HOUSING LAW NEWS & POLICY ISSUES

Grenfell Fire: two years on
On 14 June 2019, the second anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire, services, ceremonies and other events were held to remember the lives lost in the fire. For a report in The Guardian, click here. For another in The Independent, click here. For a statement by the Mayor of London, click here and on behalf of the London Assembly, click here. For a comment by Shelter, click here.

Fire Brigades Union marks second anniversary of Grenfell Fire by launching campaign
On 14 June 2019 the Fire Brigades Union launched a campaign intended to pressure the government “to take decisive action to tackle the underlying risks which caused the catastrophic fire at Grenfell Tower”. The FBU said that “action [thus far] to prevent a similar fire has been wholly insufficient, with little to nothing being done to tackle the structural issues that led to the tragedy”. The campaign calls on the government to:

• Remove flammable cladding from all tower blocks and public buildings. There are still 328 residential and public buildings using the same cladding as that on the Grenfell Tower, and at least 1,700 with other potentially combustible claddings, including hospitals, care homes and schools as well as high rises.
• Retrofit sprinklers in high rises and schools, wherever a risk assessment deems them necessary. Currently only 32 out of 837 council tower blocks over 30m tall have sprinklers.
• Ensure tenants are given a real voice in the running and upkeep of their buildings. Grenfell tenants say their concerns about materials used in the refurbishment were ignored by Kensington and Chelsea Council.
• Reverse the cuts to firefighter numbers and Fire Safety Officers.
• Create a new independent national body to oversee standards and best practices in fire and rescue services across the country.

For more information of the campaign, click here.

Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme – National Audit Office report
On 13 June 2019 the National Audit Office published a report on the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme. It said that whilst the scheme has increased home ownership and housing supply, particularly for first-time buyers, a proportion of participants could have afforded to buy a home without the government’s help. The scheme has also exposed the government to significant market risk if property values fall, as well as tying up a significant public financial capacity. It adds that the government’s greatest challenge now is to wean the property market off the scheme with as little impact as possible on its ambition of creating 300,000 homes a year from the mid-2020s. The report concludes that until the NAO can observe the scheme’s longer-term effects on the property market and whether the MHCLG has recovered its substantial investment, the NAO cannot say whether the scheme has delivered value for money. For the report, click here. For a summary, click here.

Councils budget for 21 per cent increase in housing expenditure
On 13 June 2019 the MHCLG published national statistics on the provisional figures of local authority capital expenditure and receipts in 2018 to 2019 and forecast for April 2019 to March 2020. They show that local authorities in England have forecasted £7.1 billion of capital expenditure on housing in 2019-20, £1.2 billion (21 per cent) more than the provisional outturn for 2018-19. This would see housing replace highways and transport as the largest area of local authority spending. ARCH Chief Executive John Bibby commented:

"I suspect there is a strong connection to the lifting of the HRA borrowing cap. The lifting of the cap has enabled some of our members which already had building programmes in place to expand or increase those. In authorities which previously had very little HRA borrowing headroom, the authorities are beginning to put new business plans in place. It takes time to get plans implemented and new build commissioned on site. For this reason, we expect the spending on housing to accelerate further."

For the statistics, click here.

Letting agents encourage landlords to increase rents in wake of fees ban
On 14 June 2019 The Guardian reported that, following the introduction of the Tenant Fees Act 2019 on 1 June 2019 which prohibited the imposition of arrangement fees by landlords and letting agents, agents have begun writing to landlord clients encouraging them to increase rents to offset the loss of such fees. The report notes that ARLA Propertymark, the body representing letting agents, had predicted this development in May 2019. For the report, click here.

Seven agents expelled by the Property Ombudsman
On 3 June 2019 the Property Ombudsman announced that seven estate and letting agents have been expelled from membership of The Property Ombudsman (TPO) after failing to comply with parts of the TPO Codes of Practice and pay subsequent awards made by the Ombudsman, totalling £112,257.04.

All of the complaints against the agents were in relation to lettings, most involved multiple complaint cases, and all now appear to have stopped trading. The complaints against the agents were independently reviewed and upheld by the Ombudsman, who directed payment of the money to those owed, together with compensation in all the cases.  TPO members are required to comply with any award and/or direction given by the Ombudsman and accepted by the complainants. For more details, click here.

