High Court rules second homes ban in St Ives will remain – BBC News
‘The High Court has ruled a Cornish seaside town will keep its ban on new-build second homes.’
BBC News, 10th November 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: housing
With and without foundation – Bedroom tax in Supreme Court – Nearly Legal
‘The Supreme Court has handed down its judgment in the culmination of years of cases on the discriminatory impact of the ‘removal of the spare room subsidy’ – the bedroom tax. The outcome was mixed, even including a split judgment on one case, but in at least one respect, the bedroom tax regulations were held to unlawfully and unjustifiably discriminate against households with disabled members.’
Nearly Legal, 9th November 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Families win supreme court appeals over ‘unfair’ bedroom tax – The Guardian
‘Two families who claimed that the bedroom tax, which restricts housing subsidies, was unfair have won their appeals against the UK government at the supreme court.’
The Guardian, 9th November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Second (non-) succession – Nearly Legal
‘In Holley v Hillingdon LBC [2016] EWCA Civ 1052, Mr Holley was seeking to challenge the council’s decision to evict him and his brother from a three bedroom property that could sleep up to six persons, in which Mr Holley had lived for 32 years of his life and where he was suffering from a range of mental health problems, including anxiety, panic attacks and depression following his grandmother’s death in 2009. There had already been a statutory succession to Mr Holley’s grandfather, so Mr Holley was, “in the rather antiquated private law jargon”, a trespasser. The judge made a possession order on the basis that there were no seriously arguable defences under Articles 8 and 14.’
Nearly Legal, 1st November 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Prisons in England and Wales get boost of 2,500 new staff to tackle violence -The Guardian
‘An extra 2,500 frontline prison staff are to be recruited to tackle soaring levels of gang violence, drug abuse and attacks on staff and inmates inside prisons across England and Wales, the justice secretary is to announce.’
The Guardian, 2nd November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Homeless Reduction Bill – part 2 – Nearly Legal
‘After my rantette about clause 1 of the Homeless Reduction Bill as published for second reading, it is time to turn to the substance of the Bill in terms of new duties and so on. And, some drafting issues aside, these are broadly positive.’
Nearly Legal, 26th October 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Reducing the Homelessness Reduction Bill. Part 1 – Nearly Legal
‘Monday’s big news was the Govt announcement that it will support the Homelessness Reduction Bill – Bob Blackman MP’s private members bill, due for second reading on 28 October. But exactly what is it that the Govt is supporting?’
Nearly Legal, 25th October 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Crackdown on rogue landlords to include new minimum bedroom size – The Guardian
‘A new minimum bedroom size and the extension of licensing to thousands more properties are to form part of a government crackdown on rogue landlords who cram tenants into overcrowded homes.’
The Guardian, 18th October 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Time, distance & suitability – Nearly Legal
‘Tower Hamlets owed Ms B, and her four children then aged 10, 8, 3 and 2, the full housing duty. She had moved to the borough to stay at a refuge in September 2013, following long term domestic violence, and the children had begun school in the borough in October 2013. One of the children had a diagnosis of severe ADHD.’
Nearly Legal, 9th October 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Homeless eligibility amends and deposit discretions – Nearly Legal
‘The Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 have (finally) been made to come into force on 30 October 2016. These sort out the anomaly highlighted in Romans v Southwark LBC and SSDCLG and Alabi v SSDCLG about those with leave to remain granted under Appendix FM. Their eligibility for housing and homeless assistance is confirmed. A number of appeals have been stayed pending the regulations, which should now be resolved.’
Nearly Legal, 3rd October 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Prisoner resettlement scheme raises concerns – BBC News
‘A flagship government policy to support and supervise inmates leaving jail has been severely criticised by inspectors.’
BBC News, 4th October 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
We eat ham and jam and spam a lot – Nearly Legal
‘Property guardian companies. Just when you think that most of the firms involved have managed some form of legality around their possession and eviction practices, they go and disappoint you.’
Full story
Nearly Legal, 26th September 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Vulnerability, ‘significantly’ and equality duties – Nearly Legal
‘This was another in a number of county court judgments on section 204 Housing Act 1996 appeals which turned on the question of vulnerability after the Supreme Court decision in Hotak. In this appeal, the particular issues were whether the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) had been complied with, and then the approach to ‘significantly more vulnerable’.’
Nearly Legal, 25th September 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Housing shortage means many women ‘feel safer behind bars’ – BBC News
‘A former inmate has told the BBC many women feel “safer in prison” due to a lack of suitable housing for female ex-offenders.’
BBC News, 22nd September 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Right to be Forgotten? – Nearly Legal
‘When does temporary accommodation become settled so as to break the chain of causation of intentional homelessness? The appeal in Huda v LB Redbridge [2016] EWCA Civ 709 concerned a homeless applicant and his family, who were effectively forgotten about by the council following a final decision on their application.’
Nearly Legal, 18th September 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/
Men sentenced over illegal supply of migrant workers in East Anglia – The Guardian
‘Two brothers who acted as illegal gangmasters in Wisbech have been given two-year prison sentences suspended for two years at Cambridge crown court.’
The Guardian, 13th September 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Housing applicant wins challenge after accepting offer ‘under protest’ – Local Government Lawyer
‘The London Borough of Brent was perverse to characterise acceptance while seeking review as refusal in a homelessness case.’
Local Government Lawyer, 13th September 2016
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
A compendium of vulnerability cases – Nearly Legal
‘Following on from our post on Mohammed v Southwark LBC, here are notes on a further three appeals to the County Court under section 204 Housing Act 1996, all related to decisions on priority need (or lack of it) through vulnerability.’
Nearly Legal, 12th September 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Homeless young offenders’ housing criticised by report – BBC News
‘A third of homeless 16 and 17-year-old offenders in England and Wales are being placed in unsafe or unsuitable accommodation, a report has found.’
BBC News, 7th September 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Councils warned to expect large number of appeals over “pay to stay” – Local Government Lawyer
‘Councils can expect costly challenges and appeals as more than 70,000 social housing tenants face £1,000 a year average rent rises under the ‘pay to stay’ regime.’
Local Government Lawyer, 30th August 2016
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
