Homelessness and threatened homelessness
3Preliminary duties of housing authorities in cases of possible homelessness, etc.
1
If—
a
a person applies to a housing authority for accommodation or for assistance in obtaining accommodation, and
b
the authority have reason to believe that he may be homeless or threatened with homelessness,
the authority shall make appropriate inquiries.
2
In subsection (1) above "appropriate inquiries" means—
a
such inquiries as are necessary to satisfy the authority whether the person who applied to them is homeless or threatened with homelessness, and
b
if the authority are satisfied that he is homeless or threatened with homelessness, any further inquiries necessary to satisfy them—
i
whether he has a priority need, and
ii
whether he became homeless or threatened with homelessness intentionally.
3
If the authority think fit, they may also make inquiries as to whether the person who applied to them has a local connection with the area of another housing authority.
4
If the authority have reason to believe that the person who applied to them may be homeless and have a priority need, they shall secure that accommodation is made available for his occupation pending any decision which they may make as a result of their inquiries (irrespective of any local connection he may have with the area of another housing authority).