Councils to be given greater flexibility in reforms to use of Right to Buy receipts – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 23rd, 2021 in housing, local government, news, right to buy, time limits by sally

‘Councils in England are to be given more freedom on how they spend the money received from homes sold through Right to Buy, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd March 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Late s.202 reviews and what gets appealed – Nearly Legal

Posted March 22nd, 2021 in appeals, homelessness, housing, local government, news, time limits by tracey

‘Ngnoguem v Milton Keynes Council (2020] EWCA Civ 396, We’ve seen this prefigured in Stanley v Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (2020) EWCA Civ 1458 (our note), but the relevant parts of that judgment on late reviews were strictly obiter, as the court had found that there was an agreement to extend time. Now the Court of Appeal has confirmed the position.’

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Nearly Legal, 21st March 2021

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Arrears, conduct and Tribunal discretion on RRO awards – Nearly Legal

Posted March 22nd, 2021 in appeals, debts, housing, landlord & tenant, news, rent, tribunals by tracey

‘Awad v Hooley (2021) UKUT 55 (LC). This was an appeal to the Upper Tribunal of the FTT decision on a rent repayment order application that we first saw here.’

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Nearly Legal, 21st March 2021

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Unlimited fines for those who breach fire safety regulations – Home Office

‘Building owners could face unlimited fines following new measures being brought in to strengthen fire safety, the Home Office has announced today.’

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Home Office, 17th March 2021

Source: www.gov.uk

Fixed universal credit cuts are unlawful, high court in UK rules – The Guardian

Posted March 19th, 2021 in benefits, charities, fines, government departments, homelessness, housing, news, vagrancy by sally

‘A group of former rough sleepers who were left destitute after the Department for Work and Pensions automatically deducted a third of their universal credit allowance to pay off court fines have won a high court victory.’

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The Guardian, 18th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

R(Ncube) v Brighton: “Everyone In” does exactly what it says on the tin – Nearly Legal

Posted March 17th, 2021 in asylum, benefits, homelessness, housing, local government, news by sally

‘The much-anticipated decision in R(Ncube) v Brighton and Hove City Council (2021) EWHC 578 (Admin) has arrived, confirming that in an emergency, “Everyone In” really does mean everyone. Mr Ncube was a rough sleeper and refused asylum seeker from Zimbabwe who sought accommodation from Brighton. The council found Mr Ncube ineligible for assistance because of his NRPF status, applying s.185 of the 1996 Act and the relevant secondary legislation. “NRPF” meaning someone with “no recourse to public funds” including the provision of temporary accommodation under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (the 1996 Act). From 30th November 2020 Mr Ncube was accommodated by the Home Office under s.4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (the 1999 Act). Those powers state that the Secretary of State may provide accommodation where an asylum application has been refused, but there is an obstacle to the applicant returning to their country of origin.’

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Nearly Legal, 15th March 2021

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Rent Repayment Order miscellany – Nearly Legal

Posted March 8th, 2021 in appeals, debts, housing, landlord & tenant, news, rent, repayment, time limits, tribunals by tracey

‘A couple of Upper Tribunal decisions on rent repayment order appeals, with broader significance.’

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Nearly Legal, 6th March 2021

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Leasehold miscellany – Nearly Legal

Posted March 8th, 2021 in appeals, costs, housing, landlord & tenant, leases, news, service charges, tribunals by tracey

‘Some brief notes on Upper Tribunal and Court of Appeal judgments on leasehold matters.’

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Nearly Legal, 6th March 2021

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Repeat homelessness applications and local connection – Garden Court Chambers

‘The Claimant, Mr Minott, applied to Cambridge City Council as homeless in March 2019 and was provided with interim accommodation under s188(1) Housing Act 1996. However the performance of the relief duty under s189B(2) Housing Act 1996 was subsequently referred to Sandwell MBC, on the footing that Mr Minott had a local connection with the district of that authority but did not have a local connection with the district of Cambridge.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 26th February 2021

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Judge rules council breached ECHR rights of orthodox Jewish 15-year-old boy – but not his brother – over proposal for respite placement accommodation – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has handed down a ruling in a disagreement over whether two boys should be given respite placement accommodation in a residential home in the Greater Manchester area or in an exclusively orthodox Jewish residential home in London.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd March 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Rogue landlord told to pay back £739,000 over illegal London housing – The Guardian

‘A rogue landlord who operated illegal rooming houses in London has been told to pay back £739,000 in illicit earnings or face jail, in one of the biggest confiscation orders of its kind, the council that investigated the case has said.’

