provisions of this Part apply to an allocation of housing accommodation by a local housing authority in England to a person who falls within subsection (4A)(a) or (b) if-
(a) the allocation involves a transfer of housing accommodation for that person,
(b) the application for the transfer is made by that person, and
(c) the authority is satisfied that the person is to be given reasonable preference under section 166A(3)."
Section 160ZA provides for accommodation to be allocated only to eligible and qualifying persons. Eligibility depends on an applicant's immigration status. The local housing authority has a discretion to decide what classes of persons are, or are not, qualifying persons.
"(1) Every local housing authority in England shall have a scheme (their 'allocation scheme') for determining priorities, and as to the procedure to be followed, in allocating housing accommodation.
"For this purpose 'procedure' includes all aspects of the allocation process, including the persons or descriptions of persons by whom decisions are to be taken...
(3) As regards priorities, the scheme shall... be framed so as to secure that reasonable preference is given to-
(a) people who are homeless (within the meaning of Part 7);
(b) people who are owed a duty by any local housing authority under section 190(2), 193(2) or 195(2) (or under section 65(2) or 68(2) of the Housing Act 1985) or who are occupying accommodation secured by any such authority under section 192(3);
(c) people occupying insanitary or overcrowded housing or otherwise living in unsatisfactory housing conditions;
(d) people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds (including grounds relating to disability); and
(e) people who need to move to a particular locality in the district of the authority, where failure to meet that need would cause hardship (to themselves or to others).
"The scheme may also be framed so as to give additional preference to particular descriptions of people within one or more of paragraphs (a) to (e) (being descriptions of people with urgent housing needs)...
"(14) A local housing authority in England shall not allocate housing accommodation except in accordance with their allocation scheme."
"(1) A person is homeless if he has no accommodation available for his occupation, in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, which he-
(a) is entitled to occupy by virtue of an interest in it or by virtue of an order of a court,
(b) has an express or implied licence to occupy, or
(c) occupies as a residence by virtue of any enactment or rule of law giving him the right to remain in occupation or restricting the right of another person to recover possession...
"(3) A person shall not be treated as having accommodation unless it is accommodation which it would be reasonable for him to continue to occupy..."
The Defendant's allocation scheme
The Grenfell Rehousing Policy
The Settled Homes Policy
The relief claimed
"C seeks an order in the following terms:
"a. A declaration that D has acted unlawfully, and in breach of its statutory duty, by failing to treat C as having applied for an allocation of accommodation and by failing to make him a direct offer;
"b. A declaration that D has acted unlawfully and in breach of C's legitimate expectation by failing to take any steps to identify whether a suitable property was available for C and therefore failing to offer him that property;
"c. A mandatory order requiring D to:
i) Make C a direct offer under its allocation scheme;
ii) Take all reasonable steps for three months from the date of this order to identify a suitable property for C and offer it to him."
Breach of Part 6 of the Act or of the allocation scheme?
"52. D's approach to C's situation has been influenced by two (potentially conflicting) objectives. First, D's commitment to those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire that it would ensure that they were suitably housed. That objective would support the provision of alternative accommodation to C.
"53. Secondly, the need to ensure that D's tenants do not cause nuisance and the desirability of taking action to protect residents from nuisance. That objective supported the application for an injunction against C and the subsequent committal application following allegations of breach of the injunction. It might also weigh against offering C alternative accommodation (or general needs accommodation) given the possibility that that might simply result in C's anti-social behaviour being moved to another location.
"54. Different officers of D took different views as to the best way forward and that led to the decision-making process being difficult and protracted.
"55. That decision making process resulted in a decision that an application for committal would be made but that at the same time efforts would be made to identify suitable alternative accommodation for C to be offered via a direct offer. If those efforts had not proved successful within 3 months, a decision would be taken as to whether to pursue a claim for possession of the property (p 317).
"56. C does not suggest in his skeleton argument that that decision was irrational or otherwise unlawful.
"57. C also suggests that the decision was consistent with D's powers under Parts 6 and 7 of the Act and under the allocation scheme. D agrees although its analysis differs from C's:
(1) C's application under the Grenfell Rehousing Policy would have been closed following the grant of the tenancy of the property to him. However, the Director of Housing retained a discretion to waive the policy in exceptional circumstances. That discretion could have been exercised to reopen C's application so that he could move to alternative accommodation.
