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HOUSING
LAW NEWS & POLICY ISSUES
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Domestic abuse and housing:
consultations launched and extra
funding announced
On 15 February 2022 the DLUHC
announced:
- A further £125 million in funding so
that English councils can ensure that
safe accommodation spaces, such as
refuges and shelters, are able to
provide victims with vital support
services including healthcare, social
workers and benefits.
- A consultation which will consider
removing Local Connection Tests for
abuse victims, which can stop victims
from applying for social housing if
they do not have a connection to a
local area.
- A second consultation which will
consider whether and how to change
current rules that make it difficult
for victims to remove their
perpetrators from joint tenancies,
with the consequence that victims
either feel forced to stay in their
home or are at risk of being made
homeless by their abuser.
For the announcement of these
measures, including comment by the
Domestic Abuse Commissioner, click
here. For more details
of the consultations, see Housing
Law Consultations (below).
Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent)
Act 2022
On 8 February 2022 the
Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill
received Royal Assent. The Act restricts
ground rents on newly created long
leases of houses and flats to an annual
rent of one peppercorn (a token of no
financial value). For the Act, click
here. For a House of
Commons Library briefing, published on
20 January 2022, explaining the
background to the Bill (as it then was)
and its main provisions, click
here.
Landlord possession statistics –
England and Wales
On 10 February 2022 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 October to December 2021.
When compared to the same quarter in
2019, landlord possession claims,
orders, warrants and repossessions by
county court bailiffs decreased by 43,
67, 67 and 64 per cent respectively.
However, when compared to the same
quarter in 2020, over 100 per cent
increases were recorded across all
actions, except for claims issued which
rose 72 per cent. Possession claims rose
from 8,382 to 14,433, orders from 2,195
to 6,849, warrants from 1,792 to 4,256
and repossessions from 548 to 2,706. For
the statistics (combined with those for
mortgage possession below), click
here. For the response
of Crisis, click
here. For comment by
Shelter, click
here.
Mortgage possession statistics –
England and Wales
On 10 February 2022 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 October
to December 2021. Compared to 2019,
pre-Covid-19, mortgage possession
claims, orders, warrants and
repossessions by county court bailiffs
decreased by 59, 63, 71 and 73 per cent
respectively. However, compared to the
same quarter in 2020, all mortgage
actions increased by over 100 per cent.
Mortgage possession claims increased
from 255 to 2,568, orders from 29 to
1,656, warrants from 45 to 1,114 and
repossessions by county court bailiffs
increased from 7 to 309. For the
statistics (combined with those for
landlord possession above), click
here.
Amendments to the Home Office
code of practice for landlords
On 11 February 2022 the Home Office
launched a consultation on proposed
amendments to the Home Office code of
practice for landlords on avoiding
unlawful discrimination when conducting
‘right to rent’ checks in the private
rented residential sector. For more
details, see Housing Law
Consultations (below).
Rough sleepers
On 11 February 2022 the DLUHC
announced £174 million funding for
councils to provide homes for rough
sleepers. The funding, which forms part
of the government’s Rough Sleeping
Accommodation Programme, will create
over 2,900 move-on homes by 2024 as part
of the £433 million programme. Teams of
specialist staff offering mental health
and substance misuse treatment will help
rough sleepers recover and move on.
Councils across England are invited to
bid for the funding available for
long-term homes. For the announcement, click
here. For an overview
of the Rough Sleeping Accommodation
Programme 2021-24, click
here. For comment by
Crisis, click
here.
Households in temporary
accommodation – England
On 13 February 2022 the House
of Commons Library published a paper
providing data on homeless households in
temporary accommodation in England and
outlining initiatives and issues
associated with the use of temporary
accommodation. For the paper, click
here.
Mortgage prisoners
On 10 February 2022 the House of Commons
Library published an overview of how
many mortgage-holders became trapped in
expensive deals, and of efforts made to
help resolve the situation. For the
overview, click
here.
Forces Help to Buy Scheme
quarterly statistics: 2021/22
On 10 February 2022 the Ministry of
Defence published quarterly summary
statistics on applications, payments and
purchases made under the Forces Help to
Buy (FHTB) scheme. Between 1 October and
31 December) 2021:
- 1,309 First Stage applications (ie
those which pass initial eligibility
checks) were received.
- 550 Second Stage applications (ie
those which pass detailed eligibility
checks) were received.
- 581 payments were made to Service
personnel.
For the full statistics, click
here.
Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016:
responses to consultation
On 11 February 2022 the Welsh
Government published a summary of
responses to its consultation on
Regulations relating to model written
statements of occupation contracts and
explanatory information in respect of
the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.
Generally, correspondents welcomed the
principle of having model written
statements and there being mandatory
explanatory information that must be
included as part of every written
statement. However, there was a very
wide range of contrasting views on the
suitability of the draft model written
statements provided and the proposed
mandatory explanatory information. For
the summary of responses, click
here.
Social housing conditions and
disrepair – Wales
On 11 February 2022 the Welsh Government
published an analysis of information
received from social landlords in
response to a letter from the Government
seeking assurance that landlords are
doing all they can to ensure tenants are
not subject to similar conditions. For
the document, click
here.
Creating a converted occupation
contract: guidance for landlords –
Wales
On 11 February 2022 the Welsh Government
published guidance for landlords about
how to create a written statement for a
converted occupation contract. For the
guidance, click
here.
Social Housing Grant: guidance
for registered social landlords and
local authorities – Wales
On 11 February 2022 the Welsh
Government published guidance for
registered social landlords and local
authorities explaining how to submit a
scheme and fill out the forms needed at
each stage. For the guidance, click
here.
Model written statement for
periodic standard contracts – Wales
On 11 February 2022 the Welsh Government
published a model written statement that
landlords can use as the basis for
creating a new periodic standard
contract. For the document, go to
wales.gov, then to ‘Housing’, and then
to ‘Publications’.
Model written statement for
secure contracts – Wales
On 11 February 2022 the Welsh Government
published a model written statement that
landlords can use as the basis for
creating a new secure contract. For the
document, go to wales.gov, then to
‘Housing’, and then to ‘Publications’.
Housing Ombudsman issues 19
complaint handling failure orders
On 9 February 2022 the Housing Ombudsman
published its latest quarterly report
which shows that the HO issued 19
complaint handling failure orders
between October and December 2021,
highlighting issues with progressing
complaints and meeting its standards. In
all cases, landlords complied with the
orders. Orders were issued to ten
councils and nine housing associations
over the period. It is the first time
the number of complaint handling failure
orders has gone down over a quarterly
reporting period since January 2021
(when the reports began) and compliance
rates have improved. For the report, click
here. For the latest
issue of the HO’s monthly Enewsletter, click
here.
Private rented sector:
complaints to local authorities
On 9 February 2022 the National
Residential Landlords Association
published research which reveals that a
majority of local authorities in England
do not accurately record the number of
private rented sector tenure complaints
which they receive. These findings,
based on Freedom of Information Act
requests, indicate that, in all, 56 per
cent of councils do not accurately
record the number of complaints they
receive concerning private rented sector
housing. This figure rises to 61 per
cent for those local authorities which
have selective licensing schemes. For
the report, click
here.
‘UK needs 230,000 new private
rented homes a year’
On 14 February 2022 the
National Residential Landlords
Association published a report by the
economics consultancy, Capital
Economics, which shows that almost
230,000 new private rented homes a year
are needed to meet government housing
targets across the UK. The report,
commissioned by the NRLA, observes that
Government targets would amount to the
need for 340,000 new homes a year across
the UK by the middle of the decade. For
the report, click
here. For an article in
the Guardian, click
here.
Energy efficiency and interwar
housing
On 11 February 2022 the Royal
Institute of British Architects
published a report – Homes for
Heroes: solving the energy efficiency
in England’s interwar suburbs – which
urges the government to focus a new
National Retrofit Strategy on updating
3.3m homes in England that were built
between 1919 and 1939. RIBA says that in
2021, 17 per cent of households in
interwar suburbs were in fuel poverty,
proportionally higher than the overall
national rate of 13 per cent. Largely
due to their poor insulation, solid wall
construction, and high gas reliance,
many interwar homes leave residents
vulnerable to soaring energy prices.
