Unlicensed HMO and date of offence – Nearly Legal

‘Luton Borough Council v Altavon Luton Ltd & Ors (2019) EWHC 2415 (Admin). An appeal by way of case stated from a DJ’s decision at Luton Magistrates. The sole issue was whether the informations in the case had been laid within 6 months “from the time when the offence was committed, or the matter of complaint arose.” (Section 127 of the Magistrates’ Court Act 1980.)’

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Nearly Legal, 6th October 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

City council secures £40k fine over dangerous and unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 1st, 2019 in fines, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news by sally

‘City of Lincoln Council has secured the imposition of its second largest fine on a rogue landlord, after a defendant was found guilty of letting out a dangerous and unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st October 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.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 tracey

‘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

UK court rejects landlords’ challenge to Debenhams CVA – Pinsent Masons

Posted September 25th, 2019 in company law, debts, landlord & tenant, news, rent by michael

‘Court rejected landlords’ challenge to Debenhams’ CVA in what will be seen as a victory for retailers and a validation of “landlord only” CVAs.’

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Pinsent Masons, 24th Septwmber 2019

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Banned leader – Nearly Legal

Posted September 18th, 2019 in fines, housing, landlord & tenant, licensing, magistrates, news by tracey

’43 Dudmaston, Telford, Shropshire TF3 2DF: BIR/00GF/HSH/2019/0001. This is the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decision on applications by the Borough of Telford and Wrekin for a banning order against David Beattie under section 15(1) Housing and Planning Act 2016 and for a rent repayment order under section 41 H&PA 2016.’

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Nearly Legal, 17th 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 tracey

‘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

Rent Repayment Orders – who is the landlord? – Nearly Legal

Posted September 17th, 2019 in housing, landlord & tenant, licensing, news, rent by tracey

‘Mrs Elanga Longane et al v Frank Mukahanana and Wealth Harbour Consulting Ltd LON/00AH/HMG/2018/0002 (Copy of decision). This FTT decision on a rent repayment order application raises a couple of interesting issues. First, when is an application for a licence actually made by a landlord. Second, who should a rent repayment order be made against where the ostensible landlord is a company, but the property is owned by the sole director of the company.’

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Nearly Legal, 15th September 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Right to manage still extends across shared estate, despite practical difficulties – Tanfield Chamber

Posted September 4th, 2019 in landlord & tenant, news, service charges by sally

‘Property analysis: A right to manage (RTM) company succeeded in its claim in the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) that the tenants of a block of flats which was part of a larger estate no longer had to pay an estate charge to the management company of the estate because the RTM company had already acquired the right to manage the estate as appurtenant property. The freeholder appealed to the Upper Tribunal and unsuccessfully sought to persuade it that the 2012 Court of Appeal Gala Unity decision on this point was wrong.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 30th August 2019

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Landlords charge ‘pet rent’ to recoup losses after ban on unfair fees – The Guardian

Posted September 4th, 2019 in animals, fees, landlord & tenant, news, rent by sally

‘Landlords are charging “pet rent” running into hundreds of pounds a year in an attempt to recoup losses from a ban on unfair letting fees enforced by the government this summer.’

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The Guardian, 3rd September 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Farewell to the Assured Shorthold Tenancy – Tanfield Chambers

Posted September 4th, 2019 in consultations, landlord & tenant, news, rent by sally

‘The Government is proposing to abolish Assured Shorthold Tenancies in order to stop “no fault” evictions. In this article I summarise the proposals in the Consultation Paper on which views are sought. This article was published in the Estates Gazette on 5th August 2019.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 20th August 2019

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Whose windows are these? – Nearly Legal

Posted September 3rd, 2019 in housing, landlord & tenant, news, repairs by sally

‘As should be well known, when it comes to landlord’s repairing responsibilities, an awful lot depends on the wording of the tenancy agreement. See for example, Welsh v Greenwich LBC (2001) 33 HLR 40 CA line of cases where a tenancy clause committing the landlord to keep the property ‘in good condition’ or ‘fit to live in’ made the landlord liable for condensation mould.’

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Nearly Legal, 2nd September 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Possession and licensing in Wales – Nearly Legal

Posted August 27th, 2019 in housing, landlord & tenant, licensing, news, repossession, Wales by sally

‘Does failing to be licensed under The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 prevent a landlord from serving any notice seeking possession, or just a section 21 notice? That was the issue in a county court appeal in Evans & Evans v Jarvis, County Court at Swansea, 20 August 2019.’

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Nearly Legal, 26th August 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

London borough prosecutes man who tried to take over council flat by claiming to be nephew of deceased tenant – Local Government Lawyer

‘The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has successfully prosecuted a man who fraudulently tried to take over the council tenancy of a resident who had passed away by pretending to be his nephew.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th August 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Breach of PSED and consequences for possession – Nearly Legal

‘The Court of Appeal considers the effect of an admitted breach of the Public Sector Equality Duty under s.149 Equality Act 2010 on possession proceedings.’

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Nearly Legal, 18th August 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Court of Appeal allows possession despite landlord’s failure to carry out a PSED assessment – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 2nd, 2019 in disabled persons, equality, landlord & tenant, news, repossession by tracey

‘A housing association has been granted possession of a property despite not undertaking an assessment under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) before issuing the claim for possession because the outcome would have been no different had it done so, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st August 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court finds for landlord over possession of under-occupied property – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court Of Appeal has clarified the law over when a council should serve a notice seeking possession from a resident who has succeeded to a tenancy.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st August 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Too late to waive – Nearly Legal

Posted July 31st, 2019 in landlord & tenant, news, repossession, time limits by sally

‘Where a tenant has succeeded to a secure tenancy on the death of the former tenant, and the landlord seeks possession on the basis that the property is under occupied, there are time limits on when and how this can be done. This was the Court of Appeal judgment on an appeal from an appeal to a circuit judge of a first instance possession order. At issue was the effect of an application to dispense with the requirement for a notice seeking possession (via s.83(1)(b) Housing Act 1985) on the statutory time limits.’

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Nearly Legal, 29th July 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Airbnb host fined £100,000 for letting council flat – BBC News

‘An Airbnb host who rented out his central London council flat to tourists has been fined £100,000 and evicted.’

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BBC News, 29th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ministry consults on implementing decision to end ‘no-fault’ evictions – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has launched a consultation on implementing the government’s decision to remove section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 and improving section 8 eviction grounds.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd July 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Tenants will be given access to rogue landlord database – The Guardian

‘Campaigners have welcomed government plans to open up its rogue landlord database to prospective tenants, as part of proposals to give greater protection to renters.’

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The Guardian, 21st July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com