We get a lot of requests for information or advice on NL. This one was special. From Mike M[...] Email xxxx@cardiff.gov.uk Message intentionally homeless for abandoning suitable accommodation, looking for caselaw on this subject From: Nearly Legal Sent: 30...
Too soon?
Unusually, this is a published Judicial Review permission decision. Further, Anthony Thornton QC J has 'certified that this judgment may be cited and referred to in other cases or situations. This direction is made pursuant to paragraph 6.1 of the Practice...
Benefit Cap Judicial Review underway
A four party judicial review of the Benefit Cap - now under pilot in 4 boroughs and to be rolled out in October - was issued today (Wednesday 22 May). Details are here. The claimants argue that the Regulations are discriminatory and unreasonable. They also...
Night Shelters, dwellings and housing benefit
This a late note on OR -v- Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Isle of Anglesey CC [2013] UKUT 065 (AAC) because, bluntly, I had read it quickly at the time and overlooked its broader significance. The issue was whether OR could receive housing...
Ambling for Justice
We here at Nearly Legal don't just sit around staring at the ever increasing backlog of cases to write up. Oh no. We do other things too. One of the other things some of us are doing is the London Legal Walk on Monday 20 May. The aim of the walk is to raise...
Bedroom Tax Judicial Review update
Just to note that the 10 joined bedroom tax Judicial Review claims (for initial details see our note) are listed for full hearing on Wednesday to Friday next week (15-17 May). The claims involve a range of challenges to the regulations involving disabled...
The Shape of Things to Come.
In which two [now confirmed as four] Housing Associations behave very badly in anticipation of the benefit cap. Haringey is one of the pilot boroughs for the benefit cap, limiting the total amount of benefit, including housing benefit/LHA (and astonishingly...
Tories to regulate private rented sector? Don’t get excited…
The detail of this may have passed you by at the time, it certainly did me, but amongst the wind and posturing of David Cameron's 'big speech' in March on stopping immigrants from getting things from healthcare to driving licences was quite a significant...
Tenants! Be the best that you can be!
At the very beginning of social housing, with the Peabody Estates in the 1860s, prospective tenants faced imposed requirements that we would now consider to be extraneous to the tenancy: Mandatory smallpox vaccinations; curfews; and cleaning rotas before 10...
Legal Aid Agency FAQs*
The Legal Aid Agency has released a set of 'frequently asked questions' on scope and funding after 1 April just gone. A copy is here. The housing section is at 74-109 There are few surprises, but worthy of note is the position on disrepair: 81. Are damages...
Formerly known as…
If you look carefully, there is a small change on the site. A clue is in the header to this post. I (NL as was) have decided to write under my real name. After nearly 7 years of pseudonymity, I thought 'what the hell', and it isn't as if it isn't widely...
Of statutory defences and bottles of urine
An appeal against conviction on an illegal eviction case. We didn't report it at the time, but in R v Jay Allen & Razwan Mohammed, in Sheffield County Court, September 2012, Jay Allen was convicted of illegal eviction under section 1(3A) Protection from...