Taylor Clark Ltd v Mohamed (unreported, Central London County Court, 5 March 2026) (note of case here via Falcon Chambers) This was a count court hearing, before DJ Le Bas, in which the issue of injunctions to permit the landlord to force access to the...
A Vague and Approximate Landlord and a County Court Conditions Counterclaim
Here is a recent housing conditions case that actually reached trial. A rent arrears possession claim with a disrepair counterclaim. N'Guessan & Anor v Bewry (2026) EWCC 9. I'm not entirely clear why this was given to Bailli, though I suspect there may...
Pre allocation costs in a housing conditions claim
Gemma Court v Beyond Housing Limited. Teesside Combined Court Centre. 12 February 2026. HHJ Robinson BEM. (Copy of Judgment. Our thanks to Andrew Hogan of Hailsham Chambers for circulating it.) This was a County Court appeal of a first instance decision on...
New Year clear up – shrinking the backlog
A happy New Year to you all. It is going to be an interesting one on any measure. I've had a few days off, and so, in an attempt to enter 2026 with a clearer conscience and a lot fewer browser tabs open, I've been working on the backlog of cases I've been...
Catching up – housing conditions and illegal evictions
Catching up - housing conditions and illegal evictions Ferko v Kumar & Kumar. Ealing Magistrates Court. 15 July 2025 This was the sentencing hearing in an Environmental Protection Act 1990 prosecution that we previously saw in on appeal in the High...
Two smallish rants…
It has been one of those days, where a couple of things caused gnashing of teeth at the state of the world, or at least that (smallish) bit of it that involves the practice of housing law. So, I am going to vent. Apologies in advance. Firstly, I am trying to...
Denial of a right to a fair hearing (and a questionable injunction against a tenant under s.9A LTA 1985)
Batt, R (On the Application Of) v The County Court at Central London (2025) EWHC 3071 (Admin) This was quite a remarkable (and successful) judicial review of a decision of HHJ Gerald to refuse permission to appeal on four grounds from an inunction order made...
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...
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...
Catching Up… Part 2
More notes on cases and matters from before, during and after my holiday, in a frantic attempt to get up to date. More to come... The draft Awaab's Law regulations - The Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 - have...
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...