Housing applicant wins challenge after accepting offer ‘under protest’ – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 13th, 2016 in homelessness, housing, local government, news by sally

‘The London Borough of Brent was perverse to characterise acceptance while seeking review as refusal in a homelessness case.’

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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.’

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Nearly Legal, 12th September 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Homeless young offenders’ housing criticised by report – BBC News

Posted September 7th, 2016 in children, homelessness, housing, local government, news, reports, young offenders by sally

‘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.’

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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

Posted August 31st, 2016 in appeals, housing, local government, news, rent by sally

‘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.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 30th August 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

What do points mean? (No prizes) – Nearly Legal

Posted August 30th, 2016 in children, homelessness, housing, interpretation, local government, news by sally

‘Another allocation judicial review, related, but perhaps distinct from the line of ‘reasonable preference’ cases we have previously seen. The issue, in part, Islington’s use of a ‘points threshold’ for allowing bidding for properties, though not for qualification to the register.’

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Nearly Legal, 29th August 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Race Discrimination and Housing in post-Brexit Britain – Cloisters

Posted August 25th, 2016 in harassment, housing, immigration, landlord & tenant, news, race discrimination by sally

‘In this article Catherine Casserley and Tom Gillie consider race discrimination in housing and, in particular, the obligations that landlords have not to discriminate themselves and to take action when their tenants are experiencing discrimination and harassment by other tenants.’

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Cloisters, 22nd August 2016

Source: www.cloisters.com

Mortgage Express V. Lambert – Radcliffe Chambers

Posted August 23rd, 2016 in debts, housing, internet, misrepresentation, mortgages, news, setting aside by sally

‘In the autumn of 2007 Laura Lambert was in desperate financial straits. She had a flat worth £120,000, but could not manage the mortgage repayments. Through the internet she made contact with S and C who duly visited her. They told her, to her surprise, that the flat was worth only £30,000 and offered to buy it from her for that sum. They told her that she would be able to continue living there indefinitely. She agreed to their proposal.’

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Radcliffe Chambers, 27th July 2016

Source: www.radcliffechambers.com

Airbnb – a quick buck or a catastrophic mistake? – Tanfield Chambers

Posted August 23rd, 2016 in covenants, holidays, housing, internet, landlord & tenant, leases, news by sally

‘The last few years have seen short term property letting sites such as Airbnb become the go-to way of booking holiday accommodation in Europe’s most popular cities. Millennial tourists are rejecting stuffy, expensive hotels, preferring instead the flexibility of their own apartment right in the middle of town where, in the words of Airbnb, they can “feel at home anywhere in the world”. In response, those who are lucky enough to own or occupy a city apartment have been quick to meet the demand, with new “hosts” joining the site every day. There are Airbnb kiosks on London’s high streets where tourists can book a property like they used to book a cab.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 5th August 2016

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Vulnerability after Hotak/Johnson/Kanu – Nearly Legal

Posted August 23rd, 2016 in appeals, homelessness, housing, mental health, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘Mr M had applied to Southwark as homeless. He provided a GP’s letter stating that he suffered from depression, was prescribed anti-depressants and was awaiting therapy. Soon after, Mr M’s brother was murdered and he was badly affected by this.’

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Nearly Legal, 22nd August 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Council agrees to re-house disabled woman after Ombudsman investigation – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 19th, 2016 in disabled persons, housing, local government, news by tracey

‘A London borough has agreed to re-house a disabled woman and her family after errors were made in processing her housing application.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th August 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Landlords behaving badly – Nearly Legal

‘While the Magistrates Courts continue to hand out paltry fines to landlords on conviction for illegal eviction, despite the removal of the upper £5000 limit, it is good to see that the civil courts are capable of taking a more reasonable approach to quantum.’

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Nearly Legal, 13th August 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Housing needs and household members – Nearly Legal

‘This was a judicial review of a decision by Luton Council Housing Appeals and Review Panel not to offer Mr Jones a tenancy of the property of which Mr J’s late father was the tenant, but instead offer a one bed property.’

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Nearly Legal, 7th August 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

When does the refusal to provide accommodation to an applicant breach Article 3? – Nearly Legal

Posted August 5th, 2016 in housing, human rights, local government, news by tracey

‘In R (GS) v Camden LBC [2016] EWHC 1762 (Admin), the High Court was required to consider whether a Swiss national, who was not present in the UK lawfully, was entitled to accommodation under the Care Act 2014 or, alternatively, whether Camden were obliged to provide accommodation under s.1, Localism Act 2011 to avoid a breach of Article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights. The result – which was positive for GS – is potentially of considerable assistance for similar people.’

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Nearly legal, 3rd August 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Allocation & unreasonable behaviour – Nearly Legal

Posted August 2nd, 2016 in housing, local government, news, rehabilitation by tracey

‘YA v London Borough of Hammersmith And Fulham [2016] EWHC 1850 (Admin). YA was in care with H&F for a number of years and was now a care leaver. During that previous period as a child in care, he had committed a number of criminal offences, though these were spent under Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 at the relevant time. YA applied to be added to H&F’s housing register.’

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Nearly legal, 31st July 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Ellie Butler murder: Father displayed ‘pattern of impulsive violence’ – BBC News

‘A man who murdered his six-year-old daughter was described as displaying a “pattern of impulsive violence” months before she died, it has been revealed.’

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BBC News, 30th July 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Divorced helicopter pilot who refuses to leave the marital home could be jailed – Daily Telegraph

‘A helicopter pilot who barricaded himself in the home he lost in his £6m divorce will be jailed if he does not get out of the property by next week.’

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Daily Telegraph, 27th July 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Facing the Facts – Nearly Legal

Posted July 25th, 2016 in homelessness, housing, local government, mental health, news, suicide by sally

‘R (on the application of Hoyte) v London Borough of Southwark [2016] EWHC 1665 Admin is a useful decision of the High Court on the subject of repeat homelessness applications.’

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Nearly Legal, 25th July 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Social landlord wins Civil Injunction Orders against youth and two men – Local Government Lawyer

Posted July 22nd, 2016 in housing, injunctions, news, threatening behaviour by sally

‘Salix Homes has secured three civil injunction orders (CIO) against two men and a youth using legislation under the Anti Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd July 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council uses Article 4 direction to evict Asylum seekers in HMO – Local Government Lawyer

Posted July 22nd, 2016 in asylum, housing, local government, news by sally

‘The London Borough of Bexley has ended the unlawful use of a house by a Home Office approved accommodation provider dealing with asylum seekers.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th July 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Level of Support – Local Government Law

Posted July 15th, 2016 in children, housing, human rights, local government, news by tracey

‘In R (C, T, M and U) v Southwark LBC (2016) EWCA Civ 707 the claimants challenged the lawfulness of the accommodation and the level of financial support provided by Southwark Council to a family who have no right of recourse to public funds.’

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Local Government Law, 13th July 2016

Source: www.11kbw.com/blogs/local-government-law