And Lo! The appointed day has been announced! And it is 1 May 2026. Well, partly... On 1 May 2026, the following provisions will come into force: The end of assured shorthold tenancies, fixed terms and new section 21 notices. New and amended grounds of...
The King of England… and all his force dares not cross the threshold
Southern Housing v James Emmanuel (2025) EWCC 58 This was a first instance judgment, by District Judge Cridge at Bromley County Court, on the vexed issue of whether the court has the power to amend an injunction order for a tenant to give access to give the...
Awaab’s Law – A summary overview of Phase 1
Today - 27 October 2025 - the regulations implementing phase 1 of Awaab's Law came into force. The Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 cover 'significant hazards' of damp, mould and fungal growth, and 'emergency...
*Actually, there needn’t (necessarily) be consequences
(We are, as ever, hugely grateful to Mike Norman of Harrow Law Centre for his excellent updates on housing law in Wales. Here is Mike's report on the fascinating denouement of the 'Costal Housing Group' litigation on the effect of not serving EICRs under...
Tales from the Housing Conditions Wars. Part 2
The second of a series of reports on County Court judgements in housing conditions claims - on what might be called procedural and costs wars. The first, focused on expert evidence and the pre-action protocol, is here. Carter v Leeds City Council. County...
Tales from the Housing Conditions wars. Part 1
Lancastle v Curo Group (Albion) Limited (2025) EWCC 48 This is a judgment on application in two joined cases, Lancastle v Curo Group and Bailey & Bennet v Curo Places. In each, the defendant landlord had applied variously for the claims to be struck out...
Catching up… Part 1
The holiday was lovely, thank you. A couple of degrees hotter than the UK, but with a) the sea 45 seconds from my bed, and b) air conditioned rooms. But it left quite a lot to catch up on of previous backlog and 'while away' things - so, a first instalment...
Awaab’s Law ‘phase 1’, electrical certificates and an investigation into claims management companies.
In a written announcement today - 25 June 2025 - the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has laid out the implementation of ‘phase 1’ of Awaab’s Law, with regulations being laid today. These will take effect on 1 27 October 2025....
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...
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...