Some good news. The government has committed to scrapping the rough sleeping provisions of the Vagrancy Act 1824 and not replacing them. Finally, rough sleeping will be decriminalised. The previous government had said the Vagrancy Act 1824 would be repealed,...
The wrong sort of exclusive
Kaur v Birmingham City Council. County Court at Birmingham. 12 January 2025. (Copy of judgment is here). A copy of the judgment in this County Court trial on a preliminary issue before a Circuit Judge has reached me. It is both interesting, and, I gather,...
Service not included.
Jeffrey v Teevan (2025) EWCC 24 This is the County Court appeal of an order setting aside default judgment and a default costs order. There is a big 'twist in the tale', as the Circuit Judge puts it, and, because I do like a bit of dramatic tension, you'll...
No-ground evictions in Wales: A case for change?
Our grateful thanks to Mike Norman of Harrow Law Centre, our now designated person for housing law in Wales, for this detailed and thoughtful view on whether Wales will be left behind in retaining possession claims with no grounds required. Introduction It...
Hotel rooms and intentional homelessness
Beach v South Hams District Council (2025) EWCA Civ 609 A second appeal from a section 204 appeal of South Hams' review decision that Mr Beach was intentionally homeless by not occupying (or not continuing to occupy) a hotel room in Paignton that had been...
The cases that weren’t.
This is a cautionary tale, somewhat along the lines of Hilaire Belloc's Cautionary Tales for Children. Consider this the "George: Who played with a Dangerous Toy, and suffered a Catastrophe of considerable Dimensions." of homelessness judicial reviews....
Quashing or varying a review decision – Unsuitable accommodation
Mohamed v LB Hounslow. Central London County Court. 28 April 2025 (Unreported. A copy of the judgment is here.) Our thanks to Will Ford of Osbornes Law and counsel Daniel Clarke for letting us know about this section 204 appeal of a review of suitability of...
What else to do? Disability discrimination and justification
Thiam v Richmond Housing Partnership (2025) EWHC 933 (KB) This was an appeal of a possession order made by HHJ Luba KC. Ms Thiam was the assured tenant of Richmond Housing. A possession order had been sought on grounds 8 (rent arrears), ground 14 (anti...
Refusal of offers and the end of homeless duties
Socrattes Ofori-Addo v London Borough of Haringey (2025) EWCA Civ 277 A second appeal from a section 204 appeal. Ms O-A had applied to Haringey as homeless and was in temporary accommodation under the section 189B Housing Act 1996 relief duty. An offer of a...
Equality Act assessors and disclosure of advice
Laidley v Metropolitan Housing Trust Ltd (2025) EWCA Civ 448 This is a second appeal from the High Court's appeal judgment that we noted here. The issue was the use of and non-disclosure to the parties of an Equality Act assessor's advice to the Judge in...
The Yeovil Imbroglio
Cawley & Cawley v Abdri Group Limited. Yeovil County Court. 5 February 2025. (Copy of Judgment) This is something of a companion piece to the two judgments in Bristol we noted here, being also a judgment on an interim application in a housing conditions...
Bristol fashion – housing conditions claims
I've been passed a couple of judgments in housing conditions claims at Bristol County Court, one a contested allocation decision, the other on an application for a stay. They are both interesting, but also I think illustrative of current issues in the...