The council could only find two adjacent housing association properties and agreed that the houses were not suitable for the family as they were not wheelchair accessible and did not have any downstairs bathroom or toilet facilities. Two years later the association gave the family notice to leave. No permanent alternative housing had been found but the council decided in March 2002 what would constitute "suitable" accommodation for the family based on information provided by the family's GP. Mrs Begum disputed that assessment and wanted the council to nominate her for permanent rehousing in the two presently occupied houses. The judge decided it had been unfair to decide what would be "suitable" for the family based on a GP's report which was inconsistent with other information from Mrs Begum and had not invited her to comment.
The council could not promise to nominate to any particular property as it was obliged to offer the first available property to the family at the front of the council's list.
Source
Housing Today
Reference
Check that the arrangements for assessing what is "suitable" for a family are fair and enable the family to contribute to the assessment. Ensure that no "pre-allocation" or "earmarking" of specific properties is taking place.
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