ANNOUNCEMENT

It is with great sadness that we announce that HLW’s editor, Brendan Farrell, died on Sunday 11 August after a short illness. Originally a solicitor, Brendan went on to be a conference director at Jordan Publishing before co-founding Lime Legal Limited with Martin West in 2004. Both would go on to become the publishers and editors of Family Law Week in 2009. Brendan will be very much missed by all who knew him.

HOUSING LAW NEWS & POLICY ISSUES

Housing and public attitude: CIH survey
On 12 August 2019 the Chartered Institute of Housing reported the results of a survey conducted for it by Ipsos MORI. According to the survey:

• 73 per cent believe there is a housing crisis in Britain and 67 per cent think that the government can do something about the country’s housing problems.
• 57 per cent think that the rising cost of housing will impact on them personally a great deal or a fair amount in the next five years.
• Overall 55 per cent of the public, and 68 per cent of renters, think housing has been discussed too little in Britain over the last few years.
• 52 per cent of people support the building of new homes locally, up from 40 per cent five years ago.
• 45 per cent of private renters and 43 per cent of social renters are concerned about their ability to pay rent at present (29 per cent of mortgage holders are concerned about repayment).
• Of those renting or living at home with their parents, 61 per cent think they will never be able to afford to buy a home.
• More than a third of private renters (38 per cent) worry that they will have to leave their local area because of the unaffordable cost of housing.
• 36 per cent of people in London, whether renting or buying, are concerned that they may have to move because of the cost of housing; nationally the figure is 22 per cent.

For more details, click here.

Reform of anti-social behaviour powers: statutory guidance for frontline professionals
On 5 August 2019 the Home Office published updated statutory guidance for frontline professionals (including those within providers of social housing) in relation to the anti-social behaviour section of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act. The updated guidance emphasises the importance of ensuring that the powers granted by the Act are used appropriately to provide a proportionate response to the specific behaviour that is causing harm or nuisance without impacting adversely on behaviour that is neither unlawful nor anti-social. For the guidance, click here.

Legal Aid Agency extends Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme contracts
On 9 August 2019 the Legal Aid Agency announced that it had written to current HPCDS providers in July 2018 with an offer to extend their current contracts for one year with the right to extend for a further 12-month period. The contracts were due to expire on 30 September 2019 but the LAA is exercising its right to extend the contracts by a further 12 months. This is to enable the Ministry of Justice to develop its policy approach for HPCDS services. Current HPCDS contracts will now end on 30 September 2020. Providers do not need to do anything to accept the extension. The LAA will begin to issue notices of the extension to the 2013 HPCDS Contract to individual providers in August 2019. The new schedules will be issued by the end of September 2019.

Landlord possession statistics – England and Wales
On 8 August 2019 the Ministry of Justice published quarterly national statistics on possession claim actions in county courts by mortgage lenders and social and private landlords. The statistics cover the period from April to June 2019. Landlord possession claims (26,695) and orders for possession (21,384) decreased by 9 and 6 per cent respectively, compared to the same quarter last year. Warrants of possession (13,685) also decreased (by 4 per cent) and repossessions by county court bailiffs (7,428) were down 10 per cent compared to the same quarter last year. For the statistics (combined with those for mortgage possession below), click here.

Mortgage possession statistics – England and Wales
On 8 August 2019 the Ministry of Justice published quarterly national statistics on possession claim actions in county courts by mortgage lenders and social and private landlords. The statistics cover the period from April to June 2019. Mortgage possession claims (6,179) and orders for possession (4,007) have both increased by 39 and 40 per cent respectively compared to the same quarter last year. Warrants issued (4,692) and repossessions (1,245) have also increased by 34 and 30 per cent respectively For the statistics (combined with those for landlord possession above), click here.

Leasehold and commonhold reform
On 6 August 2019 the House of Commons Library published a briefing paper considering trends in leasehold ownership and ongoing problems associated with the sector. The Government has committed to legislate in this area "as soon as Parliamentary time allows". For the briefing paper, click here.

