A case is reported in the Guardian which apparently extends local authorities' duty to protect tenants from third parties to include vulnerable adults, not only children. A couple, both with learning difficulties, were terrorised in their flat by a group of...
Non-secure tenants
Just a quick comment on Westminster CC v Boraliu [2008] EWCA Civ 1339, which is not on Bailii yet. I was alerted by Housing View at Sweet & Maxwell. This was Court of Appeal decision on the effect of Schedule 1, Housing Act 1985 on exclusions from...
Nothing for the weekend
It is about time for a break - 13 detailed posts in the last two weeks, coupled with a frantic time at work, has left me lacking oomph, as devoid of oomph as an omphless thing on a bad day. So there will be nothing more here until after the holiday weekend....
Permanent trespassers – a fan letter
A very interesting case report and article by James Stark of Garden Court North in the current Legal Action (March 2008) presents a possible solution to the permanent trespasser problem, at least in part. Permanent trespassers are those who have paid off the...
Accidentally Secure
And so to the last of the marathon of housing case notes I've knocked out over the last few days.... This was reported in the Law Gazette, Mansfield District Council v Langridge (2008) CA (Civ Div), (free access at the time of writing) and is not yet on...
Suddenly…
there are quite a few cases to cover. Ahmad, R (on the application of) v London Borough of Newham [2008] EWCA Civ 140 on determining priority in allocation schemes. G, R (on the application of) v London Borough of Southwark [2007] EWCA Civ 1506 on...
Time limitation on disability discrimination defence?
This is definitely a specialist question, for which I seek housing people's opinions. A semi-hypothetical situation: A suspended possession order made against the client, a secure tenant, two years ago on grounds of rent arrears. Client didn't attend...
Tenancy and occupation through employment
Wragg & Ors v Surrey County Council [2008] EWCA Civ 19 is an appeal on the refusal of some Right to Buy applications, but the main issue is when a tenancy falls under Schedule 1, para 2(1) Housing Act 1985, which provides: "… a tenancy is not a secure...
Disability discrimination – the comparator
Following on from the previous post, and the detailed discussions that took place in the comments to that post, I wanted to try to clarify for myself the key element of establishing discrimination, which hopefully may be of use for others. In particular, I...
Hey, you asked…
For some of us internet old timers, who were on usenet before the WWW existed and were hand coding websites in the mid 1990s, it is still a surprise how people treat search engines as something to put a fully fledged question into. January has been a bumper...
Extending security by tenancy agreement?
[Edit, time slightly later on. In the comments to her post Tessa suggests that the case discussed below was not a judgment at all but merely adjourned from the undefended list for a hearing of the issues. So none of what follows is of much significance.] A...
All back to mine
After yesterday's note, an all too brief comment on an interesting Court of Appeal case defended by the firm of a regular reader/commenter, William Flack of Flack & Co. Wandsworth v Randall [2007] EWCA Civ 1126 The situation - son succeeds to a parent's...