A couple of things... MHCLG have issued an "Addendum for the profile for the hazard of fire and in relation to cladding systems on high rise residential buildings" to the operating guidance to the HHSRS in relation to ACM cladding. The aim is: to...
All the blog posts, most recent first
All out of Proportion
We saw the case of McDonald v McDonald through the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court found that as between private parties, there was no right to a proportionality review of eviction under the Section 21 possession claim...
Improvement clauses needing improvement
Network Homes Ltd v Harlow (2018) EWHC 3120 (Ch) An object lesson in the need for clarity in tenancy agreements. This was an appeal from a first instance decision of HHJ Luba QC. Mr H was Network's assured tenant of a flat in a block used for a...
Challenging service charges that aren’t yours, and views on housing in the courts
I'm not going to go into detail on Gateway Holdings (NWB) Ltd v McKenzie & Anor (LANDLORD AND TENANT - SERVICE CHARGES) [2018] UKUT 371 (LC) but it does set out a point of principle. Ms McKenzie, the current leaseholder, sought to...
A Housing Court – MHCLG have some odd questions for you.
And so the promised 'call for evidence' on the need for and outline of a specialist Housing Court has come to pass. And, frankly, what an odd thing it is. First, the MCHLG press release is headed Except the one thing that is definitely not...
The way of the Wilsons
With a sense of grinding inevitability, and a smidgen of schadenfreude, once more Fergus and Judith Wilson feature in these pages. (Here is the previous trail). This time, the appearance is for Judith Wilson being found guilty of failing to comply...
Residential Purposes
Snarecroft Ltd v Quantum Securities Ltd (2018) EWHC 2071 (Ch) This is a High Court decision from February, but it has just appeared on Bailii. The issue was the construction of a lease term which provided that the tenant must "Following the...
Service charge claims – paying trial fees and concurrent jurisdiction
Hyslop v 38/41 CHG Residents Company Ltd QBD 05/11/2018 (not on Bailii. Lawtel note of extempore judgment) CHG were the freeholder of a property with various leasehold flats. The FTT had determined that Ms Hyslop and other leaseholders owed CHG...
Who needs a wall anyway? Unfit to occupy and risk of collapse
Baillie v Savage (2018) EWHC 3035 Or, the significance of tenancy agreement clauses. A tenant had signed a two year tenancy on a house. There was no break clause. £34,000 in rent - for the full term - was paid in advance. After moving in, the...
Suitability and s.193 accommodation
Anon v LB Lewisham, Central London County Court, 5 July 2018 (Transcript of Judgment here) This was a s.204 appeal of a s.202 review on suitability of temporary accommodation provided to the appellant by Lewisham. This was originally temporary...
Weekend assortment
Some bits and pieces, of various levels of jaw dropping. MHCLG have produced updates for the Homelessness Code of Guidance. Under Chapter 8 'Priority need', there is a new section 8.40: 8.40 Any person who may reasonably be expected to die of a...
Universal Credit – more woes
I may well be late to the party here, but a couple of specific issues with Universal Credit have been pointed out to me that I, at least, had not heard before. So, in case I am not alone, I pass these on. They both amount to a significant departure...