Landlord loses appeal over rent repayment order for HMO occupied by tenants housed at direction of council – Local Government Lawyer

‘Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council has secured more than £13,000 in a rent repayment order after the failure of an appeal against it.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.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

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

Tenant of social landlord given six days in prison over breach of civil injunction by breaking Covid rules on illegal gatherings – Local Government Lawyer

‘Bromley County Court has released a tenant of social landlord Peabody Trust who served six days in prison for breaching a civil injunction imposed after breaches of Covid regulations on gatherings.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 3rd February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Lancashire Hot Pot – waiver of forfeiture and landlord knowledge of breach – Nearly Legal

Posted January 27th, 2021 in covenants, forfeiture, landlord & tenant, leases, news, rent by sally

‘On 22nd January the Court of Appeal handed down its judgment in the case of Faiz v Burnley Borough Council (2021) EWCA Civ 55. Judgment dismissing the appeal was given by Lewison LJ; with whom Arnold and Asplin LLJs agreed. The case came on appeal from the decision of HHJ Halliwell (2020) EWHC 407 (Ch).’

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Nearly Legal, 26th January 2021

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Is it a single dwelling? Determination of breach not required where shop converted to multiple flats in breach of lease – Hardwicke Chambers

‘David Peachey was recently successful in Zash Properties Limited v Landau Medical Consultancy Limited (County Court, HHJ Johns QC), which dealt with the conversion of a shop into two studio flats in breach of lease. The case raises interesting points about whether a determination of breach is required prior to the service of s.146 notices in respect of headleases of multiple dwellings, and whether it is reasonable for a landlord to refuse consent for change of use from commercial to residential use because of the statutory rights applicable to residential long leases.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 18th January 2021

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

And he’s not there… – Nearly Legal

Posted December 16th, 2020 in appeals, drug offences, housing, landlord & tenant, leases, news, noise, nuisance, trespass, tribunals by tracey

‘A breach of lease case in the Upper Tribunal which, despite the names, appears to be between two unrelated people. So I shall call them L – the leaseholder – and F – the freeholder – to avoid multiple Gibbins related confusion.’

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Nearly Legal, 13th December 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Guess who? Does a section 8 notice have to contain the landlord’s own name and address? – Hardwicke Chambers

‘Kort Egan discusses Prempeh v Lakhany [2020] EWCA Civ 1422, in which the Court of Appeal considered whether a section 8 notice that is signed by the landlord’s agent and contains the agent’s details, must also include the landlord’s name and address.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 13th November 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Property: Residential evictions: where are we now? – Lamb Chambers

‘Oscar Davies gives an update on where we are currently with residential evictions, the general ban and its exceptions.’

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Lamb Chambers, November 2020

Source: www.lambchambers.co.uk

Judicial review challenge to end after Government uses emergency procedure to formalise requirement for bailiffs not to enforce warrants and writs – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Government has issued a statutory instrument under emergency procedures to prevent, except in specified circumstances, bailiffs and High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEOs) attending at a dwelling house to execute a writ or warrant of possession, execute a writ or warrant of restitution or deliver a notice of eviction.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th November 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Social housing landlords in England face checks on tenants’ satisfaction – The Guardian

Posted November 17th, 2020 in complaints, health & safety, landlord & tenant, local government, news, standards by sally

‘Social landlords in England will be required to report on residents’ satisfaction in an effort to rebalance power between owners and tenants in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster, the housing secretary has announced.’

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The Guardian, 17th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Post-Grenfell social housing reforms in England to be unveiled – The Guardian

‘Millions of tenants could be offered greater protection from wrongdoing by landlords in long-awaited social housing reforms to be announced this week, more than three years after the Grenfell Tower disaster.’

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The Guardian, 16th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Water Sellers – Nearly Legal

‘This was RB Kingston upon Thames’ appeal of the High Court’s finding that it was a “water reseller” under the Water Resale Orders 2001 and 2006, and thus not entitled to keep the additional funds it had recovered from the water rates paid by its tenants as part of the rent, though discounts and void allowances by Thames Water. This is significant because some 69 London councils and housing associations had entered the same or similar agreements with Thames Water, and would be liable to repay sums to their tenants for the relevant periods.’

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Nearly Legal, 15th November 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Death and Notices – Nearly Legal

Posted November 12th, 2020 in landlord & tenant, news, notification, postal service, service, succession by tracey

‘Gateway Housing Association v Personal Representatives of Ali & Anor (2020) EWCA Civ 1339. In which the Court of Appeal grapple with the requirement to serve a copy of a notice to quit on the Public Trustee, when serving notice on the personal representative of a deceased tenant.’

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Nearly Legal, 8th November 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

I’m not demanding, I’m telling you – section 8 notices – Nearly Legal

Posted November 12th, 2020 in agency, landlord & tenant, news, notification, rent, repossession by tracey

‘Prempeh v Lakhany (2020) EWCA Civ 1422. We saw this case on a first appeal in the County Court. The issue was whether a section 8 notice on rent arrears grounds, in this instance grounds 8, 10 and 11, is a “demand for rent” for the purposes of section 47 Landlord and Tenant Act 1987.’

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Nearly Legal, 9th November 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Beneficial Joint Tenants, Survivorship and Creditors of a Deceased Bankrupt – Section 421A of the Insolvency Act 1986 – 33 Bedford Row

Posted November 10th, 2020 in bankruptcy, bereavement, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘Where Person A and Person B are beneficial joint tenants of land/property (leasehold/freehold), and Person A dies, the effect of the rule of survivorship is that, from the moment of death forward, Person B will be left as the sole beneficial interest holder. It does not matter whether Person A dies testate or intestate, nor what Person A’s Will might say. Person B will be left as the sole beneficial interest holder. To put this into a typical, real world scenario: this will often be the case where two spouses/partners own land/property and one of them dies.’

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33 Bedford Row, 24th October 2020

Source: www.33bedfordrow.co.uk

Court of Appeal considers service of notices on deceased tenants – Garden Court Chambers

Posted November 10th, 2020 in landlord & tenant, news, notification, postal service, service, succession by sally

‘In Gateway Housing Association v Begum [2020] EWCA Civ 1339, Nick had been instructed to act for the occupier, Mrs Begum, in the County Court. Her husband had passed away and – as the landlord considered that no one was entitled to succeed the tenancy – Gateway posted a notice to quit to the premises. Because of the requirements of section 18 of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1994, Gateway also posted a copy of the notice to the Public Trustee a few days later.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 22nd October 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Tens of thousands made homeless despite UK ban on evictions during pandemic – The Guardian

‘Tens of thousands of people have been made homeless since the start of the pandemic despite a ban on evictions, the Guardian has found, with charities warning that younger people are falling through the gaps.’

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The Guardian, 8th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

The importance of acting with “reasonable promptitude” when applying for relief from forfeiture: Keshwala and another v Bhalsod [2020] EWHC 2372 (QB) – Hardwicke Chambers

‘The tenants (Claimants) had a twenty-year lease of 89 Narborough Road, Leicester (Property) which commenced on 12 March 2008. The Property consisted of a lock-up shop on the ground floor with residential accommodation above. The Claimants mistakenly paid only £1,500 of the £2,000 quarterly instalment of rent that fell due in June 2018, leaving arrears of £500.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 14th October 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk