In a first-of-its-kind case in the UK, a 41-year-old unemployed Oxford graduate has taken his parents to court in a bizarre attempt to make them support him financially for life.
Despite being a trained lawyer and having a degree from the prestigious Oxford University, 41-year-old Faiz Siddiqui claims that he is completely dependent on his Dubai-based mother and father. In court filings obtained by the press, Siddiqui describes himself as a “vulnerable” grown-up child due to health issues, and insists that being cut-off by his wealthy parents would be a violation of his human rights.
Photo: Melinda Gimpel/Unsplash
The Oxford graduate, who hasn’t worked since 2011, has been living rent-free in a $1.4 million apartment owned by mother Rakshanda, 69, and father Javed, 71, near Hyde Park in central London. His parents have also been paying all his bills and giving him a $550 weekly allowance, but mean to cut him off following a serious argument they had.
“These long-suffering parents have their own view of what is suitable provision for their ”difficult, demanding and pertinacious” son,” the parents’ lawyer, Justin Warshaw QC, told British tabloid, The Sun.
This isn’t the first time Faiz Siddiqui makes international news headlines. Back in 2018, he was in the news for suing Oxford University, claiming that the institution had not provided adequate teaching, which prevented him from getting a first-class degree and affected his career as a lawyer. He valued his loss at $1.4 million, but his claim was thrown out by a judge.
Mr. Siddiqui, who has worked for several law firms until 2011, filed a case against his parents claiming maintenance last year, but was rejected by a family court judge. It has now gone to the Court of Appeal, and is considered a landmark case that could impact the rights of every UK parent.
Interestingly, Faiz Siddiqui isn’t the first person to sue their parents for financial maintenance. One the other hand, we’ve also had parents sue their adult children for refusing to move out of the family home, so it goes both ways.
