Case summary: Lee Hudson v Jayne Hathway [2022] EWHC 631 (QB) – Gatehouse Chambers

‘Ms Hathway and Mr Hudson started a relationship in 1990. They had two children but did not marry. They bought a family home in joint names, with no declaration of trusts. Both worked, but Mr Hudson substantially paid the mortgage; the amount he contributed exceeded Ms Hathway’s contributions. The parties separated.’

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Gatehouse Chambers, 30th March 2022

Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk

High Court dismisses neighbourhood plan challenge (R (Park Lane Homes (South East) Limited) v Rother District Council) – No. 5 Chambers

Posted April 8th, 2022 in chambers articles, housing, local government, news, planning by sally

‘The claimant developer challenged the decision of a local planning authority to accept the recommendations of the Examiner into a draft neighbourhood development plan and to proceed to a neighbourhood planning referendum. Among the issues were whether national policy and guidance required a neighbourhood plan to allocate sites for housing to meet a strategic requirement in the development plan and the requirements of procedural fairness during the neighourhood plan-making process. The High Court dismissed the claim. Written by Howard Leithead, barrister at No5 Barristers’ Chambers.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 4th April 2022

Source: www.no5.com

Case Comment: R (on the application of Z) v Hackney LBC [2020] UKSC 40 – UKSC Blog

‘The narrow result of this appeal is that, on the facts, it was proportionate and lawful for a charity to restrict the allocation of its housing stock to Orthodox Jewish families. However, in reaching that conclusion, Lord Sales, giving the leading judgment, made a number of points of wider importance.’

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UKSC Blog, 4th April 2022

Source: ukscblog.com

Case Comment: Croydon London Borough Council v Kalonga [2022] UKSC 7 – UKSC Blog

‘Ms Chipo Kalonga (“Ms Kalonga”) was the tenant of a property in Croydon under a flexible tenancy for a fixed term of five years from 25 May 2015 to 24 May 2020 (the “Tenancy Agreement“). Croydon London Borough Council was her landlord (“Croydon“).’

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UKSC Blog, 5th April 2022

Source: ukscblog.com

Suitability, enquiries, gender reassignment and the public sector equality duty – Nearly Legal

Posted April 5th, 2022 in disabled persons, equality, homelessness, housing, news, transgender persons by sally

‘An interesting Court of Appeal decision on the sufficiency of enquiries to establish suitability of accommodation offered in discharge of section 189B Housing Act 1986 duty where the homeless person has the protected characteristics of disability and gender reassignment.’

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Nearly Legal, 3rd April 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Court of Appeal rejects appeal over sufficiency of inquiries made by housing options manager – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 5th, 2022 in disabled persons, equality, homelessness, housing, news, transgender persons by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal over the sufficiency of inquiries made by a borough council to determine the suitability of accommodation offered to a homeless applicant with ‘protected characteristics’ of disability and gender reassignment.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th April 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Service and admin charges – from the Upper Tribunal – Nearly Legal

‘The First Tier Tribunal had been wrong to grant dispensation from section 20 consultation requirements on the basis that the freeholder “had started the consultation process and had kept the leaseholders of flats in the block informed until the works became sufficiently urgent that the respondent had had to carry them out without waiting for the consultation to be completed.”’

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Nearly Legal, 3rd April 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Fixed term secure tenancies and forfeiture – Nearly Legal

‘Croydon London Borough Council v Kalonga (2022) UKSC 7. In which the Supreme Court considered the position on termination of “flexible tenancies” – fixed term secure tenancies – during the fixed term. We saw the Court of Appeal judgment dismissing Croydon’s appeal of the dismissal of its possession claim. Croydon then appealed to the Supreme Court.’

