(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...
Lifts, policies and discrimination – too academic to proceed.
Sims, R (On the Application Of) v The London Borough of Hackney (Rev1) (2025) EWHC 2271 (Admin) This was a renewed permission hearing on an application for judicial review. Mr Sims is the secure tenant of Hackney, in a flat on the second floor of a block,...
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 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...
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....
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,...
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...
Section 21 and Gas Safety again, and tools for tenants.
A couple of quick notes. Robert Jones (Trading as DAP Properties & Ors v Oliver Wood. County Court at Brentford. 20 February 2025. My grateful thanks to Peter Sibley of Landmark Chambers for a note of this case. This was a possession claim based on a...
Bits of interest
A couple of brief notes on things of interest. Lewis v Francis & Anor (2025) EWHC 17 (Admin) An appeal from the Magistrates Court on a costs award on a failed s.82 Environmental Protection Act 1990 private prosecution. The Magistrates Court had awarded...
The staggered arrival of Awaab’s Law
In a written statement, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced the timescales for the implementation of Awaab's Law - i.e when the specific regulations will take effect. For social housing, this is: October 2025...