Property Ombudsman issues revised Codes of Practice
As of 1 June 2019, the Property Ombudsman has issued revised Codes of Practice. The revisions are substantial, and incorporate the Tenant Fees Act, Client Money Protection and GDPR requirements. The new Codes are available on the TPO Codes page which will soon be revised to include a facility to put forward requests for future changes to the codes. For the TPO Codes page, click here. For a summary of the revisions, click here.

Draft Domestic Abuse Bill report published by Joint Committee
On 14 June 2019 the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill published its report on the Bill and called for it to be amended to give greater protection to victims of domestic abuse. The Committee says that the recommended changes to the Bill are to ensure that all those affected by domestic abuse receive protection and a tailored response to their differing needs. The Committee welcomed the proposed measures in the Bill, but was concerned with ensuring their effectiveness in practice.

In respect of the accommodation needs of domestic abuse survivors, the Committee welcomed the Government's announcement that it plans to introduce a statutory requirement for accommodation support services in England to be provided for survivors, but said the Government needs to provide clarity on how other support services (such as advice and counselling) would be provided and funded under the new statutory duty proposed and what arrangements will be made for the national provision of specialist services to groups such as BAME women and those with disabilities.

For the report, click here. For a summary, click here. For the Local Government Association’s response, click here.

Housing allocations: Manchester City Council consults on changes to policy
On 10 June 2019 Manchester City Council launched a consultation on proposed changes to its housing allocation policy. The consultation closes on 30 August 2019. In respect of who can qualify to join the housing register, the Council proposes:

• changing the rules so that an applicant must have been a resident in the city for a continuous two-year period (subject to exceptions)
• reducing the amount of savings a qualifying applicant can have from £75,000 to £30,000 (subject to exceptions)
• changing the rules so homeowners do not qualify (subject to exceptions).

In respect of the priority level awarded to an application, the Council proposes:

• applicants who qualify because of overcrowding getting different priority based on the level of overcrowding
• stopping giving extra priority to households who are working or contributing to the community.

For the consultation, click here.

New Official Solicitor and Public Trustee appointed
On 12 June 2019 it was announced that Sarah Castle has been appointed to the role of Official Solicitor and Public Trustee (OSPT). The OSPT helps people who are vulnerable because of their lack of mental capacity or young age to take advantage of the services offered by the justice system.

Sarah Castle has more than 20 years' experience working in legal services and handling child protection issues for local government in Kent and Berkshire. She will be joining OSPT from a role at Reading Borough Council and will take up her new post from 4 July 2019.

‘No DSS’ mortgages: Metro Bank changes lending rules
On 11 June 2019 it was announced that Metro Bank had changed its lending rules which formerly prevented landlords renting to tenants on housing support. It follows similar moves in recent weeks from organisations such as Rightmove and Zoopla. For the MHCLG announcement of the decision, click here.

Landlord pushed council officer down stairs during inspection
On 12 June 2019 City of Lincoln Council reported that a local landlord had been found guilty and fined more than £1,600 for assaulting a council officer by pushing him down some stairs at a property he was inspecting and obstructing the inspection from being carried out. The magistrates’ court heard that the landlord had seized one of the council officers from behind in a ‘bear hug’ without warning and attempted to physically remove him from the property by lifting his feet from the ground and forcefully pushing / heaving him down the stairs. The landlord was also ordered to pay £50 in compensation to the officer he had assaulted. For the report, click here.

Affordable housing – London
On 13 June 2019 the London Assembly Housing Committee published its annual Affordable Housing Monitor. The report tracks how the Mayor is delivering affordable homes in London. The report states that London needs 66,000 new homes; of this target 48 per cent was achieved in 2017/2018. The Mayor has secured £4.82 billion in government funding for affordable homes and has committed to start 116,000 by 2022. To date 41,704 (36 per cent) have started. In 2018/19, 14,544 affordable starts were made, supported by Mayoral funding; 59 per cent of these starts were for intermediate tenure homes while 27 per cent were for social rent. For the Monitor, click here.