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Nearly Legal, 27th March 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Ombudsman calls for stronger regulation of managing agents – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 24th, 2022 in agency, housing, landlord & tenant, maladministration, news, ombudsmen, reports by sally

‘A culture clash between a regulated and largely unregulated sector creates challenges for the social housing sector’s engagement with managing agents, according to new research from the Housing Ombudsman.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd March 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council prosecution sees homeowner ordered to pay £40k+ for unauthorised extension – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 21st, 2022 in confiscation, enforcement notices, fines, housing, local government, news, planning by sally

‘A homeowner who built a side and rear extension without planning permission, was refused planning permission, and then failed to demolish the extension which was being rented out as an independent self-contained unit has been ordered to pay more than £40,000 by way of a fine, costs and a confiscation order.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st March 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ombudsman makes two severe maladministration findings against major social landlord over handling of temporary move for resident with vulnerabilities – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Housing Ombudsman has made two severe maladministration findings for L&Q’s failure to minimise the disruption of a temporary move for a resident with physical and mental health vulnerabilities.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th March 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Landlord couple ordered to pay £27,000 after renting property ‘not fit for human habitation’ – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 16th, 2022 in fines, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news by tracey

‘Husband and wife landlords whose tenants had to live with no heating, broken fire safety equipment and raw sewage outside their Northwood property have been ordered to pay £27,000.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th March 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Roderick Morton examines a High Court appeal against an inspector’s decision refusing a lawful development certificate (LDC) for stationing of mobile homes on a caravan site for permanent occupation. – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 11th, 2022 in housing, local government, news, time limits by tracey

‘In St Anne’s Court Dorset Limited v SSHCLG and Dorset Council [2021] EWHC 2954 (QB) permission was granted in 1980 for use of the appeal site as a “site for touring caravans”. Conditions required that not more than 15 “touring camping units” could be stationed on the site, that a 2-week time limit applied to any stay, that the site could only be used seasonally between 1 March and 31 October and that no “camping units” could be used as permanent residential units.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th March 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Neighbourhood plans and draft Local Plan allocation – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 7th, 2022 in housing, judicial review, local government, news, planning by tracey

‘A parish council recently won an important victory over whether a neighbourhood plan prevails over draft Local Plan allocation. Meyric Lewis and Kate Olley examine the ruling.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th March 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Property Guardians and HMOs – they are, you know – Nearly Legal

‘Global 100 Ltd v Jimenez & Ors (HOUSING – HOUSE IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION – RENT REPAYMENT ORDER – “property guardians”) (2022) UKUT 50 (LC) In which Global 100, flushed by their win in the Court of Appeal in Global 100 Ltd v Laleva (2021) EWCA Civ 1835 (our note), appealed a First Tier Tribunal decision that a commercial office building, in which 10-12 guardians were living, was an unlicensed HMO and rent repayment orders followed.’

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Nearly Legal, 2nd March 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

‘Sex for rent’ ads to be banned in Online Safety Bill – BBC News

Posted February 21st, 2022 in advertising, bills, housing, internet, landlord & tenant, news, sexual offences by sally

‘Social media firms who allow “sex for rent” adverts will face prosecution under planned new laws.’

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BBC News, 18th February 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Homelessness – second applications and new facts threshold – Nearly Legal

Posted February 21st, 2022 in appeals, homelessness, housing, judicial review, local government, news by sally

‘This was Mr Minott’s appeal from a judicial review that upheld Cambridge’s refusal to accept a second homeless application.’

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Nearly Legal, 19th February 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Research Briefing: Social Housing Reform in England: What Next? – House of Commons Library

Posted February 18th, 2022 in bills, government departments, housing, news, parliament, rent by tracey

‘The Government’s social housing white paper is intended to deliver transformational change for social housing residents in England. This briefing outlines the measures set out in the white paper, stakeholder reaction and the next steps.’

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House of Commons Library, 16th February 2022

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Electronic signatures “largest area of change” for property industry – Legal Futures

Posted February 18th, 2022 in conveyancing, delay, electronic filing, housing, news by sally

‘The use of electronic signatures has been the “single largest area of change” in technology for the property industry over the past 18 months, a survey has found.’

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Legal Futures, 16th February 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The leasehold reform consultation – Mills & Reeve

‘The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is seeking views on the reform of the residential leasehold and commonhold system in England and Wales.’

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Mills & Reeve, 14th February 2022

Source: www.mills-reeve.com