Only 10 per cent of interwar homes
achieve an Energy Performance
Certificate (EPC) above Band C. If
current Band D rated homes were
retrofitted to achieve Band C
performance, households would save £483
per year under the 2022 energy price
cap. For the report, click
here and
scroll to the link at the foot of the
page. For an article in the Guardian,
click
here.
Queen’s Bench Division Guide
2022
On 7 February 2022 the Queen’s
Bench Division Guide 2022 was published,
replacing last year’s version. It is the
eighth edition of a guide to the working
practices of the Queen’s Bench Division
within the Royal Courts of Justice in
London. Changes in the guide include:
Interim and out of hours applications;
Urgent and Short Applications before the
Masters; Electronic bundles; the
procedure for issuing claim forms
following urgent interim injunction
applications; Pre-Trial Reviews in Media
and Communication List cases; Amendment
to court plans; Payment of court fees;
QB Masters Clerks contact details. For
the Guide, click
here.
Judicial Review and Courts Bill
On 10 February 2022 the Law Society
published a briefing on the Judicial
Review and Courts Bill, which had its
second reading in the House of Lords on
7 February 2022. The Bill will make
significant changes to judicial review
processes, alongside other provisions
relating to courts. For the briefing, click
here.
Human Rights Act reform:
Parliamentary committee inquiries
continue
On 8 February 2022 the House of
Commons Justice Committee questioned
former Supreme Court Justice Lord
Carnwath, human rights barrister Kirsty
Brimelow QC and leading academics in the
second of two sessions examining
proposals to reform the UK’s Human
Rights Act. To watch the session, click
here. For more details
of the Committee’s inquiry, click
here.
On 9 February 2022 the Parliamentary
Joint Committee on Human Rights
continued its own inquiry into proposed
reforms of the Human Rights Act by
taking evidence from Schona Jolly QC,
Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, Elizabeth
Prochaska and Professor Conor Gearty,
Professor of Human Rights Law, London
School of Economics. For more details of
the Committee’s inquiry, click
here.
Tenants on east London estate
revolt over damp and mouldy homes
On 10 February 2022 the Guardian
reported that the Industrial Dwellings
Society is facing a revolt from tenants
who are “tired of living in cramped,
damp and mouldy homes that some say are
damaging children’s health”. About 120
have signed a petition demanding better
conditions and improved responsiveness
from their landlord, after the London
Renters Union helped them to organise.
They staged a protest on Wednesday
outside the landlord’s offices. For the
report, click
here.
UK rental costs: Zoopla
On 9 February 2022 Zoopla reported that
average UK rents are approaching £1,000
pcm – £62 per month more than at the
start of the pandemic – as the increase
in the cost of living squeezes
households. Zoopla has found:
- Average annual UK rental growth has
reached a 13 year high, with rents
increasing to £969 (+8.3 per cent) in
Q4 2021, up £62 per month since the
start of the pandemic.
- The average rent now accounts for 37
per cent of gross income for a single
earner – up from a pandemic dip of 34
per cent during most of 2021 but
broadly in line with the 10-year
average of 36 per cent.
- Overall, average rents are up nearly
12 per cent over the last five years.
- Demand for rental properties in
January was 76 per cent higher
compared to the New Year market
between 2018 and 2021.
- The stock of rental properties
currently available across the UK is
39 per cent lower than the five-year
average around this time of year.
- Inner city London has seen a rental
growth of 11 per cent compared to the
same time last year – but the decline
in rents during the pandemic means
this has translated into an increase
of just £18 per month in rent compared
to March 2020.
For more detail, click
here.
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HOUSING
LAWS IN THE PIPELINE
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Leasehold Reform (Ground
Rent) Act 2022
The Government Bill to make provision
about the rent payable under long leases
of dwellings received Royal Assent on 8
February 2022. The Bill completed its
House of Lords stages on 14 September
2021 and was presented to the House of
Commons on 15 September 2021. The Bill
had its third reading in the Commons on
24 January 2022. The Bill returned to
the House of Lords on 7 February 2022
for consideration of Commons amendments.