Private renting and mental health
A recent report on private renting and mental health published by Tyfu Tai Cymru, as part of the Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru and Tai Pawb, has found a number of gaps in current provision. Bill Rowlands, housing networks officer at Newport City Council, writing on the CIH website states that the report's key findings are:

• There is no dedicated service in Wales for private rented sector landlords whose tenants have a mental health problem.
• There is limited information on mental health support for tenants provided by the main membership and regulatory bodies for private sector landlords.
• Tenants with mental health issues are not always being signposted to appropriate services in time to help them maintain their tenancy.
• There are gaps in emergency support to help people at a time of crisis.

For more information, click here.

Homeless camps
On 17 June 2019 The Guardian reported that the number of homeless camps forcibly removed by local authorities across the UK has more than trebled in five years. Other figures obtained by The Guardian show complaints to councils about homeless encampments have risen from 277 in 2014 to 1,241 in 2018. To read the article, click here.

HOUSING LAWS IN THE PIPELINE

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.

NEW HOUSING CASES

Samuels v Birmingham City Council [2019] UKSC 28

Background
The appellant, Ms Samuels, was an assured shorthold tenant of a property in West Bromwich, Birmingham, where she lived with four children. In July 2011, having fallen into rent arrears, she was given notice to leave. She later applied to the respondent council to be treated as homeless under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (‘the 1996 Act’).

A local housing authority becomes under a duty to secure accommodation to a person found homeless if certain conditions are satisfied. One condition is that they are not satisfied that the person “became homeless intentionally”. That depends on whether she deliberately did or failed to do anything which caused her to leave accommodation that was available and would have been reasonable for her to continue to occupy.

Article 2 of the Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) Order 1996 provided that, in
determining whether it would be reasonable for a person to continue to occupy accommodation, the local authority will take into account whether that accommodation is affordable. That includes
consideration of the financial resources available to that person, including “social security benefits”, and consideration of the person’s “other reasonable living expenses”.

The local authority is required to have regard to guidance given by the Secretary of State, which at the time was the Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities (‘the Code’) issued in 2006. Paragraph 17.40 of the Code stated:

“In considering an applicant’s residual income after meeting the costs of the accommodation, the Secretary of State recommends that housing authorities regard accommodation as not being affordable if the applicant would be left with a residual income which would be less than the level of income support or income-based jobseekers allowance that is applicable in respect of the applicant, or would be applicable if he or she was entitled to claim such benefit. […]”

The council decided that Ms Samuels was intentionally homeless, on the grounds that the
accommodation in West Bromwich was affordable and reasonable for her to continue to occupy, and that its loss was the result of her deliberate act in failing to pay the rent. In concluding that the accommodation was affordable, the council found that the shortfall in rent could have been met by greater flexibility in the household budgeting.

Ms Samuels’s appeal to the County Court against the council’s decision was dismissed and her further appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The central issue in her appeal to the Supreme Court is whether the council adopted the correct approach in determining that the accommodation was “affordable” for the purposes of the 1996 Act.

Judgment
The Supreme Court unanimously allows the appeal and quashes the council’s decision. Lord Carnwath gives the judgment of the court.

Reasons for the judgment
The 1996 Order requires the authority to take into account all sources of income, including all social security benefits. There is nothing in it to require or justify the exclusion of non-housing benefits of any kind. It also requires consideration of the applicant’s “reasonable living expenses”, which
necessitates an objective assessment, not simply the subjective view of the case officer [34].

Even if the recommendation in paragraph 17.40 of the Code in respect of income support is not
interpreted as extending to benefits for children, the lack of a specific reference does not make the level of those benefits irrelevant. Benefit levels are not generally designed to provide a surplus above subsistence needs for the family. If comparison with relevant benefit levels is material to the assessment of the applicant, it should not be any less material in assessing what is reasonable by way of living expenses in relation to other members of the household. The duty to promote and safeguard the welfare of children under the Children Act 1989 is also relevant [35].

As one would expect, the guidance makes clear that the amount of an applicable benefit will vary
“according to the circumstances and composition of the applicant’s household”. It also refers to the “current tariff…in respect of such benefits” (plural), implying that the tariff may be looked at in
respect of benefits other than income support, and is at least a good starting point for assessing
reasonable living expenses [35].

