Runa Begum v Tower Hamlets LBC
Runa Begum was homeless. The council offered her a flat. She considered that it was not suitable and asked for a review. After the review, a senior officer confirmed that it was suitable. That left Mrs Begum with a right of appeal on a "point of law", but she wanted to dispute the basic suitability of the flat.

She claimed that the absence of an independent tribunal, to consider such disputes in homelessness cases, was a breach of her human rights under the "fair trial" provisions in article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The House of Lords decided that even if she did have a "civil right" to be provided with suitable accommodation under article 6, there was no infringement. Parliament had entrusted the decision-making to council officers with review by a senior officer. That system, together with a fall-back right to appeal on "law", complied with the state's fair trial obligations.

Source

Housing Today

Reference

There has been a question mark over the homelessness review process ever since the Human Rights Act came into force. This case may not provide the final answer (Mrs Begum could apply to the European Court of Human Rights) but it settles the law for the time being.