(2) The injunction granted against C meant that he was disqualified from joining the housing register under the allocation scheme but D retained a discretion to award 2,000 exceptional priority points.
(3) C suggests that D could have relied on its power to move an existing secure tenant under section 159(4A). However, that power could not be exercised if C had applied for a transfer and D was satisfied that he was to be given reasonable preference under section 166A(3). On the face of it C had applied for a transfer (p 249-255) and any basis for offering him alternative accommodation would have been because he fell within one of the reasonable preference classes under section 166A(3).
(4) C suggests that D could have secured accommodation for his occupation under Part 7 of the Act. But, by virtue of section 166A(14), D's powers under Part 7 could not have been used to secure Part 6 accommodation for his occupation outside the allocation scheme.
"58. The fact that D would have had power to make an offer of alternative accommodation to C does not mean that it was obliged to do so.
"59. C argues that D is in breach of its allocation policy, has failed to exercise its power under section 159(4A) and is in breach of its homelessness functions under Part 7 of the Act.
"60. However, it is doubtful that the power under section 159(4A) arose. C was disqualified from joining D's housing register as a result of the injunction. Although, as discussed above, D would have had discretion under the Grenfell Rehousing Policy and under the exceptional priority provision of the allocation scheme, it cannot realistically be suggested that it was irrational not to exercise that discretion."
Breach of the Defendant's duty under Part 7 of the Act?
Ground 2
"The Defendant has acted in breach of statutory duty and unlawfully, irrationally and in breach of a substantive legitimate expectation created as a result of the decision of the 3 March 2021 to adopt a procedure of making a direct offer of alternative accommodation to Claimant as an alternative to enforcement of allegations of breaches of an injunction arising out of the occupation of the unsuitable accommodation provided to the Claimant [i.e. "the property"] as a result of the Grenfell Fire and under that bespoke scheme for allocation."
"Without derogating in any way from the statements of applicable principle set out above, I attempt to summarise the main points as follows:
i) Where a person asserts a legitimate expectation to enforce what amounts to a substantive right based upon a promise or assurance by a public authority, the authority's statement must be clear, unambiguous and devoid of relevant qualification;
ii) Where a public authority has made statements to an individual that are said to give rise to a legitimate expectation, the Court should ascertain the meaning which the authority's statements would reasonably convey to that person in the light of all the background knowledge which he or she had in the situation in which he or she was at the time that the statements were made;
iii) Where a person is relying upon a promise or representation by a public authority as giving rise to a substantive right, the Court will not be limited to a Wednesbury irrationality test but will be required to consider whether the public authority has struck the correct balance between the public interest and the interests of the person relying on the promise or representation;
iv) The test to be applied is whether frustrating the Claimant's expectation is so unfair that to take a new and different course will amount to an abuse of power. Once the expectation has been established, the court must weigh the requirements of fairness against any overriding interest relied upon for the change of policy. Both procedural and substantive unfairness may be taken into account when applying this test;
v) Reliance and detriment are not essential pre-requisites to a finding of unlawful abuse of power but their presence (or absence) may be taken into account in deciding where the balance of fairness lies and whether the authority has acted unlawfully;
vi) The Court should give due weight to the proper role of public authorities as agents of change and as being responsible for the adoption and implementation of policies that are in the public interest even though they may conflict with the interest of private individuals, including those to whom assurances have been given;
vii) Being afforded priority under a housing allocation scheme is no guarantee of being awarded permanent accommodation either at all or within any particular timescale."
"68. It is unarguable that, as is argued in ground 2, that email amounted to an assurance that a direct offer of accommodation would be made as an alternative to pursuing the allegations of breach of the injunction. The start of the email makes clear that, regardless of efforts made to identify alternative accommodation, D would be proceeding with enforcement of the injunction.
"69. It is also impossible to see how the email could amount to a commitment to make a direct offer of accommodation which is clear, unambiguous and devoid of relevant qualification. The email says that D would seek to identify alternative accommodation, not that it would identify it. It also says what would happen if a suitable property had not been identified and accepted within 3 months and thus envisaged that no suitable property might be identified.
"70. Perhaps in recognition of that potential difficulty, in his skeleton argument C advances for the first time a more subtle argument. He argues instead that D should be required to seek to identify an alternative property for C and that, if one is identified within three months, it should be offered to C but, if a property is not identified after three months, matters might change.