Both Houses agreed on the text of the
Bill on that day. For the full text of
the Act of Parliament as passed by
Parliament, click
here. For a House of
Commons Library briefing concerning the
Bill, published on 20 January 2022, click
here.
Building Safety Bill
This Government Bill would make
provision about the safety of people in
or about buildings and the standard of
buildings, to amend the Architects Act
1997, and to amend provision about
complaints made to a housing ombudsman.
The Bill completed its passage through
the House of Commons on 19 January 2022.
It received its first reading in the
House of Lords on 20 February 2022. It
received its second reading on 2
February 2022. Committee stage begins on
21 February 2022. For
the Bill as brought from the House of
Commons, click
here. For the
Government response to the Housing,
Communities and Local Government
Committee's pre-legislative scrutiny of
the Bill, click
here. For a House of
Commons Library briefing about the Bill,
published on 17 January 2022, click
here. For a briefing
produced by the Local Government
Association in advance of the second
reading in the House of Commons, click
here. To follow
progress of the Bill, click
here.
Caravan Sites Bill
This Private Members’ Bill, sponsored by
Sir Christopher Chope, would amend the
requirements for caravan site licence
applications made under the Caravan
Sites and Control of Development Act
1960. It was presented to Parliament on
21 June 2021 and its second reading was
been further postponed to 25
February 2022.The Bill awaits
publication. To follow progress of the
Bill, click
here.
Housing Standards (Refugees
and Asylum Seekers) Bill
This Private Members’ Bill, sponsored by
Chris Stephens, would make provision for
national minimum standards in
accommodation offered to refugees and
asylum seekers. It was presented to
Parliament on 21 June 2021 and will
receive its postponed second reading on
25 February 2022.The
Bill awaits publication. To follow
progress of the Bill, click
here.
Mobile Homes Act 1983
(Amendment) Bill
This Private Members’ Bill, sponsored by
Sir Christopher Chope, would amend the
Mobile Homes Act 1983. It was presented
to Parliament on 21 June 2021 and will
receive its postponed second reading on
25 February 2022. The
Bill awaits publication. To follow
progress of the Bill, click
here.
Homeless People (Current
Accounts) Bill
This Private Members’ Bill, sponsored by
Peter Bone, would require banks to
provide current accounts for homeless
people seeking work. It was presented to
Parliament on 21 June 2021. Second
reading has been further postponed to 25
February 2022. The Bill
awaits publication. To follow progress
of the Bill, click
here.
Evictions (Universal Credit)
Bill
This Private Members’ Bill, sponsored by
Chris Stephens, would place a duty on
the Secretary of State to prevent the
evictions of Universal Credit claimants
in rent arrears. It was presented to
Parliament on 21 June 2021 and will
receive its postponed second reading on
25 February 2022.The
Bill awaits publication. To follow
progress of the Bill, click
here.
Fire Safety Remediation
Charges (Recovery and Enforcement)
Bill
This Private Members’ Bill would
introduce a moratorium on recovery and
enforcement action by freeholders and
managing agents relating to service
charges increases, fees or demands for
payment in respect of leaseholders’
share of the costs of fire safety
remediation work. It was presented to
Parliament on 24 January 2022. Second
reading is scheduled to take place on 18
March 2022.
The Bill awaits publication. To follow
progress of the Bill, click
here.
Caravan Site Licensing
(Exemptions of Motor Homes) Bill
This Private Members’ Bill, sponsored by
Sir Christopher Chope, would exempt
motor homes from caravan site licensing
requirements. It was presented to
Parliament on 21 June 2021. Second
reading was further postponed to 14
January 2022 but was nit debated on that
day. The Bill awaits publication. To
follow progress of the Bill, click
here.
Asylum Seekers
(Accommodation Eviction Procedures)
Bill
This Private Members’ Bill, sponsored by
Chris Stephens, would make provision for
asylum seekers to challenge the
proportionality of a proposed eviction
from accommodation before an independent
court or tribunal; and establish asylum
seeker accommodation eviction procedures
for public authorities. It was presented
to Parliament on 21 June 2021. The
second reading was postponed to 14
January 2022 but was not debated on that
day.The Bill awaits publication. To
follow progress of the Bill, click
here.
Fire and Building Safety
(Public Inquiry) Bill
This Bill, sponsored by Daisy Cooper,
would establish an independent public
inquiry into the Government’s response
to concerns about fire and building
safety. It was introduced to Parliament
on Tuesday 6 July 2021 under the Ten
Minute Rule. Second reading has been
rescheduled to 18 March 2022.
For the Bill, as introduced, click
here.
Under-Occupancy Penalty
(Report) Bill
This Private Members’ Bill, sponsored by
Chris Stephens, would require the
Secretary of State to report to
Parliament on the merits of repealing
those provisions of the Welfare Reform
Act 2012 which provide for persons to be
paid reduced rates of housing benefit or
Universal Credit because their
accommodation is deemed to be
under-occupied. It was presented to
Parliament on 21 June 2021 and will
receive its second reading on 14
January 2022.The Bill awaits
publication. To follow progress of the
Bill, click
here.
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Paley v London Borough of
Waltham Forest
[2022] EWCA Civ 112
The Court of Appeal considered whether
the local authority made proper
inquiries and conducted an appropriate
objective assessment of the
affordability of a private rental
property offered to Ms Paley sufficient
to discharge their duty to rehouse her
pursuant to s 193(2) HA 1996.
The appeal was dismissed in relation to
Ground 1, the reasonableness of the
inquiries made by the local authority.
The court allowed the appeal in relation
to Ground 2, the approach of the local
authority to the affordability exercise
which it found to have not been
conducted properly.
The Law
Under section 193 of the Housing Act
1996, if the local authority is
satisfied that the applicant is
homeless, eligible for assistance, has a
priority need and it is not satisfied
that the applicant is intentionally
homeless, then the local authority will
ordinarily owe a duty to rehouse the
applicant. That duty continues until one
of the events at s 193(5)-(7AA) occurs,
including an offer of private rented
accommodation. By virtue of s193(7F)(ab)
HA 1996 the local housing authority
should not make such an offer ‘unless
they are satisfied that the
accommodation is suitable for the
applicant’.
Suitability includes both the location
of the property and its affordability.
Under section 208(1) HA 1996 the local
authority shall, so far as is reasonably
practicable, secure accommodation in the
district of the applicant. If the
property is not suitable, then by virtue
of s 206 (1)(b), the main housing duty
will not be discharged.
Background
Ms Paley lives with her 4 children, aged
21 to 5. After being served with a
section 21 notice, she presented to the
local authority as homeless and in
November 2016, the family was placed in
temporary accommodation in Bexley. On 3
June 2017, the local authority accepted
that it owed Ms Paley a full housing
duty under s 193(2) HA 1996.
In applying for housing, Ms Paley
completed an Accommodation Needs form,
setting out her expenditure and
confirming that none of her children had
exams coming up. Ms Paley then had an
updating conversation with a senior
housing officer about her circumstances
The local authority offered her
accommodation in the private rental
sector. The property offered to Ms Paley
was a flat in Stoke-on-Trent in
Staffordshire, some 161 miles outside
the local authority area.
Ms Paley contended that the property is
not suitable due to its location and
affordability. In relation to ground 1,
it was submitted that the local
authority had failed in that they did
not specifically consider the
relationship between the children and
their father, in spite of this not
having been raised by Ms Paley in her
correspondence with them.
In relation to ground 2, Ms Paley took
issue with the council’s approach to the
affordability exercise.
Judgment
The court highlighted the decision of
Baroness Hale in Nzolameso v
Westminster [2015] UKSC 22, a
case which highlighted the duty on the
local authority to accommodate in
borough where reasonably practicable and
to take into account the welfare of each
child.
The court then looked at the Supreme
Court’s decision on affordability in Samuels
v Birmingham City Council [2019]
UKSC 28, where Lord Carnwath emphasised
at [34] that the assessment of
reasonable living expenses requires an
objective assessment and cannot depend
simply on the subjective view of the
case officer.
In line with the decision in Runa
Begum v Tower Hamlets LBC [2003]
UKHL 5, the court approached the appeal
on judicial review principles.
