For reasons that will become clear in this post, rentcharges are a bit of a legal oddity. It has been a new realm for me, but I was intrigued by this case, and wiser members of the NL collective have held my hand as I headed down this particular rabbit hole....
Assorted.
A couple of bits of news. In April 2015, Hackney Council brought in a Public Spaces Protection Order (under Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014) which, amongst other things criminalised rough sleeping in some parts of the borough. Allegedly...
Housing and immigration. Bombshells and bombast
In a speech timed to hide the release of the latest figures on net migration, the Prime Minister made an assortment of announcements on forthcoming policies. The part that concern us here, went as follows: There are other ways we can identify those who...
A home without a household
With thanks to Joe Halewood, comes news of this very interesting First Tier Tribunal bedroom tax appeal. In MR v North Tyneside Council and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Housing and council tax benefits : other) [2015] UKUT 34 (AAC) [Our report],...
Legal Walk 2015
So, we have another five years in which it seems unlikely that access to justice will be a priority. The London Legal Walk on 18 May 2015, raising funds for a range of not for profit access to justice organisations and projects is therefore more important...
Vulnerability – a fresh start
Hotak (Appellant) v London Borough of Southwark (Respondent) Kanu (Appellant) v London Borough of Southwark (Respondent) Johnson (Appellant) v Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (Respondent) Crisis & Shelter, EHRC, SS for CLG interveners [2015] UKSC...
A blind eye to Nelson
A couple of bedroom tax decisions, one Upper Tribunal, one FTT, both of which involve findings for the tenant in the landscape after the Upper Tribunal decision in Nelson (SSWP v David Nelson and Fife Council, SSWP v James Nelson and Fife Council [2014] UKUT...
As difficult as pulling teeth
Williamson v Khan. Birmingham County Court. Claim No: 3YS66585 (12 March 2015). Disrepair claims against private landlords are often interesting. Not least because said landlords have a tendency to take ridiculous positions and stick with them to trial, even...
HMO corner.
A couple of recent Upper Tribunal (Land Chamber) decisions on HMOs under licensing schemes. Urban Lettings (London) Ltd v London Borough Of Haringey [2015] UKUT 104 (LC) What does an 'appropriate person' 'having control of a HMO' mean in circumstances where...
Rents and Equality. Barnet, again.
It appears that Barnet Council (via the Mayor's casting vote) are determined to carry on with their plan to raise rents for council tenants, new and existing, to 80% of market rent or top of LHA rates, whichever is lowest. We previously spent some time on...
Protocol Problems
Now that the new pre-action protocols are sort of available, and have been in force since 6 April 2015 even when they were not available, people are having a look at them. And coming up with some issues. The new Pre-action Protocol for Possession Claims by...
Deposits, penalties and discretions
Okadigbo & Anor v Chan & Anor [2014] EWHC 4729 (QB) When awarding a penalty for breach of the Section 213 Housing Act 204 requirements for tenancy deposits, the court has a discretion over the amount of penalty under section 214 "(4) The court...