COURT OF APPEAL (CIVIL DIVISION)
ON APPEAL FROM THE MAYOR'S AND CITY OF LONDON COUNTY COURT
(HIS HONOUR JUDGE SIMPSON)
Claim No: 7LB04535
Strand, London, WC2A 2LL |
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B e f o r e :
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SULAIMAN KEITA |
Appellant |
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- and - |
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LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK |
Respondent |
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THE RESPONDENT DID NOT APPEAR AND WAS NOT REPRESENTED.
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Lord Justice Rimer:
"as he says, it was not an offer, his understanding was that he made it clear from the outset that he should not be asked to view a bedsit property, he thought he was just making his needs clear. He says he was not asked to view the accommodation and that the interviewing officer told him that Hyde would contact him when a more suitable accommodation became available … Mr Keita made his decision regarding the accommodation on offer in good faith, it could not be regarded as deliberate when it was based on information he had received from the authority's own medical assessment team, it had given him the genuine belief that he could expect a one bedroomed property to meet his medical needs."
It was also asserted that, prior to the section 184 decision, no reasonable inquiries were made into his case, including as to his medical needs.
"He was unable to afford the rent and he had security concerns. He was thus evicted from Grange Road on the basis that his refusal was unreasonable."
Order: Application refused