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

The CIL appeal in Braithwaite – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 20th, 2023 in appeals, housing, local government, news, notification, planning by tracey

‘Christopher Cant sets out the lessons to be learned from an important Court of Appeal ruling on the effect of a “revised liability notice” for Community Infrastructure Levy upon an earlier liability notice relating to a housing and office development for which planning permission had been granted.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th January 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

London borough successfully defends judicial review claim as judge considers interaction between local authority obligations under Care Act 2014 and Housing Act 1996 – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 17th, 2023 in community care, disabled persons, housing, judicial review, local government, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has dismissed a judicial review claim over the London Borough of Ealing’s decision to withdraw its funding of the claimant’s temporary bed and breakfast accommodation. The application concerned the interaction between the local authority’s obligations under the Care Act 2014 and its obligations under the Housing Act 1996.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th January 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government to review damp and mould guidance following death of Awaab Ishak – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 17th, 2023 in children, coroners, health & safety, housing, inquests, news, reports by sally

‘The Government has announced plans to review guidance to landlords on damp and mould, after a coroner asked the government to take action to prevent future deaths.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th January 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Rogue landlord fined £12,000 for exploiting Bristol tenants – BBC News

Posted January 13th, 2023 in consumer protection, deposits, fines, housing, landlord & tenant, news by tracey

‘A rogue landlord who created fake identities and letting agents to keep deposit money in an “elaborate web of misinformation” has been fined.’

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BBC News, 13th January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Insurance premiums and commissions – Nearly Legal

Posted January 9th, 2023 in housing, insurance, leases, news by tracey

‘Canary RIverside Estate LON/00BG/LSC/2019/0277 (copy decision here via Leasehold Knowledge Partnership). This was the FTT’s decision on an application by the residential leaseholders of the Canary Riverside Estate challenging the insurance premiums they had had to pay over the 10 years since 2010/11.’

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Nearly Legal, 8th January 2023

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Judge quashes decision letter over discriminatory impact of housing allocations policy on domestic abuse survivor – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 6th, 2023 in domestic violence, equality, housing, judicial review, local government, news by tracey

“A High Court judge has ruled that a local authority’s housing allocations policy and its application to a domestic abuse survivor amounted to indirect discrimination.”

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th January 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Accommodating asylum seekers: legal issues arising from the use of hotel accommodation – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Home Office’s policy of placing asylum seekers in hotels and hostels has given rise to a number of legal issues for local authorities. Dean Underwood and Jack Barber detail the areas of concern.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th December 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ombudsman’s decisions and housing conditions claims – Nearly Legal

Posted December 15th, 2022 in complaints, damages, health & safety, housing, news, ombudsmen, repairs by tracey

‘Plunkett v Clarion HA. County Court at Central London. Ms Plunkett was an assured tenant of Clarion, on the Eastfields Estate. She began a claim for disrepair and unfitness for human habitation while in temporary accommodation in a hotel. The defects complained of were primarily leaks to the interior of the flat and outside the front door causing interior damp, significant mould growth, leaks from above, non-functioning ventilation to kitchen and bathroom, and infestation of mice, for periods of two to four years. The existing issues and unfitness for human habitation were confirmed in an independent expert report. Clarion had refused to agree a single joint expert.’

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Nearly Legal, 13th December 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Awaab Ishak: Widespread failings at mould death housing group – BBC News

Posted December 15th, 2022 in children, complaints, health & safety, housing, news by tracey

‘A government regulator has found “widespread failings” at the housing association that rented out a mouldy flat to the family of Awaab Ishak.’

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BBC News, 15th December 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Research Briefing: Mobile (park) homes – House of Commons Library

Posted December 2nd, 2022 in government departments, housing, news, parliament by tracey

‘This paper provides an overview of the rights of residents who live year-round on mobile (park) home sites and proposals to improve protections for residents in England.’

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House of Commons Library , 1st December 2022

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk