Housing Reviews Centre • P.O. Box 65717 • London N13 9BD

Tel: 020 8242 4876 • Fax: 020 8242 4877

©Copyright 2011

Housing Reviews Ltd Statement

Makisi v Birmingham City Council; Yosief v Birmingham City Council; Nagi v Birmingham City Council [2011] EWCA Civ 355

Ms Makisi was sent a ‘minded to’ letter by the reviewing officer at Birmingham City Council. Given that the letter stated that she could make oral representations she requested a face to face hearing. The review officer rejected this request and stated that a telephone conversation was sufficient for her to make oral representations and did not allow her to have a face to hearing/meeting.

The applicant appealed to the County Court.

HHJ Worster in the Birmingham County Court judged that her right to make oral representations under Regulation 8(2) Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Review Procedures) Regulations 1999 was satisfied by telephone representations.

The applicant appealed to the Court of Appeal.

The Court of Appeal has confirmed that the right to make oral representations includes the right of the applicant to insist on a hearing face to face with the reviewer at which either the applicant or their representative can make representations.

Housing Reviews Ltd Response

In our commitment to provide an efficient and effective service to both applicants and our clients we will commit all our review officers to have face to face meetings with applicants if they request this under Regulation 8(2) Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Review Procedures) Regulations 1999.

This will be subject to our normal fees of attending interviews with applicants at Council offices.