Private rented sector
On 8 August 2019 the RICS published the July 2019 RICS Residential Market Survey which showed that landlord instructions had fallen once again, extending a run of continuous decline stretching back over the past thirteen quarters. The survey stated that “given the current imbalance between supply and demand, near term rental growth expectations were driven higher … representing the most elevated reading in twelve quarters.” For the survey, click here.

How to rent guide updated
On 7 August 2019 the MHCLG published an updated version of the ‘How to rent’ guide for people who are looking for a house or flat to rent. There have been two sets of changes since the guide was amended at the end of May following the introduction of the Tenant Fees Act 2019. In the first the guide was corrected to reflect the rebranding of National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) to Safeagent, and to update links to the GOV.UK client money protection scheme webpage. In the second the ‘Before you start’ section was updated to clarify Shelter’s advisory role.

For the latest version of the guide, click here. For an article by Giles Peaker about the changes and explaining the importance of a landlord providing a tenant with the version of the guide current at the time, click here.

Families and households: 2018
On 7 August 2019 the Office for National Statistics published data for 2018 showing trends in living arrangements including families (with and without dependent children), people living alone and people in shared accommodation, broken down by size and type of household. The data show that in 2018:

• There were 19.1 million families in the UK, an increase of 8 per cent from 17.7 million in 2008.
• The number of cohabiting couple families continues to grow faster than married couple and lone parent families, with an increase of 25.8 per cent over the decade 2008 to 2018.
• The number of same-sex couple families has grown by more than 50 per cent since 2015, with more than four times as many same-sex married couple families in 2018 compared with 2015.
• There were 27.6 million households, an increase of 350,000 on the previous year and 1.7 million since 2008.
• The number of people living alone has surpassed 8 million, up from 7.7 million in the previous year, driven by increases in women aged 45 to 64 years and men aged 65 to 74 years.
• One in four young adults (3.4 million) aged 20 to 34 years were living with their parents.

For the statistical release, click here.

Accessibility standards in new homes: new report
On 8 August 2019 Age UK and Habinteg Housing released a new campaigning factsheet which calls for all new homes to be built to higher accessibility standards. The report states that there are 6.5 million people with mobility problems and 13.9 million disabled people in the UK and unless homes become more adaptable, future generations will be forced to ‘make do’ in homes that fail to meet their needs. The factsheet Home Truths – rebutting the 10 myths about building accessible housing challenges the myths that delivering accessible housing is too costly, too difficult or simply undesirable for buyers.

Age UK and Habinteg are jointly calling for:

• Regulation to ensure that all new homes are built to accessible adaptable standard (Category 2) as a minimum.
• 10 per cent of new homes to be built to wheelchair accessible standards.
• In the interim, the Government to amend planning rules to protect the discretion of local authorities to decide the number of accessible homes built in their area.

To download the factsheet, click here. For an article about the factsheet, click here.

Homeless young people: effects of violence and exploitation
On 6 August 2019 Centrepoint published research highlighting the ways in which youth violence and criminal exploitation impact on homeless young people. The study, featuring interviews and focus groups with young people and practitioners, found that violence and crime affects young people at every stage in their journey through homelessness: from losing accommodation, to being targeted while homeless, through to being unable to access housing and opportunities. For the research study, click here. For an article, by Billy Harding, explaining five ways that gangs, violence and exploitation can affect those without a home, click here.

Social landlord housing stock and rents – Wales
On 8 August 2019 the Welsh Government published an annual report on the number of housing units owned or partly owned and managed by all social landlords as at 31 March 2019. The report reveals:

• There continued to be a slight increase (1 per cent) in social housing in Wales. There were 231,413 social housing units at 31 March 2019 compared with 230,017 a year earlier.
• Of these, RSLs owned 62 per cent and local authorities owned the remainder.
• At 31 March 2019, a further 15,508 other housing units were owned or partly owned by social landlords. Of these 99 per cent were owned by RSLs.
• The average weekly rents set by local authorities at 1 April 2019 for 2019-20 for all self-contained social housing was £92.26. Such housing includes general needs, sheltered, other supported and extra care housing. This is an increase of 3 per cent compared to the previous year.
• The corresponding average weekly rent set by RSLs for 12019-20 was £93.77. This is also an increase of 3 per cent compared to the previous year.
• The gap between local authority and RSL average weekly rent levels for 2019-20 was the smallest recorded to date at just £1.51.

For the full report, click here.

Letting fees: guidance for tenants – Wales
On 9 August 2019 the Welsh Government published a guide for tenants on letting fees. The ban on letting fees comes into force on 1 September 2019 in respect of tenancy agreements starting after that date. For the guidance, click here.

Service charges: time limits for demands
On 5 August 2019 Landmark Chambers reported that in West India Quay Ltd v ETAL Ltd, the landlord has been granted permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) to argue that Brent LBC v Shulem B Association Ltd [2011] EWHC 1663 (Ch), [2011] 1 WLR 3014, was wrongly decided. In that case it was held that the requirement in s20B(1) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 that landlords must demand service charges from residential leaseholders within 18  months of having incurred the underlying cost, meant that a contractually valid demand had to be made within the 18 month period. Landmark Chambers states that the appeal is likely to be heard in early 2020.

Rough sleepers and domestic abuse victims – London
On 8 August 2019 the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, confirmed plans for up to 200 homes – the first of which will be available this autumn – “to help former rough sleepers and victims of domestic abuse leave hostels and refuges and move on with their lives”. For more details, click here.

HOUSING LAWS IN THE PIPELINE

The UK Parliament rose for its summer recess on 25 July 2019. It returns on 3 September 2019. The National Assembly for Wales rose on 19 July and returns on 16 September 2019.
Local Housing Authority Debt Bill
This Bill, which had its first reading in the House of Lords on 4 July 2017, seeks to replace the current regime of limits on local housing authorities’ debt with limits determined by the existing prudential regime for local authority borrowing for non-housing-related purposes. The second reading is yet to be scheduled. For the Bill as introduced, click here To follow progress of the Bill, click here

Homeless People (Current Accounts) Bill
This is a Private Member’s Bill introduced in the House of Commons by Peter Bone. The Bill is intended to require banks to provide current accounts for homeless people seeking work; and for connected purposes. The Bill is being prepared for publication. The Bill received its first reading on 5 September 2017. The second reading was due to take place on 1 February 2019 but Parliament did not sit on that day and the second reading will now take place on a date to be announced. To follow progress of the Bill, click here

Sublet Property (Offences) Bill
This is a Private Member’s Bill introduced in the House of Commons by Christopher Chope. It is intended to make the breach of certain rules relating to sub-letting rented accommodation a criminal offence; to make provision for criminal sanctions in respect of unauthorised sub-letting; and for connected purposes. The Bill is being prepared for publication. The Bill received its first reading on 5 September 2017 and was due to receive its second reading on 23 November 2018 but was not called. To follow progress of the Bill, click here

Mobile Homes and Park Homes Bill
This is a Private Member’s Bill introduced in the House of Commons, also by Christopher Chope. It is intended to require the use of published criteria to determine whether mobile homes and park homes are liable for council tax or non-domestic rates; to make provision in relation to the residential status of such homes; to amend the Mobile Home Acts; and for connected purposes. The Bill is being prepared for publication. The Bill received its first reading on 5 September 2017 and was due to receive its second reading on 23 November 2018 but was not called. To follow progress of the Bill, click here

