It has been almost four years since Karen Buck MP, Justin Bates and I first conceived of the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Bill (version 1), and it has been quite the rollercoaster since then. Now, as of today, 20 March 2019, the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, (version 2, or 4, depending […]
Tag Archives: fitness for habitation
Bits of news and things to respond to.
Assorted things… MHCLG have published guidance for tenants, landlords and local authorities on the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 – or as they call it, ‘the Homes Act’. There are separate guidance documents for tenants, landlords and local authorities, all available here. On the tenant guidance, I would add before taking proceedings, try […]
HHSRS Review
A company called RHE Global in Carmarthenshire has been appointed by MHCLG to conduct a review of the HHSRS. They want responses by 24th February to an online questionnaire (https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/5KBYJDD) particularly from tenants and those organisations and services which provide support and advice to tenants. There are 17 questions – this does not appear to […]
Build defects and fitness for habitation
Rendlesham Estates Plc & Ors v Barr Ltd (2014) EWHC 3968 (TCC) Well, we did write this one up at the time (our report here), but I don’t think we quite appreciated the general significance of the case. We certainly didn’t anticipate that it might subsequently become otherwise significant because of a change in the […]
Fitness for Habitation – a thumbnail guide
As of 20 December 2018, we have the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. This is a quick (very quick) overview of the Act and how it works. For a more detailed version, there may well be a forthcoming book… The Act amends the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 sections 8 to 10 and […]
Who needs a wall anyway? Unfit to occupy and risk of collapse
Baillie v Savage (2018) EWHC 3035 Or, the significance of tenancy agreement clauses. A tenant had signed a two year tenancy on a house. There was no break clause. £34,000 in rent – for the full term – was paid in advance. After moving in, the tenant contacted the landlord’s agent to say that a front […]
Fitness for Human Habitation – developments
What was the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Building Standards) Bill went through Committee stage in the House of Commons today, 20 June. I’m delighted to say that it went smoothly, with the only amendments proposed and passed being those brought by Karen Buck MP herself. The Bill as amended – now […]
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 closing remarks and the vote. (Out of shot – me being ecstatic in the gallery) […]
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 Bill are here and here). The published Bill for Second […]
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 rare for private bills to become law, mostly because of […]
