As we noted here, the Government's new Equality Bill brings together various bits of anti-discrimination legislation and extends some of them. One area that is extended is protection against age discrimination, which is now covered by Part 3, in respect of...
Outright orders and drug offences
Knowsley Housing Trust v Prescott & Prescott [2009] EWHC 924 (QB) Mr & Mrs Prescott were the assured tenants of Knowsley Housing Trust and had been since 2002. On 11 April 2006, Mr Prescott pleaded guilty to charges relating to the supply of cocaine...
If you missed it…
There was a piece broadcast on Radio 5 live about illegal subletting, I think it was on last Sunday, 22 March. It is available as a podcast until Sunday 29 March here or can be played/downloaded as an mp3. Many thanks to Ruth, the producer, for the link.
Improvements, rent and former long leaseholders – a nasty loophole
The recent case of Hughes v Borodex Ltd [2009] EWHC 565 (Admin) illustrates a pitfall that may face the very small number of former long leaseholders who have become assured tenancies as a result of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 ("the 1989 Act")....
A Weaver v L&Q interlude.
While we wait for the Court of Appeal judgment in Weaver v London & Quadrant - the case was heard in the last week of February, I believe - we have a judgment along the way, specifically on Weaver's application for a protected costs order (PCO). It is...
Just a quickie
The Court of Appeal are in the middle of hearing the appeal in R(Weaver) v L&Q - yesterday and today, (Housing Associations as public bodies for JR/HRA purposes). As ever, news on the judgment will be posted as soon as we have it.
Housing waiting lists in Parliament
Yesterday the House of Commons debated a Conservative Party motion on housing waiting lists: That this House notes that social housing waiting lists have increased to a record 1.8 million families, over 4.5 million people, over the last 12 months; recognises...
In passing…
A couple of quick notes from the HLPA meeting this evening. Aweys v Birmingham is listed for the Lords next week (homeless at home and allocation policy differences in priority between homeless at home and those with no accommodation available, as if you...
Knowsley v White etc. in more detail
Knowsley HT v White, Honeyghan-Green v LB Islington & Porter v Shepherds Bush Housing Association [2008] UKHL 70 - for anyone who hasn't read it yet. There is lots to unpick here, so I'll go case by case. It is made easier by there being pretty much one...
Tolerated trespassers in the House of Lords
For once we were well and truly beaten to the line in publicly announcing a judgment, and in this instance most deservedly so. At about 11 am at the Housing Law Conference Jan Luba QC announced the result of Knowsley HT v White, Honeyghan-Green v LB...
Request for info – Ground 8
Ah, Ground 8. How we love it. We have been asked by some researchers, who are investigating housing association rent arrears management as well as their use of Ground 8, if readers would get in touch with them if they have experience of RSLs using Ground 8...
It's the end of the world as we know it
Housing Minister Margaret Beckett dropped a bit of a bombshell yesterday. The Government has (according to leaks in the Times) responded warmly to a CIH proposal to end secure and assured tenancies as we know them and replacing them with fixed term contracts...