The Greeks have a word for it, and if they don't the Germans can probably knock one together. On the menu for today are hubris, nemesis, Schadenfreude and harmatia. Harmatia Our friends 'Charles Henry', the not-solicitors, appear to be determined to destroy...
‘We are the world’- Brent LBC
One test for establishing succession to a secure tenancy by a gay partner (not being a civil partner) has been established since Nutting v Southern Housing Group Ltd [2004] EWHC 2982 (Ch). This test is "that the relationship must be openly and unequivocally...
It’s the way that you use it.
I've just received a new First Tier Tribunal bedroom tax decision from Rochdale. This one is interesting because it is the first that I have seen based solely on the tenant's use of the disputed room. The statement of reasons is here (and now on the FTT...
Mr Ghopee and Barons Finance – Important for any County Court proceedings
[Update 3 February 2014. A new order has been made in the Mercantile Court. Very important for anyone dealing with or knowing of proceedings by Mr Ghopee under any company name.] We have previously had cause to examine the activities of Mr Dharam Prakash...
Confederacy of Dunces.
I've been watching the slow motion catastrophe that is 'Rent 2 Rent' [sic] for a while, as have other NL writers. Despite the high profile collapse of the poster boy and cheerleader, Unidaplace, last autumn, owing many thousands (and the simultaneous...
“Charles Henry & Co” & “Legal Action”
[Update 24 August 2014. For an intriguing update on Charles Henry and Legal Action, see here.] Anyone who encounters 'Charles Henry & Co' or 'Legal Action' (Not to be confused with Legal Action Group!) in the course of litigation, or has an offer to act...
Incoming – bedroom tax and more.
Busy day for bits of news. On the bedroom tax, Lord Freud announced in a House of Lords debate today that amending regulations to remove the 1996 claim exemption will be produced in March, though they haven't got definite parliamentary time yet. (Not got a...
Bedroom Tax: the effect of the pre 1996 claim ‘exemption’.
As set out in the previous post, the DWP has confirmed that 4(1)(a) of Schedule 3 of the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2006 has the effect that any HB claimant who has been claiming continuously since before 1...
Bedroom Tax: Pre 1996 claims exemption.
[Update 10/01/2014 - see further post on details of who is 'exempt' and suggested actions.] Readers may well have seen material going around that suggested that a housing benefit claim that was continuous from pre 1 January 1996 was exempt from the bedroom...
Shorthold tenancies and council tax liability
If a tenant on a statutory periodic tenancy stops living in the property, but the tenancy is not ended, who is liable for the Council Tax? CT v Horsham District Council (HB) [2013] UKUT 617 (AAC) This was an appeal to the Upper Tribunal from the benefits...
Intentionally homeless via co-tenant.
Viackiene v Tower Hamlets LBC (2013) CA (Civ Div) 11/12/2013 [Not on Bailii, note on Lawtel, not seen full transcript] Ms V was the joint tenant of a private property under an assured short hold tenancy. The other tenant was J. Both were jointly and...
Trespass and aggravation.
One of the oddest (and probably most expensive) trespass cases we have reported (see here for the first Court of Appeal report) has ended up back in the Court of Appeal yet again. Eaton Mansions (Westminster) Ltd v Stinger Compania De Inversion S.A. [2013]...