Affordable Home Ownership Bill
This Bill was introduced to Parliament on Tuesday 24 October 2017, also by Christopher Chope, under the Ten Minute Rule and is a Private Member’s Bill. It was said by him to make provision for affordable home ownership; to require the inclusion of rent to buy homes in the definition of affordable housing; to make provision for a minimum proportion of new affordable housing to be available on affordable rent to buy terms; to provide relief from stamp duty when an affordable rent to buy home is purchased; and for connected purposes. The Bill was due to receive its second reading on 23 November 2018 but was not called. The Bill itself has not yet been published. To follow progress of the Bill, click here

Creditworthiness Assessment Bill
This Private Member’s Bill was introduced by Lord Buck and had its second reading in the House of Lords on 24 November 2017. The Bill would require certain matters (including rental payment history) to be taken into account when assessing a borrower’s creditworthiness. The Bill has completed all stages in the Lords. It received its first reading in the Commons on 12 September 2018. Second reading had been further postponed until 22 March 2019 but the Bill was not called. The Bill is now expected to have its second reading debate on a date to be announced. For the Bill as brought from the Lords, click here For progress of the Bill, click here

Private Landlords (Registration) Bill
This Bill was introduced to Parliament on 17 January 2018 under the Ten Minute Rule. The Bill seeks to require all private landlords in England to be registered. Second reading has been postponed to a date to be announced. For the Bill, as introduced, click here To read the debate on introduction of the Bill, click here To follow progress of the Bill, click here

Leasehold Reform Bill
This Bill, introduced to Parliament on 7 November 2017 under the Ten Minute Rule and sponsored by Justin Madders, makes provision about the regulation of the purchase of freehold by leaseholders; to introduce a system for establishing the maximum charge for such freehold; to make provision about the award of legal costs in leasehold property tribunal cases; and to establish a compensation scheme for cases where misleading particulars have led to certain leasehold agreements. Second reading has been postponed to a date to be announced. For the Bill as introduced, click here To follow progress of the Bill, click here

Homelessness (End of Life Care) Bill
This Bill, sponsored by Sir Edward Davey, was introduced to Parliament on 7 February 2018 under the Ten Minute Rule. It makes provision about end of life care and support for homeless people with terminal illnesses, including through the provision of housing for such people. Second reading has been further postponed and will now take place on a date to be announced. For the Bill as introduced, click here To follow progress of the Bill, click here

Housing and Planning (Local Decision-Making) Bill
This Private Member’s Bill seeks to remove powers of the Secretary of State in relation to the location of and planning permission for new housing developments; to give local authorities powers to establish requirements on such developments in their area, including requirements on the proportion of affordable and social housing. It received its first reading on 13 March 2018. Second reading has been postponed to a date to be announced. The Bill is being prepared for publication. To follow progress of the Bill, click here

Freehold Properties (Management Charges and Shared Facilities) Bill
This Private Members' Bill, sponsored by Helen Goodman, seeks to make provision for the regulation of fees charged by management companies to freeholders of residential properties; to make provision for self-management of shared facilities by such freeholders; and to require management companies to ensure shared facilities are of an adequate standard. It received its first reading on 14 November 2018. Second reading has been further postponed and is now expected to be on a date to be announced. The Bill is being prepared for publication. To follow progress of the Bill, click here

Fire Safety (Leasehold Properties) Bill
This Private Members' Bill, sponsored by Marsha De Cordova, would require freeholders of certain properties that have failed fire safety tests to carry out remedial work; to make provision for sanctions for such freeholders who fail to carry out such work; to ensure that leaseholders are not held liable for the costs of such work; and to make provision for a loan scheme to assist freeholders in carrying out such work. It received a first reading on 28 November 2018 and will have its second reading on a date to be announced. To follow progress of the Bill, click here.

Tenancy (Deposits and Arbitration) Bill
This Private Members' Bill, sponsored by Lloyd Russell-Moyle, would establish a single custodial tenancy deposit scheme; to provide for that scheme to invest deposits; to require interest on such investments to be used for the provision of tenant advocacy, tenant support and arbitration services; to establish a mandatory arbitration service for the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. The Bill received its first reading in the House of Commons on 13 March 2019. The second reading is scheduled to take place on a date to be announced. The Bill is being prepared for publication. To follow progress of the Bill, click here.

