Defendant given 12-month community order and ordered to pay council costs after housing fraud guilty plea – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 28th, 2023 in community service, fraud, guilty pleas, housing, news, sentencing by sally

‘A 46-year-old nurse has been sentenced to a 12-month community order and told to contribute to Reigate and Banstead Borough Council’s costs after pleading guilty to housing fraud.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government proposes new professional requirements for social housing managers – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 28th, 2023 in examinations, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, news, standards by sally

‘The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced yesterday (26 February) that social housing managers must gain professional qualifications under new rules to “protect residents and raise standards in the sector”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 28th February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Supreme Court to rule next week over rent repayment orders and superior landlord liability – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Supreme Court will next week (1 March) hand down its ruling in a dispute over whether a rent repayment order can only be made against an immediate landlord or whether a superior landlord can also be liable.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Estate agent who failed to comply with selective licensing scheme to pay £35k after council prosecution – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 22nd, 2023 in estate agents, fines, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news by tracey

‘An estate agent that failed to license three residential properties subject to a selective licensing scheme has been ordered to pay £35,000 following a successful prosecution by Enfield Council.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Major social landlord to pay more than £2k after disabled resident left without use of toilet – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Housing Ombudsman has found severe maladministration at major social landlord Clarion after repeated drain blockages left a disabled resident unable to use a functioning toilet in their new build home.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ombudsman makes severe maladministration finding against council after family left “with unsafe and rotting windows” – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 16th, 2023 in housing, local government, news, ombudsmen, repairs by sally

‘The Housing Ombudsman has found severe maladministration for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham’s continued repairs failings over 18 months, which left a family in “unsafe conditions”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Legal victory in UK Japanese knotweed case could lead to more claims – The Guardian

Posted February 15th, 2023 in appeals, damages, housing, local government, news, railways by sally

‘A significant legal victory in a case brought by a householder affected by Japanese knotweed has raised the prospect of an increase in claims from people stricken by the hazardous plant.’

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The Guardian, 14th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tenant jailed for council housing fraud estimated to have cost local authority £200k – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 14th, 2023 in fraud, guilty pleas, housing, local government, news by sally

‘A tenant who fraudulently obtained council housing in Dudley by lying about the fact she owned a property has been jailed for 32 months.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

New Acts – legislation.gov.uk

Posted February 13th, 2023 in housing, legislation, mortgages, stamp duty, taxation by tracey

2023 c. 2 – Stamp Duty Land Tax (Temporary Relief) Act 2023

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Why an exceptional view might constitute a nuisance against your neighbours – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 13th, 2023 in appeals, housing, injunctions, local government, news, nuisance, privacy, Supreme Court by tracey

‘Anjali Patel looks at the lessons to be learned from the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Tate Modern viewing platform dispute.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 10th February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Father of boy killed by mould in flat welcomes law to prevent repeat – The Guardian

‘The father of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who was killed by mould in a social housing flat, has welcomed a new law to prevent a repeat tragedy, saying: “We are finally starting to feel like we are being treated fairly.”’

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The Guardian, 9th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Wood burners in effect banned in new and refurbished homes in London – The Guardian

Posted February 9th, 2023 in energy, housing, local government, London, news, planning, pollution by sally

‘Wood burners have been in effect banned in new and refurbished buildings in London. New planning guidance announced by the mayor sets air pollution limits for home and office developments that would not be met if burners for wood or other solid fuels were installed.’

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The Guardian, 8th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ombudsman sees “significant increase” in heating and hot water cases – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 8th, 2023 in complaints, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news, ombudsmen, statistics by sally

‘The Housing Ombudsman has revealed that it has seen a 60% increase in complaints on heating and hot water, with 1,600 received in 2021/22 and 1,491 received already in 2022/23.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 7th February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Supreme Court ruling in Tate Modern privacy case could create ‘new front of litigation’ – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 6th, 2023 in appeals, damages, housing, injunctions, London, news, nuisance, privacy, Supreme Court by tracey

‘The Supreme Court’s ruling in a nuisance dispute involving a viewing platform at the Tate Modern gallery in London could “open a new front of litigation”, according to two legal experts.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 6th February 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Bridgend land owner wins knotweed appeal court pay-out – BBC News

Posted February 6th, 2023 in appeals, damages, housing, local government, news, nuisance by tracey

‘A land owner has won a legal fight after complaining about Japanese knotweed encroaching from council land.’

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BBC News, 5th February 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Land owner wins Japanese knotweed blight fight in appeal court – The Independent

Posted February 3rd, 2023 in appeals, damages, housing, local government, news by michael

‘A land owner has won a damages fight after complaining about Japanese knotweed encroaching from neighbouring land.’

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The Independent, 3rd February 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk%20

Flat owners win battle to stop Tate Modern visitors peering into their homes – The Independent

Posted February 1st, 2023 in appeals, housing, injunctions, news, privacy, Supreme Court by sally

‘The owners of four flats overlooked by the Tate Modern in London have won a Supreme Court privacy bid over the use of the gallery’s viewing platform.’

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The Independent, 1st February 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gove admits ‘faulty’ guidance partly to blame for Grenfell fire – The Guardian

‘Michael Gove has admitted that “faulty and ambiguous” government guidance was partly responsible for the Grenfell Tower tragedy. The UK housing secretary said lax regulation allowed cladding firms to “put people in danger in order to make a profit”.’

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The Guardian, 29th January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Supreme Court agrees to hear housing case over failure to provide suitable accommodation, mandatory relief and budgetary constraints – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 27th, 2023 in appeals, housing, local government, news, statutory duty, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Supreme Court has granted the London Borough of Croydon permission to appeal in a dispute over mandatory relief in cases where councils have failed to provide suitable accommodation for a person owed the main housing duty.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th January 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court bid to protect tenants from ‘ghost landlords’ – BBC News

‘Housing campaigners hope a Supreme Court ruling to legally define who should be deemed a landlord will help protect tenants in some of England’s worst rental properties.’

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BBC News, 26th January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk