On the death of a tenant (without successor, if there is a possible succession) section 18 Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1994 provides: “Notices affecting land: service on personal representatives before filing of grant. (1) A notice...
There can be only one!
The MHCLG have announced a consultation 'Strengthening consumer redress in the housing market', which primarily about reviewing and reforming Ombudsman schemes in the housing sector, with the proposal floated for a single Ombudsman/redress scheme across the...
Fitness for Human Habitation is go!
The Homes (Fitness for Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill passed second reading on 19 January, with a unanimous vote. The debate (interrupted by a Ministerial statement) is here and here. Because I can't resist, here are Karen Buck's...
Fitness for Habitation – now with Govt support.
I am delighted, and delighted for Karen Buck MP, to be able to say that her Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill now has government support as well as that of the Labour opposition. (Previous posts on the then draft...
The Bedworth bedroom conundrum
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council v RH and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2017) UKUT 471 (AAC) A very interesting (and perhaps surprising) Upper Tribunal 3 judge decision on the issue of 'what is a bedroom' for the purposes of Housing Benefit...
And the first shall not be last
London Borough of Haringey v Ahmed & Anor (2017) EWCA Civ 1861 This was Haringey's appeal of a High Court decision dismissing Haringey's claim for possession against Ms Ahmed (our report here). A factual precis is that in 1988 two tenancy agreements...
Time to contact your MP – Homes Fit For Habitation
As I may have reminded you once or twice already (and no doubt will again), the second reading of Karen Buck MP's Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill is on 19 January 2018. This is a private members bill. It is very...
Hide and Seek with Justice – A Rant
(Updated 26/10/2017 - at the bottom) Access to justice is one thing. Actually being able to find it another. This is the sorry, sad, truly pathetic tale of the fall out of the closure of Lambeth County Court. I'm sorry for length, but hell, it has been a...
Fitness for Habitation 2.0 – Q&A and call to arms
If you haven't already heard, Karen Buck MP got fourth place in the 2017 ballot for private members bills. And she has taken this opportunity to bring forward a new version of the 'Fitness for Habitation' Bill that was filibustered in 2015 (and then was...
Warrant on Suspended order – What do you think?
Following the judgment in Cardiff City Council v Lee (2016) EWCA Civ 1034 (our report) and the subsequent appearance of new forms, at least for rent arrears suspended possession order cases, the Civil Procedure Rules Committee is having a consultation on...
“Real misery is being caused to no good purpose”
DA & Ors, R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2017) EWHC 1446 (Admin) This was the judicial review of the 'reduced' benefit cap - £20,000 pa outside London, £23,000 in London, brought by claimants who were all single...
Bedrooms, river beds and more
A few things... In case you didn't see it through email or social media, I wrote a long piece about social housing in the aftermath of Grenfell Tower, which is on a separate page at that link. In Scotland, the Inner House of the Court of Session heard an...