‘A review of the number ways Covid-19 can effect the progression and outcome of housing cases and how practitioners can continue to engage in effective case management during this challenging period.’
St Ives Chambers, 19th May 2020
Source: www.stiveschambers.co.uk
‘The Housing Law Practitioners Association (HLPA) has condemned proposals for resumed possession hearings in London courts as “unconscionable” and “naïve”.’
Local Government Lawyer, 28th May 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘The Court of Appeal decision in Dr Julia Duval v 11 – 13 Randolph Crescent Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ 2298 was a wake-up call to landlords to be alive to their, often overlooked, obligations to enforce tenants’ covenants at the behest of other tenants. That decision has been confirmed by the Supreme Court: [2020] UKSC 18.’
Hardwicke Chambers, 12th May 2020
Source: hardwicke.co.uk
‘Undocumented migrants are being forced to sleep rough during the coronavirus pandemic amid an increase in illegal evictions and a lack of government guidance, lawyers have warned.’
Each Other, 13th May 2020
Source: eachother.org.uk
‘Without, hopefully, being too flippant, the above are, essentially, the questions that the Court of Appeal will be considering tomorrow in relation to Practice Direction 51Z, in Arkin v Marshall.’
4-5 Gray's Inn Square, 29th April 2020
Source: www.4-5.co.uk
‘Two of the leases of 11-13 Randolph Crescent are held by the respondent, Dr Duval and a third lease Is held by Ms Martha Winfield. Each lease contains a covenant, clause 2.6, which prevents the lessee from making any alteration or improvement in, or addition to, the premises demised by the lease without the prior consent of the landlord. Each lease contains an absolute covenant, clause 2.7, which prevents the lessee from cutting into any roofs, walls, ceilings or service media. Clause 3.19 requires the landlord to enforce, at the request and cost of the lessee, certain covenants in the leases held by other lessees, including any covenant of a similar nature to clause 2.7. Mrs Winfield sought a licence from the landlord to carry out works to her flat which the landlord granted, subject to Mrs Winfield securing adequate insurance. Dr Duval then issued proceedings against the landlord seeking a declaration that the landlord did not possess the power to permit Mrs Winfield to act in breach of clause 2.7 of her lease. The landlord appealed to the Supreme Court.’
UKSC Blog, 6th May 2020
Source: ukscblog.com
‘The ‘hostile environment’ policy was introduced in 2012 by then Home Secretary Theresa May. It combines administrative and legal measures designed to make life in the UK so difficult for irregular migrants that they are forced to leave the country. The hallmark of the policy is the empowerment of private citizens and public servants to routinely carry out immigration checks as part of many aspects of everyday life, including renting a property, applying for jobs and accessing public services.’
5SAH, 7th May 2020
Source: www.5sah.co.uk
‘On 18 March 2020, it was announced by the government that there would be a ban on evictions for a three-month period (with effect from 27 March 2020), this has presented numerous questions to both landlords, occupiers and owners alike. Set out below is the current position in relation to action arising out of residential property occupation (commercial leases and agreements are subject to different legislative regimes).The information within this article is correct as at 26 April 2020, you are strongly advised to obtain independent legal advice if you are unsure as to your rights and obligations.’
Thomas More Chambers, 28th April 2020
Source: www.thomasmore.co.uk
‘Leaseholders and landlords of residential leasehold properties face difficulties without any direct precedent in modern times. In particular, the sudden collapse in leaseholder incomes has had a dramatic effect on service charge receipts. The challenges pose numerous legal questions.’
Tanfield Chambers, 1st May 2020
Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk
‘Mr Fivaz had (and still has) long leases of two flats in a block owned by by Marlborough. In around 2014 he unilaterally replaced the front door of each flat. About 5 years later the landlord complained that his actions constituted a breach of the leases. It brought proceedings in the FTT for a determination of breach pursuant to s.168(4) of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.’
Falcon Chambers, April 2020
Source: www.falcon-chambers.com
‘Since the Government imposed numerous restrictions on day to day life in order to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, it is anticipated that anti-social behaviour (ASB) complaints may be more frequent then they might have been prior to the lockdown implementation. This article explores, in brief, the options available to private landlords during the time of the COVID-19 restrictions.’
Thomas More Chambers, 26th April 2020
Source: www.thomasmore.co.uk
‘According to this Inside Housing report of a Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee meeting today (4 May), the Housing Minister Robert Jenrick announced prospective measures to avoid a deluge of eviction proceedings at the expiry of the PD51Z stay.’
Nearly Legal, 4th May 2020
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
‘In these rapidly changing and arguably unsettling times, the government has moved to create legislation to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.’
Law Society's Gazette, 29th April 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘The Court of Appeal is to rule on Thursday on the power of the Master of the Rolls (MR) to make an emergency practice direction in response to Covid-19.’
Litigation Futures, 29th April 2020
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘The Court of Appeal have their way with the judicial review of the ‘Right to Rent’ scheme. This was the Secretary of State’s appeal of the remarkable first instance judgment which had found the scheme to be incompatible with Art 14 with Art 8. (For transparency, I acted for the Residential Landlords Association on their intervention in both the High Court and Court of Appeal.)’
Nearly Legal, 27th April 2020
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
‘A first instance county court judgment on a possession claim, but with a range of interesting issues. The Ratcliffes were the landlords, Ms Patterson was the tenant and Mr Porter a guarantor, who played no part in proceedings. The tenancy was an assured shorthold tenancy with the most recent fixed term beginning in June 2018. Rent arrears accrued (on which more later) and the Ratcliffes brought a claim for possession under grounds 8, 10 and 11 Schedule 2 Housing Act 1988.’
Nearly Legal, 26th April 2020
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
‘On 20 April 2020, the Hospitality Union wrote a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer asking for a “National Time Out” under which there would be a nine-month national payment pause granted to business tenants. This would be “a crucial period of payment postponement when commercial rents, and the debt and interest payments secured on those premises, are pushed to the back end of leases and term loans.”’
Falcon Chambers, 23rd April 2020
Source: www.falcon-chambers.com
‘Sweeping and unprecedented rules, previously unimaginable, have been enacted by the Government to delay the spread of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Taken together, these changes constitute the most restrictive and draconian laws imposed in England since the Second World War. In particular, The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 (‘the Regulations’) were enacted on 26 March 2020 by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock. These Regulations impose severe restrictions mandating the closure of certain types of businesses alongside prohibitions on freedom of assembly and freedom of worship.’
New Square Chambers, 20th April 2020
Source: www.newsquarechambers.co.uk
‘Covid-19 has had quite an effect on property lawyers in their professional lives. The stay on Part 55 claims imposed by PD 51Z on 27 March 2020 has stayed part of many practitioners’ day to day work. It has also led, however, to numerous questions. Can possession claims still be issued? Can directions still be followed or sought for possession claims already past the first possession hearing and heading towards trial? What are we supposed to do about trespass cases? Trespassers are not people the Government seemed to be keen to protect when it announced its intention to protect certain categories of occupiers from eviction, yet possession claims against trespassers have been caught in the general stay.’
Falcon Chambers, April 2020
Source: www.falcon-chambers.com
‘Practice Direction 51Z, which came into force on 27 March 2020, has imposed a general 90-day stay on new and current Part 55 possession proceedings with (as of 20 April 2020) limited exceptions in a new paragraph 2A.’
St Philips Chambers, 22nd April 2020
Source: st-philips.com
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