The review officer in Ms Samuel’s case asked whether there was sufficient “flexibility” to enable her to cope with the shortfall between her rent and her housing benefit. But the question ought to have been what her reasonable living expenses were (other than rent), to be determined having regard to both her needs and those of the children. The total expenses shown in the schedule provided by her solicitors (£1,234.99) was well within the amount regarded as appropriate by way of welfare benefits (£1,349.33).

It is difficult to see by what standard those expenses could be regarded as unreasonable [36].

The appeal is therefore allowed, and the review decision quashed. In light of the information available to the Court, Lord Carnwath finds it hard to see on what basis the finding of intentional homelessness could be properly upheld. He therefore hopes that on reconsideration the council will be able to accept full responsibility under Part VII of the 1996 Act for Ms Samuels and her family [37].

Supreme Court Press Summary

For the full judgment, click here.

HOUSING LAW CONSULTATIONS

Consultation on a new Rent Standard from 2020
The Regulator of Social Housing is proposing to replace the existing 2015 Rent Standard with a new Rent Standard for registered providers of social housing from 1 April 2020. The proposed changes have come about as a result of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government issuing a Direction in February 2019 to the Regulator of the Social Housing to set a new Rent Standard. The new Standard will also have regard to the Rent Policy Statement published alongside the Direction. The consultation closes on 30 July 2019. For the consultation document, click here.

Support for victims of domestic abuse in safe accommodation
This paper seeks views on the government’s proposals for a new approach to support victims of domestic abuse and their children in accommodation-based services in England. It is consulting on a new delivery model for accommodation-based support. This includes the introduction of a statutory duty on local authorities to provide support that meets the diverse needs of victims of domestic abuse and their children, ensuring they have access to provision that is right for them.
Views are sought on:

• the definition of accommodation-based services and support
• leadership and responsibilities
• local and national accountability
• guidance.

The government would like to hear from victims and survivors, service providers, local authorities, police and crime commissioners and other public agencies, as well as other professionals who support victims and their children.

The consultation closes on 2 August 2019. For the consultation document, click here.

Building a safer future: proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system
This consultation builds on the recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety. It proposes fundamental reform of building safety requirements so that residents are safe, and feel safe, in their homes. The proposals span five broad areas:

• the scope of the new regime
• the concept of duty holders who have clear responsibilities throughout a building’s design, construction and occupation
• giving residents a stronger voice in the system and ensuring their concerns are never ignored
• plans for a new building safety regulator to provide oversight of the new building safety regulatory regime
• strengthened enforcement and sanctions to deter non-compliance with the new regime.

The Home Office, simultaneously with this document, has issued a call for evidence on the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005. The consultation closes on 31 July 2019. For the consultation document, click here.

Inquiry into long-term delivery of social and affordable rented housing: Commons Select Committee
On 31 May 2019 the Commons Select Committee on Housing, Communities and Local Government announced a new inquiry into the effectiveness of the Government’s current strategies to boost social and affordable rented housing provision. This will include the adequacy of funding levels, as well as programmes and incentives for key stakeholders, such as local authorities and housing associations, to stimulate delivery. The Committee will also look at the challenges facing different areas of the country and consider what lessons can be learnt from successful schemes in other countries. The Committee invites written submissions to the inquiry by 12 July 2019, addressing the following terms of reference:

• How can the Government ensure the sustainable delivery of social and affordable rented housing to meet long-term need and contribute to the Government’s overall housebuilding targets?
• What levels of central government funding will be required to support this delivery over the next 10 years?
• How effective existing government incentives and programmes are and what further incentives should the Government provide to key stakeholders to stimulate delivery?
• Are supply subsidies the best way of supporting delivery, or should other approaches be considered?
• What should the role of (a) local authorities, as enablers and providers, (b) Homes England (c) housing associations and (d) other providers be in that long-term delivery?
• How does the Government ensure long-term provision (a) meets the needs of tenants and (b) is adequately regulated?
• How can the Government’s approach to delivery best meet the different needs of individual regions and area?
• What lessons can be learned from alternative approaches to social and affordable rented housing delivery in other countries and jurisdictions?

For more details of the inquiry, click here.

Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019: default fees and prescribed information
The Welsh Government is consulting on making two sets of regulations under paragraph 6 of Schedule 1, and paragraph 11 of Schedule 2, to the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019:

• To prescribe the description and the limits of payments in default which are to be regarded as permitted payments.
• To specify information a landlord (or their agent) should provide to a prospective tenant before a holding deposit is taken.

