The Manchester Ship Canal Company Ltd v Vauxhall Motors Ltd (2019) UKSC 46 Just a quick note to record that the Supreme Court has held that the equitable remedy of relief from forfeiture is not restricted to those with a proprietary interest (lease/tenancy,...
Rent payments, unless orders and relief from sanction
This is not really a housing case, being a commercial lease dispute, but there are a couple of points about relief from sanction and rent payments that are worthy of noting. Michael v Lillitos (2019) EWHC 2716 (QB) An appeal from a County Court decision on...
No relief and unbalanced windfalls
Timbo v London Borough Of Lambeth (2019) EWHC 1396 (Ch) This is another in our occasional series of cases where residential leaseholders have had their leases forfeited and not obtained relief from forfeiture. (For other examples, see here, and here). As...
From the County Courts – s.21 timing, breach of PSED
A couple of county court cases, with grateful thanks to Legal Action Housing: recent developments for reporting them. (Link requires subscription. Of course you should be subscribing.) Majiyagbe v Singh and Sandhu, County Court at Central London, 30 August...
New points on appeal, after a summary possession order
Notting Hill Finance Ltd v Sheikh (2019) EWCA Civ 1337 The court of appeal looks at circumstances in which new points can be raised on appeal, where a possession order has been made on a summary basis under CPR Part 55, concluding that there is no test that...
Warrants of possession – fresh grounds and Equality Act defences
Where a landlord already has a possession order for rent arrears, but then seeks a warrant also on the basis of anti-social behaviour, the usual route has been for the landlord to ask the court to consider whether the warrant should be stayed in light of the...
Updated section 21 flowchart
I've had a go at updating the section 21 validity flow chart. It now incorporates the effect of the Tenant Fees Act 2019 (which turned out to be more complicated to do than I thought - I think it works, but constructive criticism welcome), and updates notes...
In the county courts – succession, possession and warrants
Our thanks to the Housing: Recent Developments team in the July/August Legal Action for notes on these two cases. Lambeth LBC v Casey County Court at Clerkenwell and Shoreditch, 5 June 2019 Ms C had succeeded to the tenancy of a two bedroom flat. Lambeth...
Possession and licensing in Wales
Does failing to be licensed under The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 prevent a landlord from serving any notice seeking possession, or just a section 21 notice? That was the issue in a county court appeal in Evans & Evans v Jarvis, County Court at Swansea, 20...
The heavens rejoice – Sale and rent back and proprietary estoppel
Sahota v Prior & Anor (2019) EWHC 1418 (Ch) Just a short note, but worth it, because every angel in heaven sings when a 'sale and rent back' set up comes to grief Briefly, Mr & Mrs Prior bought their home 35 years ago. At some point, they got into...
Breach of PSED and consequences for possession
Forward v Aldwyck Housing Group Ltd (2019) EWCA Civ 1334 The Court of Appeal considers the effect of an admitted breach of the Public Sector Equality Duty under s.149 Equality Act 2010 on possession proceedings. Mr F had an assured tenancy from Aldwyck. Soon...
Form 6A section 21 notice update
After this post (and some substantial behind the scenes contacts from others), MHCLG have acknowledged that the amended Form 6A that had been put up on the gov.uk site should indeed not have been put up. The form 6A has been replaced with the version in the...