Freehold Properties (Management Charges) Bill
This Private Members' Bill, sponsored by Preet Kaur Gill, would require landlords to provide accounts of management charges payable under section 19 of the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 to freehold property owners. The Bill received its first reading in the House of Commons on 5 June 2019. The second reading is yet to be scheduled. The Bill is being prepared for publication. To follow progress of the Bill, click here.

Ground Rents (Leasehold Properties) Bill
This Private Members' Bill, sponsored by Eddie Hughes, would regulate ground rents charged on leasehold properties; make provision for a cap on ground rents; and make property developers liable for the legal costs of leaseholders seeking to vary certain ground rent contracts. The Bill received its first reading in the House of Commons on 25 June 2019. The second reading is yet to be scheduled. The Bill is being prepared for publication. To follow progress of the Bill, click here.

HOUSING LAW CONSULTATIONS

Changes to the intervention, enforcement and use of powers guidance by Regulator of Social Housing
The Regulator of Social Housing is running a consultation, closing on 16 August 2019, on changes to its guidance on intervention, enforcement and use of powers. The proposed updates reflect legislative changes, including the introduction of the Housing and Administration regime, the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 and the move to a standalone status for the Regulator. The guidance sets out the Regulator’s general approach to intervention and enforcement of registered providers and reinforces the high-level objectives and principles underpinning its approach to dealing with poor performance in a rapidly-changing social housing sector. For the consultation document and annexes, click here.

Tenancy deposit reform: a call for evidence
This call for evidence seeks to understand the barriers tenants face providing a second deposit when moving from one tenancy to the next. It looks at what can be done to speed up the return of deposits to tenants at the end of the tenancy. It considers whether existing initiatives to address deposit affordability are meeting tenants’ needs and whether the market can offer improved products. It also explores innovative approaches that could be taken to help tenants move more easily, including allowing tenants to passport their deposit between tenancies.

The call for evidence, which closes on 5 September 2019, builds on the work of the Tenancy Deposit Protection Working Group, which has been looking at whether improvements can be made to deposit protection to the benefit of tenants and landlords. For the consultation document, click here.

Redress for purchasers of new build homes and the New Homes Ombudsman
This consultation, which closes on 22 August 2019, seeks views on a New Homes Ombudsman and the detail of proposed legislation to provide better redress for purchasers of new build homes. This includes the design and delivery of the New Homes Ombudsman, its powers, remit and how to fund it. The consultation also seeks views on whether a Code of Practice should also be underpinned in statute. For the consultation document, click here.

Increasing the minimum notice period for a no fault eviction – Wales
The Welsh Government is consulting on:

• extending the minimum notice period from two months to six months
• increasing the period at the beginning of a contract during which a landlord cannot give notice from four months to six months
• placing a six-month restriction on issuing a notice following the expiry of a previous notice
• removing a landlord’s ability to end a fixed term standard contract (under section 186)
• the use of break clauses in fixed term contracts.

The consultation will close on 5 September 2019. For the consultation document, click here.

Ending the Scandal: Labour’s new deal for leaseholders
The Labour Party has published plans to end leasehold ownership of houses and flats. It proposes five key changes:

1. End the sale of new private leasehold houses with direct effect and the sale of private leasehold flats by the end of the party’s first term in Government.
   
   
2. End ground rents for new leasehold homes, and cap ground rents for existing leaseholders at 0.1 per cent of the property value, up to a maximum of £250 a year.
   
   
3. Set a simple formula for leaseholders to buy the freehold to their home, or commonhold in the case of a flat, capped at 1 per cent of the property value.
   
   
4. Crack down on unfair fees and contract terms by publishing a reference list of reasonable charges, requiring transparency on service charges and giving leaseholders a right to challenge rip-off fees and conditions or poor performance from service companies.
   
