Amendments to CPR Part 55: what you need to know – Tanfield Chambers

Posted March 19th, 2020 in civil procedure rules, landlord & tenant, news, repossession by sally

‘CPR 55.11 and 55.12 are being amended to remove Demoted Tenancies and oral tenancy agreement cases from falling within the scope of Accelerated Possession Proceedings. The standard form N5B is being amended accordingly and coincides with the Tenant Fees Act 2019.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 25th March 2020

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

No new possession claims (for at least 3 months) – Nearly Legal

Posted March 19th, 2020 in emergency powers, mortgages, news, repossession by sally

‘The Government has just announced emergency legislation to do the following:

– Stop any new possession claims (social and private tenancies) being issued at court for the next three months (at least).
– Introduce a new pre-action protocol for possession claims, to apply after the three months (or whenever) which will apply to private as well as social tenancies to strengthen its remit and to “support the necessary engagement between landlords and tenants to resolve disputes and landlords will have to reach out to tenants to understand the financial position they are in.”’

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Nearly Legal, 18th March 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Housing associations under pressure to offer Covid-19 rent holidays – The Guardian

Posted March 18th, 2020 in coronavirus, health, housing, landlord & tenant, news, rent, repossession by sally

‘Housing associations are under pressure to offer rent holidays after only one pledged not to evict any tenant in arrears due to self-isolating because of the coronavirus.’

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The Guardian, 17th March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Martha Timbo v The Mayor and Burgess of the London Borough of Lambeth [2019] EWHC 1396 (Ch) – Tanfield Chambers

‘In a claim for relief from forfeiture the High Court refused to order relief where there was no good reason for delay beyond 6 months from re-entry, whether this resulted in a windfall for the landlord was irrelevant to the question of promptness.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 25th February 2020

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Valid or not valid? – Local Government Lawyer

‘Does an obvious mistake in a Notice of Seeking Possession invalidate it…or not? Steven Eccles reports on the lessons for housing associations and local authorities from an important recent ruling.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th March 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Curing defects in section 8 notices seeking possession – what is the test? – St Ives Chambers

Posted February 26th, 2020 in chambers articles, housing, landlord & tenant, news, rent, repossession by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has recently considered whether the “reasonable recipient” test in Mannai Investment Co Ltd v Eagle Star Life Assurance Co Ltd [1997] UKHL 19 applies to notices served pursuant to s8 Housing Act 1988.’

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St Ives Chambers, 20th February 2020

Source: www.stiveschambers.co.uk

Significant unlawful eviction case exposes the use of sham letting agreements by landlord companies in London – Garden Court Chambers

Posted February 26th, 2020 in chambers articles, damages, harassment, housing, landlord & tenant, news, repossession by sally

‘Tim Baldwin represented the Claimant, Noelia Del Rio Sanchez a University Student, on 10th and 11th February 2020 in a successful claim for unlawful eviction from and harassment at her accommodation in Brent by her former landlord, Simple Properties Management Limited. She secured general damages, special damages, damages for harassment, aggravated and exemplary damages of over £54,000. In addition the judge, HHJ Clarke, awarded costs against the landlords on an indemnity basis and an interim payment of £24,000 towards the costs.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 25th February 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

You know what I mean – Errors in section 8 notices – Nearly Legal

Posted February 24th, 2020 in appeals, housing, landlord & tenant, news, notification, rent, repossession by sally

‘Does an error in a section 8 notice – in this case specifically as to the earliest date on which possession proceedings can begin – invalidate the notice?’

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Nearly Legal, 22nd February 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

No-fault evictions: ‘Our lives are falling apart’ – BBC News

Posted February 20th, 2020 in housing, landlord & tenant, news, notification, repossession by sally

‘Section 21 of the 1988 Housing Act allows landlords to evict tenants without a reason once their contract comes to an end, or give them notice of the “intention to evict” two months before it ends. They are often used by landlords who want to sell their properties.’

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BBC News, 20th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Default Interest? That is just under 290% p.a. – KCH Garden Sq

Posted January 22nd, 2020 in interest, loans, news, repossession by sally

‘An interesting part of my work involves advising and appearing in cases in which there are loans from companies that specialise in loans to “distressed borrowers”. I have acted both for and against loan companies in that area of business, and so I have been able to see the issues from both sides.’