"71. But that alternative argument faces the difficulty that the 3.3.21 email does not specify any particular level of intensity of search for alternative accommodation which would be carried out. As such, it is difficult to see how the email could be treated as an assurance that any particular sort of search would be carried out which was clear, unambiguous and devoid of qualification.
"72. It is clear that some steps were taken with a view to identifying accommodation. D took the view that, given the difficulties which had arisen when C was in occupation of general needs accommodation both before the Grenfell Tower fire and at the property, further such accommodation would not be suitable (p 368-369). C did not want to consider supported accommodation (p 368). Social services was asked to carry out an assessment of C's needs with a view to informing what sort of accommodation might be suitable but social services suggested an assessment by occupational therapy instead (p 340-341). As a result the steps taken were not successful in identifying suitable alternative accommodation.
"73. It may well be that further steps might have been taken, particularly if D had not taken the view that further general needs accommodation would be unsuitable. But there was no clear, unambiguous and unqualified promise to take such steps in the 3.3.21 email.
"74. The relief sought by C in this regard (in paragraph 80(c)(ii) of his skeleton argument) is a mandatory order requiring D to take all reasonable steps for three months to identify a suitable property for C. But the 3.3.21 email cannot be read as a clear and unambiguous promise to take all reasonable steps to identify a suitable property. Any such order would also raise the question of what constitutes a suitable property and who is to decide that.
"75. Accordingly, D submits that the 3.3.21 email did not give rise to any legitimate expectation."
"Even if it did, frustrating that expectation would not be so unfair as to amount to an abuse of power:
"(1) Although the email was sent to C's representative, it was sent on the basis that the decision was not to be communicated to C.
"(2) C's representative clearly did not treat the email as containing a binding commitment as she continued to press for a formal decision letter (p 339-340).
"(3) C himself appears not to have become aware of the email until after the 3 month period referred to in the email had come to an end.
"(4) C asserts that he relied on the assurance in the email by not making applications for accommodation or housing assistance under Parts 6 and 7 of the Act. But there is no evidence to that effect.
"(5) Further, it has been plain, at least since D's solicitors' email sent on 16.9.21 (p 360), that D did not consider that it had made any commitment to offer alternative accommodation. It was not reasonable to refrain from making applications under Part 6 or 7 of the Act in reliance on the email after that date."
The Grenfell Settled Home Policy
"The harrowing impact of the Grenfell Tower tragedy of 14 June 2017 upon survivors and the bereaved will never fully heal. The community, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea ('RBKC' or 'the Council') and its partners are committed to supporting survivors of the tragedy, and the families bereaved by it, to recover as far as possible while learning and adopting vital lessons from this humanitarian disaster.
"In July 2017, the Council introduced the Grenfell Rehousing Policy, revising it further in November 2017 and in April 2019. The Grenfell Rehousing Policy provided the path upon which former residents of Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk would be rehoused to a new permanent home, and it reflected Council and Government pledges that residents would have a choice about where they live,
"The residents and their families were in a unique situation, living in a highly pressurised and traumatic environment, which sometimes made it difficult to make important decisions about their housing future.
"While many households are happy in their new homes, some households have subsequently found that they now cannot settle, and cannot try to rebuild their lives, in their current homes. For these families their homes now feel like a barrier to recovery.
"The Grenfell Settled Home Policy provides survivor households with the opportunity to move one further time to an alternative permanent home. It explains the high priority ('Settled Home Priority') for rehousing that will be given to households who feel they need to move once more ."
"Households may only move once under the Grenfell Settled Home Policy. Once a household has moved to a permanent home under the Policy, their Grenfell Settled Home application will be closed."
"Households qualifying fore rehousing under the Grenfell Settled Home Policy will be awarded the following priority:
- 1500 points Grenfell Settled Home Priority
- This high level of priority reflects the impact, on a mental health and emotional level, of the challenges and barriers to recovery felt by the residents in their original permanent homes (the home a household moved to under the Grenfell Rehousing Policy).
- No additional points will be awarded: for example, for reasons of health or overcrowding."
Note 1 Hearing bundle page 229 [Back] Note 17 I take this to be a reference to Dr Heke [Back] Note 18 Sandra Osagiede, a Mental Health Nurse on the Grenfell Health and Wellbeing team [Back] Note 19 Housing Management [Back] Note 21 Sic: this presumably should read procuring [Back] Note 24 OTs is a reference to Occupational Therapists [Back]