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The Guardian, 28th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Council misapplied its Allocation Scheme by treating a “preference” given to families with children as an automatic decision in their favour – Garden Court Chambers

Posted February 19th, 2021 in chambers articles, children, families, housing, judicial review, local government, news by sally

‘The Claimant lived with her three adult children, one of whom (Zakiya) had cerebral palsy and learning difficulties. Due to her disabilities, Zakiya needed to live in a property with various adaptations, including a level-access shower, access to stairs with bilateral handrails, and (preferably) a downstairs toilet.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 17th February 2021

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Breach of PSED in bringing possession proceedings cured by subsequent compliance – Garden Court Chambers

Posted February 18th, 2021 in disabled persons, equality, housing, local government, mental health, news, repossession by sally

‘Ms Taylor was the secure tenant of Slough Borough Council. She had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in late 2011.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 17th February 2021

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Repeat homelessness applications and local connection – Garden Court Chambers

Posted February 18th, 2021 in homelessness, housing, local government, news, statutory duty by sally

‘The Claimant, Mr Minott, applied to Cambridge City Council as homeless in March 2019 and was provided with interim accommodation under s188(1) Housing Act 1996. However the performance of the relief duty under s189B(2) Housing Act 1996 was subsequently referred to Sandwell MBC, on the footing that Mr Minott had a local connection with the district of that authority but did not have a local connection with the district of Cambridge.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 17th February 2021

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Drafting an information for breach of an enforcement notice: Ceredigion CC v Robinson & others – 5SAH

‘An allegation of an offence in an information or charge must describe the offence in ordinary language and make it clear what the prosecutor alleges. Amendments to section 179 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA 1990) mean that it is no longer necessary, when prosecuting a defendant for non-compliance with an enforcement notice, to aver within the information the date upon which the period of compliance expired. The court held that the exact moment at which the compliance period expired was no longer of critical or defining importance. It is a necessary inference within an information that the date upon which the offence is said to have been committed, occurred after the period of compliance had expired. The prosecutor would still need to prove as a fact that the date for compliance had expired, but this fact was not essential to enable the defendant to understand what the prosecutor was alleging.’

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5SAH, 16th February 2021

Source: www.5sah.co.uk

Law firm ordered to pay £1m for registration error – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has ordered a defunct Manchester law firm which failed to register a restriction against a house at the Land Registry to pay over £985,000 in damages for professional negligence.’

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Legal Futures, 15th February 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Substantial debts are not substantial arrears – Nearly Legal

Posted February 15th, 2021 in coronavirus, debts, housing, human rights, landlord & tenant, news, rent, repossession by sally

‘The decision of Master Dagnall in The Master, Wardens and Assistants of the Guild Fraternity of the Brotherhood of the Most Glorious and Undivided Trinity and St Clement in the Parish of Deptford Strond, commonly called the Corporation of the Trinity House of Deptford Strond v (1) Prescott (2) Byrne (2021) EWHC 283 (Ch), was, until Saturday night, at risk of being a footnote in housing law history, but, with the extension of the ban on (most) evictions in England being extended until the end of March (here, and see below), it’s now a bit more important.’

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Nearly Legal, 14th February 2021

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Judge hits out at lack of regulated placement for vulnerable, suicidal 16 year old, despite 11 High Court hearings and sending series of judgments to ministers – Local Government Lawyer

‘An exasperated High Court judge has sent a fourth judgment to ministers over the continuing unavailability of a regulated placement for a vulnerable 16 year old with multifaceted difficulties and at a high risk of serious self-harm or suicide.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ban on bailiff-enforced evictions in England extended to end of March – The Guardian

‘The ban on bailiff-enforced evictions in England is to be extended until the end of March, the government has announced.’

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The Guardian, 14th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Housing association obtains £81,000 judgment against ex-tenant for unlawful subletting – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 11th, 2021 in housing, landlord & tenant, news, repossession by sally

‘The tenancy enforcement team at social landlord Hyde has secured an £81,000 money judgment against a former tenant for unlawful subletting.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 10th February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk