The council decided last year to reclaim over 160 homes on six council estates, that had previously been lost through Right to Buy, for use as emergency accommodation for homeless families. The properties were being privately let at close to market rate, on assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs).
One of these private tenants applied for a Judicial Review, where a judge considers the lawfulness of a decision or action made by a public body.
However, in March, they were refused permission to apply for a judicial review. And on Tuesday [17 June], Mr Justice Linden dismissed their appeal against this decision. The judge rejected both the grounds put forward as a basis for challenging the council’s decision, and found the council had been acting lawfully throughout.
Cllr Danny Adilypour, the council’s Deputy Leader (Housing, Investment and New Homes), welcomed the decision.
He said: “Lambeth is on the front line of a national housing crisis, and we are doing everything we can to provide the most disadvantaged and vulnerable families in Lambeth with a safe, decent home.
“It is right that we are taking back former council homes that were lost through Right to Buy. We need to use these properties to provide safe, secure homes for our most vulnerable residents in urgent need of housing, rather than leaving them to be rented on the private market to those who have the means and resources to pay market rent.
“The number of homeless households supported by the council has increased by 50% in the last two years, and Lambeth is now providing temporary accommodation for over 4,700 homeless households every night. The cost of housing homeless families in overnight accommodation has risen to more than £100million a year. This is why we have to use all of the properties available to us to support these homeless households and bring these costs down.”
So far, more than 70% of the properties have been returned to the council, and Lambeth is working as quickly as we can to make them available to families in the most need; 71 properties are in the process of being let, with 57 properties already relet to residents in unsuitable temporary accommodation.
Cllr Adilypour added: “We need to use these homes for those in most urgent need of housing. Where a household currently privately renting one of these properties is owed a housing duty, we will assess their needs and work with them to ensure they receive appropriate support.”