The consultation closes on 19 July 2019. For the consultation document and for methods of responding to it, click here.

HOUSING LAW ARTICLES & PUBLICATIONS

Rent shortfalls and homelessness: David defeats council but not Goliath Mark Prichard Blog 13 June 2019 – to read the article, click here

Grenfell Tower, two years on: community members discuss what’s changed Zain Miah, Cathy Long, Lucy Masoud and Daniel Renwick The Guardian 14 June 2019 – to read the article, click here.

Non-housing benefits, shortfalls and affordability Mathew McDermott Local Government Lawyer 14 June 2019 – to read the article, click here

Help to buy has helped the well-off – and made the housing crisis worse Vicky Spratt The Guardian 14 June 2019 – to read the article, click here.

Reasonable expenses and intentional homelessness Giles Peaker Nearly Legal 16 June 2019 – to read the article, click here

Public policy and the false statement possession ground Andrew Lane Local Government Lawyer 17 June 2019 – to read the article, click here

Late homelessness appeals Mathew McDermott Local Government Lawyer 17 June 2019 – to read the article, click here

Housing case law – June 2019 Daniel Skinner, Victoria Smith and Claire Hogan-Clark Local Government Lawyer 17 June 2019 – to read the article, click here

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

HOUSING LAW DIARY

10 July 2019                                         
Housing (Right to Buy) (Designated Rural Area and Designated Region) (England) Order 2019 comes into force

12 July 2019                                         
Closing date for submission to the Commons HCLG Committee’s inquiry into long-term delivery of social and affordable rented housing (see Housing Law Consultations)

19 July 2019                                         
Closing date for submission to the Welsh Government’s consultation on Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019: default fees and prescribed information (see Housing Law Consultations)

30 July 2019                                        
Closing date for submissions to the consultation on a new Rent Standard from 2020 (see Housing Law Consultations)

31 July 2019                                        
Closing date for submissions to the consultation on building a safer future: proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system (see Housing Law Consultations)

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Send details of the vacancy and a link to the vacancy on your website to info@limelegal.co.uk

RECRUITMENT

Featured Jobs of the Week

Housing Advisory Officer
37 hours per week
£ 28,785 - £30,507 pa
Casual Car User

We require an experienced caseworker to offer a wide range of housing options and services to a diverse client group. The successful candidate will have excellent oral and written communication skills, a sound knowledge of the HRA and can demonstrate how clients have been helped in proactive ways to prevent homelessness or secure accommodation. The ability to negotiate with a range of agencies to deliver services and positive outcomes for clients is essential.

Reference: CHCS02006                      Closing Date: 12 noon, Monday 8th July 2019
Interview Date: Monday 22nd July 2019

Apply on-line at https://www.preston.gov.uk/jobs/corporate-services/8/527/.  Alternatively telephone the 24 hour recruitment line on 01772 906914, quoting the vacancy reference number for an application pack.

Completed forms must be returned to Human Resources, 1st Floor, Town Hall or emailed to recruitment@preston.gov.uk

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Tower Hamlets Law Centre

Housing Solicitor/Caseworker

Salary: Up to £30,000 p.a.
+ generous terms and conditions.

Tower Hamlets Law Centre helps some of the most vulnerable people in London’s East End. Since our foundation in 1975, we have earned a fine reputation amongst our clients and supporters as skilled and determined legal advisers to the local community. 

We are currently seeking a housing solicitor/caseworker to help work on our Legal Aid Agency contract covering legal help, certificated cases and representation at court as part of the duty solicitor scheme. You’ll need to have at least one year’s experience of advising and assisting in housing law (if you are a solicitor, not all of this experience needs to be post qualification), together with a talent for explaining complex legal ideas in simple language and the ability to manage a demanding workload. 

Please email recruitment@thlc.co.uk to request an application pack.  

The closing date for applications is Sunday 14 July 2019

North Warwickshire Borough Council
Click here for details

Dacorum Borough Council
Click here for details

Dacorum Borough Council
Click here for details

Brighton & Hove City Council
Click here for details

Housing Needs Officer (two positions)

Brighton & Hove City Council
Click here and here for details