   
5. Give residents greater powers over the management of their homes, with new rights for flat owners to form residents associations and by simplifying the Right to Manage.

The document sets out a series of questions to which the party seeks responses by 30 September 2019. For the consultation document, click here.

Local authority housing statistics: proposed changes
This MHCLG consultation seeks views on the proposed discontinuing of the local authority housing statistics (LAHS) bulletin that is published in January every year and for its content to be published in other statistical bulletins throughout the year. The consultation closes on 9 September 2019. For the consultation document, click here.

A new deal for renting: resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between landlords and tenants
On 15 April 2019, the government announced that it will put an end to so called ‘no-fault’ evictions by repealing section 21 of the Housing Act 1988. Under the new framework, a tenant cannot be evicted from their home without good reason. The government says that this will provide tenants with more stability, protecting them from having to make frequent moves at short notice, and enabling them to put down roots and plan for the future. The government also proposed to strengthen the section 8 eviction process, so landlords are able to regain their property should they wish to sell it or move into it themselves. This will provide a more secure legal framework and a more stable rental market for landlords to remain and invest in.

This consultation seeks views on how section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 has been used in the past, and the circumstances in which landlords should be able to regain possession once it has been abolished, including what changes may be necessary to the existing grounds for possession in Schedule 2 to the Housing Act 1988.

The government is also inviting views on the implications of removing the ability of landlords to grant assured shorthold tenancies in the future, how the processing of repossession orders through the courts could be improved, and whether the reforms should be extended to other types of landlords, most notably, to housing associations.

The consultation closes on 12 October 2019. For the consultation document, click here.

Rogue landlord database reform
​The database of rogue landlords and property agents was introduced in April 2018. The database is targeted at only the most serious and prolific criminals, who are convicted of the limited range of banning order offences. The database is currently an enforcement tool available to local authorities, except in certain circumstances where anonymised, aggregated data can be requested by the public.

In October 2018 the Prime Minister committed to opening up access to information on the database of rogue landlords and property agents to tenants. This consultation is seeking views on widening access to the database to allow tenants and prospective tenants access to the database. To ensure that the database is a useful tool for local authorities and tenants, we are also seeking views on expanding the scope of offences and infractions which could lead to entries on the database.

Annex A contains the current list of offences and infractions which lead to inclusion on the database. Annex B contains a list of proposed offences and infractions for inclusion on the database.

The consultation closes on 12 October 2019. For the consultation document and annexes, click here.

Mobile homes: a fit and proper person test for park home sites
In 2018, following a review of park homes legislation, the government gave a commitment to introduce a fit and proper person test for site licence holders and managers of park home sites in England, subject to a technical consultation. The purpose of the test is to improve the standards of park home site management. This consultation is intended to ensure that the regulations will support effective operation of the fit and proper person test in practice. The consultation closes on 17 September 2019. For the consultation document, click here.

Homelessness Reduction Act 2017: call for evidence
The Government regards the Homelessness Reduction Act as a key lever for reducing homelessness and helping to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and ending it altogether. This call for evidence seeks to gather evidence on:

• the impact the Act has had and the outcomes that are being achieved;
• how has the Act changed the approach of local housing authorities and their partners to tackling homelessness and supporting those in need;
• the experience of people approaching their local housing authority for help;
• how the implementation of the Act has been resourced, including the level of new burdens funding to assist this; and
• what elements of the Act and processes are working well, and which might need adjustment.

The consultation closes on 15 October 2019. For the consultation document, click here.