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KCH Garden Sq, 16th January 2020

Source: kchgardensquare.co.uk

A busy residential road lies ahead – Tanfield Chambers

Posted January 9th, 2020 in covenants, enfranchisement, housing, landlord & tenant, leases, news, repossession by sally

‘2020 looks like it will be a busy year for residential property law. Now that the election is finally out of the way and the stasis in parliament has been resolved, we might actually see some changes in the law.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 6th January 2019

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Proposals for changes to Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme “do not address fundamental issues of sustainability”: Law Society – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 8th, 2020 in consultations, fees, housing, Ministry of Justice, news, repossession by sally

‘A Ministry of Justice consultation on proposed changes to the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme (HPCDS) fails to address the fundamental issues of sustainability, the Law Society has claimed.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 7th January 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Housing benefits, human rights and possession claims – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 17th, 2019 in benefits, housing, landlord & tenant, news, repossession, Supreme Court by sally

‘Public sector and private sector landlords need to know about a recent housing benefit ruling from the Supreme Court, write Karl Anders and Deborah Brown.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th December 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

No going back – Nearly Legal

Posted November 26th, 2019 in damages, landlord & tenant, news, repossession by sally

‘Regency (UK) Ltd v (1) Hussein Ali Hadi Albu-Swalin (2) Heartland Property Ltd (2019) QBD (Chamberlain J) 18/11/2019. Regency had let flats to Heartland on the basis that Heartland would sublet to occupiers. Heartland sublet a flat to Mr Albu-Swalin in 2015. Mr A-S reported defects to the condition of the property. Heartland then served a ‘notice to quit’, which was not effective as a s.21, as it did not give two months notice. Mr A-S did not leave. The locks to the flat were then changed, excluding Mr A-S and his son. Most of Mr A-S’ belongings were not recovered.’

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Nearly Legal, 24th November 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

If you go down to the woods today – Nearly Legal

Posted November 18th, 2019 in damages, estoppel, housing, human rights, landlord & tenant, leases, news, rent, repairs, repossession by sally

‘This is a rather odd case concerning possession of a farmhouse in the Forest of Dean. It had been first occupied by the defendant’s mother and step father in 1993. The terms of this were in dispute, but the rent was £155 and the step-father was to undertake repairs and maintenance to the property. The step-father did carry out some repairs, but he moved out in 2002, visiting and leaving some possessions there thereafter. The mother moved out in 2006. Various other family and friends lived at the property in subsequent years. The defendant had rented and bought property of his own, but took on repairs to the farmhouse and regarded it as his family home.’

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Nearly Legal, 17th November 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Golding v Martin [2019] EWCA Civ 446 – Tanfield Chambers

‘The Court of Appeal determined whether the existence of the right to relief from forfeiture amounts to a prospect of “success” at trial when considering an application under CPR r.39.3 to set aside a possession Order.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 29th October 2019

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Dishonourable discharge – Nearly Legal

‘SH, R (on the application of) v The London Borough of Waltham Forest (2019) EWHC 2618 (Admin). This was a judicial review of Waltham Forest’s decision that it had discharged its s.193 Housing Act 1996 duty (the full homeless duty) to Ms SH by an offer of private sector accommodation under s.193(7AA). In fact, WF maintained it had done so twice, and both purported discharges were challenged, by way of WF’s decision that Ms SH had made a fresh application, rather than it having a continuing duty. There is also a brief excursus into the relation of s.193 and s.189B duties.’

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Nearly Legal, 13th October 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

New points on appeal, after a summary possession order – Nearly Legal

Posted October 8th, 2019 in appeals, civil procedure rules, news, repossession, summary judgments by sally

‘Notting Hill Finance Ltd v Sheikh (2019) EWCA Civ 1337. The court of appeal looks at circumstances in which new points can be raised on appeal, where a possession order has been made on a summary basis under CPR Part 55, concluding that there is no test that the case is “exceptional”.’

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Nearly Legal, 6th October 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Warrants of possession – fresh grounds and Equality Act defences – Nearly Legal

Posted September 26th, 2019 in landlord & tenant, news, rent, repossession, warrants by sally

‘Where a landlord already has a possession order for rent arrears, but then seeks a warrant also on the basis of anti-social behaviour, the usual route has been for the landlord to ask the court to consider whether the warrant should be stayed in light of the allegations of ASB, even if the court would be minded to stay the warrant on the arrears. This was the approach in Sheffield City Council v Hopkins (2001) EWCA Civ 1023, which suggested a summary approach to fact finding in such cases.’

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Nearly Legal, 22nd September 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Injunctions, evictions and unrepresented parties – Nearly Legal

Posted September 17th, 2019 in housing, injunctions, landlord & tenant, legal representation, news, repossession by sally

‘Brown v Tyndale (2019) QBD (Robert Francis QC) 25/07/2019. The kind of thing that happens when neither party is represented…’

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Nearly Legal, 15th September 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk