I have had a question from the editor of the Small Places blog, which is a very fine blog on human rights and community care, with attention to Court of Protection matters. I think it is a question which might benefit from the assembled housing law mavens...
Starter tenancy: proportionality ‘just about arguable’
West Kent Housing Association v Haycraft [2011] EWCA Civ 992 (Not on Bailii. We've seen a transcript) This was a renewed application for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal on a second (or perhaps first- see below) appeal from the granting of a...
Tenancy deposit penalties awarded!
There are two appeals on cases involving claims for the return of deposits and the three times penalty in both of which - astonishingly, given the recent history of High Court and Court of Appeal decisions - the tenant was awarded the penalty. We have said...
Back in the consulting room
R (Peat and others) v Hyndburn DC [2011] EWHC 1739 (Admin) is the first successful challenge to a selective licensing scheme. We've previously covered the permission hearings (here and here). It's quite a fun judgment to read, if only for the absolute...
Standards in private renting: A bit of a mess?
My good friend, Alex of Alex's Archives, has sent me a link to a discussion in the GLA corridors of power on standards in the private rented sector. I haven't finished listening to the GLA debate, but, as Alex said in his email, it does expose some "shaky...
A Not So Unlawful Eviction
R v Q [2011] EWCA Crim 1584. On Lawtel but not on BAILII This is an appeal concerning s1(3A), Protection From Eviction Act 1977. This subsection was inserted by the Housing Act 1988 and was intended to fix a problem with s1(3). S1(3A) reads: Subject to...
Tenancy Deposits Back in the Localism Bill
We have previously posted on amendments to the Localism Bill tabled in Commons committee which would have had the effect of rewriting the tenancy deposit protection provisions in the Housing Act 2004. The changes were designed to reset the position back to...
“Bright lines” and housing benefit
The re-design of the administration of housing benefit has sought to address the scheme's complexity in recent years - the local housing allowance is a particular example of this re-design, with the shift to flat rate payments according to household size. ...
Safe European Home*
We noted J. L. v the United Kingdom here. Now there are two further English possession cases at the 'questions to the parties' stage of the European Court of Human Rights. Birch and Others v UK Application no. 26393/10 Birch arises out of possession...
Assuredly not an AST
Jasbir Kaur Kahlon v Andrew Isherwood [2011] EWCA Civ 602 (on Lawtel but not on BAILII yet) UPDATE: Transcript now available on BAILII Schedule 2A of the Housing Act 1988 was inserted by the Housing Act 1996 and supports s19A which was inserted by the same...
Getting Plastered
Grand v Gill [2011] EWCA Civ 554 At the risk of being mocked, or shunned, I must confess myself to be throughly excited. A Court of Appeal disrepair case! And on one of the great unknowns of disrepair liability to boot! Obviously, my wedding day 8 years ago...
Eviscerated? Now also Drawn and Quartered
Gladehurst Properties Ltd v Hashemi [2011] EWCA Civ 604 (Not on BAILII at time of writing) UPDATE: Transcript now available on BAILII In Tiensia LJ Sedley said that the decision of the majority 'eviscerated' the tenancy deposit protection legislation. The...