This is not really a housing case, being a commercial lease dispute, but there are a couple of points about relief from sanction and rent payments that are worthy of noting. Michael v Lillitos (2019) EWHC 2716 (QB) An appeal from a County Court decision on...
Dishonourable discharge
SH, R (on the application of) v The London Borough of Waltham Forest (2019) EWHC 2618 (Admin) This was a judicial review of Waltham Forest's decision that it had discharged its s.193 Housing Act 1996 duty (the full homeless duty) to Ms SH by an offer of...
No relief and unbalanced windfalls
Timbo v London Borough Of Lambeth (2019) EWHC 1396 (Ch) This is another in our occasional series of cases where residential leaseholders have had their leases forfeited and not obtained relief from forfeiture. (For other examples, see here, and here). As...
Unlicensed HMO and date of offence
Luton Borough Council v Altavon Luton Ltd & Ors (2019) EWHC 2415 (Admin) An appeal by way of case stated from a DJ's decision at Luton Magistrates. The sole issue was whether the informations in the case had been laid within 6 months "from the time when...
From the County Courts – s.21 timing, breach of PSED
A couple of county court cases, with grateful thanks to Legal Action Housing: recent developments for reporting them. (Link requires subscription. Of course you should be subscribing.) Majiyagbe v Singh and Sandhu, County Court at Central London, 30 August...
New points on appeal, after a summary possession order
Notting Hill Finance Ltd v Sheikh (2019) EWCA Civ 1337 The court of appeal looks at circumstances in which new points can be raised on appeal, where a possession order has been made on a summary basis under CPR Part 55, concluding that there is no test that...
Rent Repayment Orders, limitation and award periods.
This is worth a quick note from some comments and questions I have received after this post on a Rent Repayment Order (RRO). The issue is about the meaning of the requirement that an application for an RRO is brought within 12 months of a relevant offence....
Freeholder rights of access to leaseholder’s premises to carry out works
Oxford City Council v Dr Piechnik, County Court at Oxford, 31 July 2019 (Unreported elsewhere, we've seen the judgment.) Oxford CC is the freehold owner of a 15 storey block of flats. Some 16 of 85 flats are now held by long leaseholders on right to buy...
Property Guardians, commercial buildings and rates – appeal and grey areas
Ludgate House Ltd v Ricketts (VO) & Anor (RATING - HEREDITAMENT) (2019) UKUT 278 (LC) This was the appeal of the Valuation Tribunal's decision that we reported here. And, while the Upper Tribunal overturns the VT's decision, it does so in ways that may...
Harassment and hot water for leaseholders
Grateful thanks to September 2019 edition of Legal Action - Housing: recent developments for this one. Whale and others v Maunder Taylor and Northwood Hall RTM Company Ltd, County Court at Central London, May 2019 Mr Maunder Taylor was an FTT-appointed...
Warrants of possession – fresh grounds and Equality Act defences
Where a landlord already has a possession order for rent arrears, but then seeks a warrant also on the basis of anti-social behaviour, the usual route has been for the landlord to ask the court to consider whether the warrant should be stayed in light of the...
HMRC propose to fine tenants for not paying their landlord’s tax.
No, really. I'm not being melodramatic. Not all tenants, and not all landlords, granted, but that is exactly what HMRC say may be done. This is all about non-resident landlords, living overseas for more than 6 months a year. HMRC are (quite possibly rightly)...