A new version of the How to Rent Guide was released today, 2 October 2023. This needs to be given to the tenant on all new and replacement tenancies (including on statutory periodic arising) from today onwards. NB - 'given' means a physical copy...
All the blog posts, most recent first
Misc notes – RRO in the UT; Allocation, domestic abuse and discrimination
A couple of quick notes on cases that have been sitting a browser tabs in my 'to do' window for far too long... Daff v Gyalui & Aiach-Cohen (2023) UKUT 134 (LC) Ms Daff had been ordered to pay an RRO for an unlicensed property to the tenants in...
A couple of possession related appeals
Reading Borough Council v Holland (2023) EWHC 1902 (Ch) An appeal of a possession order made at first instance for Ms Holland's introductory tenancy of sheltered accommodation. Ms H was found by an expert report in the original proceedings to have...
Job Ads – Bradford, Ealing
Bradford Citizens Advice Housing Solicitor Job Opportunity Role: Housing Solicitor (Legal Aid contract) Hours: 37 hours per week (Job share requests considered) Holidays: 25 days plus 8 bank holidays plus 3 additional days Salary: £33k - £38k (Plus...
Upper Tribunal leasehold cases
Brief notes on some recent Upper Tribunal cases. Davies v Benwell Road RTM Company Ltd (LANDLORD AND TENANT - SERVICE CHARGES) (2023) UKUT 197 (LC) Following a complicated and muddled history of County Court and FTT proceedings between the parties,...
Job Ads – Holborn, London/Crawley/Cornwall, Farringdon
Mary Ward Legal Centre We are recruiting for a full-time Housing Solicitor at Mary Ward Legal Centre. Mary Ward is a fabulous place to work. We have 35 days annual leave (not including bank holidays), TOIL and flexible working. Applicants who want...
Damp, mould and the HHSRS
Cases yet to be written up are in a growing pile, but frankly it has been too darn hot to have the laptop on my lap for more than half an hour, so they are going to have to wait. Instead, here is a quick note on two recent DLUHC/govt publications...
Job Ads: Hammersmith, Sandwell, Sheffield.
Hammersmith & Fulham Law Centre Position: Trainee Solicitor Working hours: 35 hours per week Salary: £28,000 pa Benefits: Payment of SQE Preparation Course and SQE...
Waking watch costs and failing to do Fire Risk Assessments
Radcliffe Investment Properties Ltd v Meeson & Ors (LANDLORD AND TENANT - SERVICE CHARGES) (2023) UKUT 209 (LC) This is a very interesting appeal to the Upper Tribunal on the issue of a freeholder recovering waking watch costs through the...
Mental health and security of occupation
Islam & Anor, R (On the Application Of) v London Borough of Haringey (2022) EWHC 3933 (Admin) This was a judicial review of Haringey's refusal to award Mr Islam Band A priority on its housing register, rather than Band B. Mr I and his household...
Distance, affordability, suitability
Katie-Leigh Webb-Harnden v London Borough of Waltham Forest (2023) EWCA Civ 992 This was the second appeal from a review decision upholding the suitability of an offer of a private sector tenancy in Walsall in discharge of Waltham Forest's s.193...
Return of deposit by cheque – Definitely maybe.
Richworth Ltd v Billingham (2023) EW Misc 8 (CC) Over the years we've seen a number of county court decisions on the issue of when a deposit counts as returned for the purposes of being able to serve a section 21 notice (see here and the links in...