HOUSING LAW ARTICLES & PUBLICATIONS

Leasehold reform update – Part 1 Lynn James Trowers & Hamlins 6 August 2019 – to read the article, click here

My three wishes for the comprehensive spending review 2019 Melanie Rees CIH Blog 7 August 2019 – to read the blog, click here

Our plan to end rough sleeping – how H&F is bucking a London-wide trend Hammersmith & Fulham Council website 7 August 2019 – to read the article, click here

Equality and Homeless Appeals Giles Peaker Nearly Legal 11 August 2019 – to read the article, click here

Once bitten, twice (or thrice) shy Giles Peaker Nearly Legal 11 August 2019 – to read the article, click here

Housing benefit: update 2019 Bethan Harris, Desmond Rutledge and Kevin Gannon Legal Action July / August 2019 – to read the article (subscription required), click here

Housing: recent developments Sam Madge-Wyld and Jan Luba QC Legal Action July / August 2019 – to read the article (subscription required), click here

HOUSING LAW DIARY

16 August 2019                                    
Closing date for submission to the consultation on changes to the intervention, enforcement and use of powers guidance by Regulator of Social Housing (see Housing Law Consultations)

22 August 2019                                    
Closing date for submission to the consultation on redress for purchasers of new build homes and the New Homes Ombudsman (see Housing Law Consultations)

1 September 2019                                
Ban on tenant fees comes into force in Wales under the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019

3 September 2019                                
Parliament returns

5 September 2019                                
Closing date for submissions to the call for evidence in respect of tenancy deposit reform (see Housing Law Consultations)

5 September 2019                                
Closing date for submissions to the Welsh Government consultation on increasing the minimum notice period for a no fault eviction (see Housing Law Consultations)

9 September 2019                                
Closing date for submission to the consultation on proposed changes to local authority housing statistics (see Housing Law Consultations)

16 September 2019                              
National Assembly for Wales returns

30 September 2019                              
Closing date for submissions to the Labour Party’s consultation on Labour’s new deal for leaseholders (see Housing Law Consultations)

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RECRUITMENT

Featured Jobs of the Week

Housing/Property Litigation Solicitor (1-3 years' PQE)

London (E1)

TV Edwards LLP is renowned for providing good quality legal advice and representation. We are seeking a junior solicitor to join our growing housing team. This exciting opportunity will suit an individual who is looking to develop their career in housing and property law in a supportive environment.

You will be experienced in all aspects of housing law (including homelessness, possession proceedings and disrepair) and have a good knowledge of legal aid funding. Experience of property litigation including private client work and knowledge of CFAs would be an advantage. You will be joining a team which has been recognised by Chambers and Partners (ranked in Band 2 with 3 lawyers ranked individually) and the Legal 500 (Tier 2). We have good referral sources from local charities and NGOs who work with us together to achieve the best outcome for our clients.

The post is full-time and salary is dependent on experience. Anticipated start date is October 2019. Deadline for applications is 9.30am Monday 9 September 2019.

For further information and to apply visit  http://www.tvedwards.com/site/careers/opportunities

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Housing Officer - Anti Social Behaviour Lead

Hemel Hempstead

We are recruiting for a Housing Officer to deliver a highly professional customer focused housing management service to Hightown’s residents in rented accommodation. In addition to this, they will also specialise in an area of housing management, keeping up to date with legislation, regulatory requirements and best practice in a key area. This may include; Anti-Social Behaviour, Tenancy Fraud, Resident Involvement, Tenancy Sustainment or another area as required.

The duties will include the tenancy management of a patch of properties including; tenancy sign ups, tenancy monitoring and reviews, taking appropriate action on breaches of tenancies, working in conjunction with the Income Recovery team to ensure appropriate action is taken to deal with arrears of rent and charges, allocating and letting properties, and ensuring that tenants are able to become involved in the management of their homes.  They will seek to improve the level of service in response to changing resident’s demands, regulatory requirements and best practice.

35 hours per week

Salary: £30,504 pa

To apply please contact shannon.collins@hightownha.org.uk

Hopkin Murray Beskine
Click here for details

Milton Keynes Council
Click here for details

Milton Keynes Council
Click here for details

London Borough of Hackney
Click here for details