Luton Community Housing Ltd v Durdana (2020) EWCA Civ 445 Ms Durdana was a tenant of LCH. She faced possession proceedings under ground 17 Sch 2 Housing Act 1988 - that the landlord was induced to grant the tenancy by a false statement made knowingly or...
What’s in an appeal?
James v Hertsmere Borough Council (2020) EWCA Civ 489 What can be addressed in a section 204 Housing Act 1996 appeal of a review decision? What is the scope of the jurisdiction? This second appeal provides answers, albeit in a rather phyrric way. Mr James...
Where to go?
If, in a judicial review application, you have been refused on an application for interim relief on the papers, where you you go to challenge that decision? Nolson, R (on the application of) v Stevenage Borough Council (2020) EWCA Civ 379 This was an...
Practice Direction 51Z – to Stay Possession Proceedings
Following the announcement yesterday evening, here is the 117th Practice Direction Update to the Civil Procedure Rules – Coronavirus Pandemic related. This introduces Practice Direction 51Z The Master of the Rolls and the Lord Chancellor have signed Practice...
All housing possession claims suspended from 27 March – Coronavirus update.
(Update 27 March. For the details of the stay, see here on the new Practice Direction 51Z ) Well now, this is big (and also finally, it would seem, some clarity). According to this MHCLG press release from this evening: From tomorrow (27 March 2020)...
Coronavirus – new forms 3 and 6A for s8 and s21
Now that the Coronavirus Act is in force (as of today 26 March 2020), the three month notice period applies to assure and assured shorthold tenancies (as well as secure, introductory, etc). And there is: i) a new Form 6A - the form for Section 21...
Draft in haste… Coronavirus restrictions and homelessness
Here are emergency regulations, The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020, made today. These, amongst many other things, deal with what commercial premises may open, or must be closed, and - to the point here - restrictions...
Throwing out the homeless – hotels and coronavirus
MHCLG have - to their credit - been quite clear about the position for some hotels - where they are providing room for the homeless by arrangement with a local authority, they should remain open. Unfortunately, it appears that some hotel chains, at...
Emergency legislation on possession claims
I've seen the draft amendments to the Coronavirus Bill on housing possession. A word of caution, this was a draft from 22 March, not the actual amends due to be put forward today 23 March. I was waiting for those to be made public to check, but that has not...
Law in the time of Covid – Court duty work
What follows is the text of a twitter thread by Simon Mullings (@spikemullings), a housing lawyer and duty scheme advisor, arising from events on a duty session for a possession list last Friday 20 March. Reposted with permission. Following on from our...
Working on homes
As of today, 20 March 2020, section 9B(4) of Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 means that the section 9A 'fit for human habitation' obligation applies to all periodic and secure tenancies in England that existed on 20 March 2019 and are ongoing. This means that...
Of civil courts and public crisis
[update 19 March. This Message from the Lord Chief Justice to judges in the Civil and Family Courts has been sent out and published this morning. It emphasises the need to move to phone and video hearings wherever possible and to make arrangements to support...