October 5, 2025
Wildtree Hotels Ltd v Harrow LBC [2001] 2 AC 1
A local authority argued it lacked resources to comply with a repairs notice for homeless accommodation it managed. The House of Lords held the statutory duty to repair under the Housing Act 1985 was mandatory and could not be avoided by financial constraints. Facts Wildtree Hotels Ltd and other companies owned properties which they leased to Harrow London Borough Council (Harrow LBC) for use as temporary accommodation for homeless families. The properties fell into a state of serious disrepair, rendering them unfit for human habitation. An environmental health officer, employed by Harrow LBC, determined that the council itself was the
