(Updated 26/10/2017 - at the bottom) Access to justice is one thing. Actually being able to find it another. This is the sorry, sad, truly pathetic tale of the fall out of the closure of Lambeth County Court. I'm sorry for length, but hell, it has...
All the blog posts, most recent first
Significantly more vulnerable – how much, or what kind?
Panayiotou v London Borough of Waltham Forest (2017) EWCA Civ 1624 This is an important court of appeal decision on the meaning of 'significantly' in Lord Neuberger's definition of vulnerability under s.189(1)(c) Housing Act 1996 in Hotak v...
Guidance on reducing homelessness
The DCLG has published the draft statutory code of guidance to accompany the Homelessness Reduction Act (in force from April 2018). The draft code is now subject to 8 weeks consultation. The DCLG has also announced the fairly small additional sums...
Vulnerability, medical evidence & Now Medical
Thomas v Lambeth LBC, County Court at Central London, 16 March 2017 This is a s.204 appeal in the County Court of a vulnerability decision by Lambeth. A copy of the transcript of judgment is here. Of particular interest is that the judgment...
Waiting for DCLG
During an exchange about the speech by the Secretary of State yesterday (more on that later I suspect - I'd quite like to do a conference round-up piece), it occured to me that there are an awful lot of actual housing law consultations that haven't...
Fitness for Habitation 2.0 – Q&A and call to arms
If you haven't already heard, Karen Buck MP got fourth place in the 2017 ballot for private members bills. And she has taken this opportunity to bring forward a new version of the 'Fitness for Habitation' Bill that was filibustered in 2015 (and...
Job Ad – SW London
Wainwright & Cummins LLP HOUSING SOLICITOR & SUPERVISOR Wainwright & Cummins LLP are looking for a motivated, passionate and dynamic housing solicitor 4yrs PQE + to take over the role of Head of Housing Department. The applicant must...
Lionel Richie and housing law
It was the Nat Fed conference last week and I know many of our readers were there taking in the sights and experiences and nabbing free pens/drinks. I've never really enjoyed it. Not enough law for me. I'm also deeply sceptical of the Nat Fed after...
An uncaring indifference to wrong and right
Behind every homelessness statistic sits a story - or, more accurately - 88410* stories. Stories of people fleeing violence or abusive relationships. Stories of people struggling with ill-health and addictions. Stories of care leavers being left to...
We’re on a break
You may have noticed a lack of posts, despite cases awaiting writing up like the relief of Ealing, or the 18 month rule in s.20B also applying to 'on account' service charge demands, or legal costs on relief from forfeiture. But reports are going...
Research project to identify and expose the legal gaps exposed by the Grenfell fire
The University of Bristol has been awarded a grant by Shelter to conduct a research project to identify and expose the legal gaps exposed by the Grenfell fire. This research project will use a survey method to address three objectives: To set out...
Sufficient Notice
Partridge v Gupta (2017) EWHC 2110 (QB) Those who have been readers of this blog for a while may recall our campaign about evictions by High Court Sheriffs where the writs were (wrongly) obtained as an administrative act by using form N293A. This...