Manifesto series (in order of publication) Conservative Lib Dem Green Labour Greens I want to like the Greens. I really do. But I can’t shake the concern that they are fundamentally opposed to development on the scale needed to address our national problems...
The Land Song*
Manifesto series (in order of publication) Conservative Lib Dem Green Labour Lib Dems What do the Liberal Democrats offer us? At a purely personal level, I’ve been quite impressed with the Liberal Democrats over the past few years. Daisy Cooper has been very...
I wanna be elected: Conservative edition
Manifesto series (in order of publication) Conservative Lib Dem Green Labour Conservatives It's fashionable to treat elections with a weary, nay affected, cynicism and a refrain of “they’re all as bad as each other”. That, frankly, is nonsense. And no-where...
Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5*
It takes a special kind of person who, faced with the multifaceted horrors of our disfunctional housing system, decides that what is really needed is to make it harder for some people to access social housing and to create new grounds or possession.** Yet...
Leasehold reform, rumours and thoughts
We already know that there will be a (residential) leasehold reform bill as part of the King's Speech, but the Sunday Times today (29.10.23) has some more details about what might be included. Leasehold houses The most eye-catching proposal is probably the...
Something to look forward to
The Queen's Speech was delivered earlier today. As is usually the way, the speech itself didn't have much to say about anything. What matters - and what contains the details - is the Briefing Pack produced after each speech. It's available here. It looks...
Plus ca change
One day, at some stage before I retire from blogging, I would like to write a good news story about the regulation of the private rented sector in England. But today is not that day. For I have spent the afternoon reading "Regulation of Private Renting" by...
The forthcoming Ukranian housing scheme
The media are today (Sunday 13.3.22) reporting that the government are going to launch an extra-statutory scheme on Monday whereby people will be able to offer accommodation to Ukranians fleeing the invasion. Details are sketchy, but the main points seem to...
Settled by Settlers
FirstPort Property Services Ltd v Settlers Court RTM Co Ltd [2022] UKSC 1 is a big deal in the world of residential leasehold property disputes. Whilst I can't say that the result is particuarly surprising, I imagine it has sent lawyers, RTM company...
No covering this up
As we reach the end of a truly awful week for the government* the National Audit Office has decided to get in on the act. The Regulation of Private Renting report is the equivalent of a (fully deserved) kicking for the government and its approach to the...
Review or repetition?
There is always a danger in reading too much into a Westlaw note of judgment and, as we all know, context is everything, but even allowing for that, the decision in R (Bereket) v Waltham Forest LBC QBD, 4 November 2021 (Westlaw note only) looks like a very...
The Building Safety Bill
The Building Safety Bill is here. There is a lot in it and I can't claim to have mastered it in the few hours since it was published, but I wanted to get something down on paper as soon as possible. This is, so we have been repeatedly told, the vehicle...