Our grateful thanks to Daniel Grütters of One Pump Court Chambers for this note of a Section 204 appeal of a review decision that it was reasonable for appellant to continue to occupy her accommodation, so she was not homeless. The key issue is the always...
Missing documents and inadequate reasons – A ‘suitability’ s.204 appeal.
Our grateful thanks to Frank Bowmaker, pupil barrister at One Pump Court Chambers, for the following note of a section 204 appeal of a suitability review decision, on the issue of documents missing from the housing file, and the review not dealing with...
Artificial Stupidity and real hazards
I am more than a little furious. We live in times when far right agitators are stirring up physical violence, and people are getting sucked into internet rabbit holes of conspiracist thinking and outright lies. But, if you wanted to check the facts about...
Addressing unsuitability and mandatory orders
R (ex parte AIN) v London Borough of Tower Hamlets. High Court (Admin) 29 April 2025 (Unreported elsewhere. We have a full note of judgment (unapproved) from the claimant's solicitors, Osbornes Law, for which we are grateful). It is interesting in its...
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...
“Our legal are leading experts when it comes to landlord and tenant law”*
“If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.” ― Sun Tzu The other day, this brief article was brought to my attention (full version for subscribers only and I'm not a subscriber). The article said that Sasha Charles of...
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....
Assorted – RROs and advance rent, trespass and the PFE, and nuisance by footballs.
Various brief notes on assorted cases, including RROs, trespass and unlawful eviction for a licensee, and nuisance by football. Oh and use of make-up artists by a party... Pearton v Betterton Duplex Ltd (HOUSING - RENT REPAYMENT ORDER - rent paid before the...
Break out the Babycham!
Some good news. The government has committed to scrapping the rough sleeping provisions of the Vagrancy Act 1824 and not replacing them. Finally, rough sleeping will be decriminalised. The previous government had said the Vagrancy Act 1824 would be repealed,...
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,...
Service not included.
Jeffrey v Teevan (2025) EWCC 24 This is the County Court appeal of an order setting aside default judgment and a default costs order. There is a big 'twist in the tale', as the Circuit Judge puts it, and, because I do like a bit of dramatic tension, you'll...