Ms A had left settled accommodation in Nigeria to come to the United Kingdom, where she lived in overcrowded short-term accommodation. She was given notice to leave after she became pregnant. She challenged the authority’s decision that she had become homeless intentionally as a result of having left the accommodation in Nigeria, and argued that the true cause of her homelessness was her pregnancy.
Held: Dyson J stated that the fundamental question was whether there was a continuous chain of causation between the loss of the last settled accommodation and the present state of homelessness, adding: 2In some cases, the cause closest in point of time will be regarded as the effective cause. A good example of this might well be the case discussed in Ex p Fahia (1996) 29 HLR 94, 102, of the premises occupied on a short letting which are burnt down, thereby rendering the occupant homeless.’ In the particular circumstances of the case, the authority had been entitled, in the judge’s view, to decide that the effective cause of the applicant’s homelessness was her action in leaving Nigeria.
Judges:
Dyson J
Citations:
(1997) 30 HLR 473
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Cited by:
Cited – Haile v London Borough of Waltham Forest SC 20-May-2015
‘The question in this case is whether the appellant falls within the scope of section 193 of the Housing Act 1996 as amended, which applies, by virtue of subsection (1), where the local housing authority are satisfied that ‘an applicant is homeless, . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Housing
Updated: 16 May 2022; Ref: scu.566160