The Court of Appeal's judgment in Heald and others v LB Brent [2009] EWCA Civ 930 is just out concerning the outsourcing of s 202 Housing Act 1996 reviews by Brent to Minos Perdios' company Housing Reviews Ltd. There have been a number of County...
All the blog posts, most recent first
Here be dragons
EPA 1990 prosecutions and the Magistrates Court. I am assured that stout housing lawyers quail at the prospect. And why? Well this High Court appeal by way of case stated, although not strictly housing related, serves as a illustration. Wandsworth...
Statutory Instruments to read by the pool
Apparently Dan Brown (he of "The Da Vinci Code" nonsense) is bringing out a new book shortly. I can't imagine why anyone would want to read it. Especially given that there are (just this week!) three relevant statutory instruments to consider....
Bits from August LAG 2: Unlawful Eviction damages
The August edition LAG housing updates also contain a couple of County Court unlawful eviction and harassment cases that are well worth noting, particularly on quantum. Abbas v Iqbal, Bow County Court 4 June 2009. Mr Abbas, who was elderly and in...
Illegal eviction and the police: Got a story?
Following on from the spate of comments on this post, we have been contacted by a (thoroughly reputable) journalist who would like to write a piece on illegal eviction and, in particular, on police responses and awareness. She is looking for first...
L & Q Change Practice on Ground 8
News has come our way (circuitously) of a change in practice by London and Quadrant on the use of Ground 8, the mandatory ground for possession on the basis of rent arrears in respect of assured tenancies, from 01 August. Apparently, they will now...
Bits from August LAG 1: Tenancy Deposits
As ever, the lovely Legal Action housing updates have some interesting County Court cases that hadn't reached us. A couple in the August edition concern tenancy deposit cases. Nothing binding (and when will some of these cases reach a higher...
Outstanding and Relevant
Scinto v London Borough of Newham [2009] EWCA Civ 837 is an appeal from Bow County Court on whether the tenant was still entitled to exercise her right to buy on terms first set out in December 1999. Miss Scinto initiated the right to buy process...
Extending the role of the TSA
The Government has just issued a consultation paper (available here) on extending the TSAs regulatory role to local housing authorities. Whilst the document is expressed to be a consultation, the tone of the document suggests that the Government is...
Draft Allocations Code of Guidance
DCLoG which, by all accounts, was cockahoop over Ahmad has issued a new draft Code of Guidance on allocations for consultation: Fair and Flexible. This amends parts of the 2002 Code and the 2008 Code on CBL. The new draft Code is obviously aimed...
Addendum to Homelessness CoG…
DCLoG have put out supplementary guidance to local authorities on intentional homelessness in the context of applicants who face homelessness following difficulties with mortgage commitments. I suspect if you look hard enough, you'll find it, but...
"Unauthorised tenancies": New Consultation
I have found myself unaccountably lethargic post-lunch, so when the Chief put us on to the new DCLoG consultation document on "unauthorised tenancies" I jumped at the opportunity to post on it. It's a beautifully produced document with lots of...