The court relied upon the judgment in Cramp
v Hastings [2005] H.L.R. 48 to
find that the case did not succeed on
this ground, stating that ‘the court
should be hesitant indeed to find that
there has been an error of law in
circumstances where the reviewing
officer was never invited to consider
a matter now relied upon by the
applicant’ [66]. The appeal under
ground 1 was therefore dismissed in that
the arguments regarding location and
proximity of the father’s children had
not been raised with the local authority
by Ms Paley.
Interestingly, in its assessment on this
ground the court observed that
‘the whole of the process, including
the right to make submissions by the
applicant, is part of the discharge by
the local authority of their duty. The
‘minded to’ letter is proactive, the
local authority is making further
inquiries…the applicant is given a
further opportunity to inform the
local authority of any other areas
which should be further investigated’
[64].
In coming to their decision on Ground 2,
affordability, the local authority had
disregarded what Ms Paley stated were
her transport costs and also decided
that the amount she was paying in
service of her debts was particularly
high. The court was clear that:
‘A local authority is acting
irrationally if, in order to make the
figures work, they simply omit
expenditure which on any objective
view would be reasonable for the
particular applicant who is in receipt
of universal credit, to incur in order
to meet her objectively reasonable
responsibilities and liabilities’
[77].
Accordingly, it was found that no
reasonable authority could on any
objective assessment of the budget have
concluded that the Stoke property was
affordable. This finding that the local
authority had failed to conduct an
objective assessment was made in spite
of Ms Paley failing to provide updated
figures or challenge those figures
provided to her. The court concluded
that it would be ‘unrealistic to
make the lawfulness of the assessment
of affordability dependant on the
direct input of the applicant upon the
affordability exercise’ [79-81].
Summary by Parissa
Najah, barrister, Trinity
Chambers. For the
judgment, click
here.
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HOUSING
LAW CONSULTATIONS
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Local connection requirements
for social housing for victims of
domestic abuse
The DLUHC is seeking views on:
- Proposals to introduce regulations
to enable victims of domestic abuse
who need to move to another local
authority district to qualify for an
allocation of social housing in the
new area; and
- How local authorities are making use
of the existing legislation and
guidance to support victims of
domestic abuse who wish to move within
and across local authority boundaries.
During the passage of the Domestic
Abuse Act 2021 concerns were raised
relating to local connection tests for
domestic abuse victims who apply for
social housing. The consultation closes
on 10 May 2022. For
the consultation document, click
here.
The impacts of joint tenancies
on victims of domestic abuse
The DLUHC is seeking views on
the impacts of the law on joint
tenancies on victims of domestic abuse
in the social rented sector. It is
interested in whether:
- Perpetrators are using their ability
to end a joint tenancy to threaten the
victim with homelessness;
- Victims feel trapped in their joint
tenancy with the perpetrator;
- The current guidance for social
landlords is sufficient to support
victims in joint tenancies; and
- The law on transferring joint
tenancies is functioning successfully
for victims.
During the passage of the Domestic
Abuse Act 2021, concerns were raised
over the current rules on joint
tenancies, which mean that victims of
domestic abuse who are in a joint
tenancy with their abuser can be
vulnerable to the threat of being made
homeless by their abuser. Should the
victim want to stay in the family home,
there is currently no straightforward
means to remove the abuser from the
tenancy and remove the risk of
homelessness.
The DLUHC is gathering evidence from
victims, landlords, the legal
profession, advisory services and other
organisations and individuals associated
with the domestic abuse sector with an
understanding of the issues impacting
victims in joint social housing
tenancies.
The consultation closes on 10
May 2022. For the
consultation document, click
here.
Regulator of Social Housing:
Consultation on the introduction of
tenant satisfaction measures
The Regulator of Social Housing
is seeking views on its proposals for
tenant satisfaction measures which are
part of implementing changes to consumer
regulation set out in the Government’s
‘The Charter for Social Housing
Residents: Social Housing White Paper’.
The measures would provide data about
social housing landlords’ performance
and the quality of their services to
help tenants hold their landlord to
account and help RSH in its future
consumer regulation role. The Regulator
looks forward to hearing from landlords,
tenants and anyone with an interest in
social housing by 3 March 2022.
For the consultation documents, click
here.
Reforming the leasehold and
commonhold systems in England and
Wales
The DLUHC is consulting on a number of
Law Commission recommendations that
would broaden access to enfranchisement
(buying the freehold) and the ‘right to
manage’ a building. The proposals would
increase the ‘non-residential limit’
from 25 to 50 per cent, allowing
leaseholders in buildings with up to 50
per cent non-residential floorspace to
buy their freehold or claim a right to
manage. The DLUHC is also considering
recommendations that allow leaseholders
to require that a landlord take on
leases for any non-participating units
following a collective enfranchisement;
the introduction of a non-residential
limit for individual freehold
acquisitions; and changes to voting
rights in right to manage companies. On
Commonhold, the Department is
considering how shared ownership
products could work in commonhold
settings; and the provision of
information for buying and selling a
commonhold property.
For the consultation, which closes on 22
February 2022, click
here.
Amendments to the Home Office
code of practice for landlords
This consultation seeks views on
proposed amendments to the Home Office
code of practice for landlords on
avoiding unlawful discrimination when
conducting ‘right to rent’ checks in the
private rented residential sector. The
consultation is aimed at landlords and
those who undertake ‘right to rent’
checks on a landlord’s behalf, such as
letting agencies. This consultation
closes on 25 February 2022.
For the consultation document, click
here.
London Fire Safety Guidance
On 11 February 2022 the London Mayor
launched a consultation on the draft Fire
Safety London Plan Guidance (LPG). It sets
out how applicants should demonstrate
compliance with London Plan Policies D12
Fire Safety and D5(B5) Inclusive design
(evacuation lifts) in order to demonstrate
their schemes achieve the highest
standards in fire safety. The Fire Safety
LPG reiterates that the fire safety of
developments needs be considered from the
outset to ensure the most successful
outcomes are achieved for building
occupants and users. It is essential fire
safety measures and the evacuation
strategy are integral to the overall
layout and design of a development, rather
than considered for the first time at
Building Control stage. For the
consultation, that closes for submissions
on 20 June 2022, click
here.
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HOUSING
LAW ARTICLES & PUBLICATIONS
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Temporary accommodation:
the new social housing? Hannah
Rich Shelter Blog 8 February
2022 – to read the article, click
here
Notes (various)
Giles Peaker Nearly Legal 10
February 2022 – to read the article, click
here
‘Absolutely freezing’: life
in England’s draughty 1930s homes Robert
Booth and Jessica Murray Guardian
11 February 2022 – to read the article,
click
here
This is not my beautiful
house Giles Peaker Nearly
Legal 13 February 2022 – to read
the article, click
here
“There’s always a niggling
feeling that someone will reject
you.” How homelessness services can
better engage young trans people Nye
Jones Homeless Link 14
February 2022 – to read the article, click
here
The human cost of temporary
accommodation Sam
Stroud Shelter Blog 14
February 2022 – to read the article, click
here
Housing conditions: update
(Feb 22) Catherine
O’Donnell Legal Action – to
read the article (subscription
required), click
here
Housing: recent developments
(February 22) Jan Luba
QC and Sam Madge-Wyld Legal Action
– to read the article (subscription
required), click
here
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21 February 2022
Committee stage begins in the
House of Lords of the Building Safety
Bill (see Housing Laws in the
Pipeline)
22 February 2022
Closing date for submissions to the
consultation on Reforming the leasehold
and commonhold systems in England and
Wales (see Housing Law
Consultations)
25 February 2022
Postponed second reading of the Caravan
Sites Bill (see Housing Laws in the
Pipeline)
25 February 2022
Postponed second reading of the Mobile
Homes Act 1983 (Amendment) Bill (see Housing
Laws in the Pipeline)
25 February 2022
Postponed second reading in the House of
Commons of the Homeless People (Current
Accounts) Bill (see Housing Laws in
the Pipeline)
25 February 2022
Postponed second reading in the House of
Commons of the Housing Standards
(Refugees and Asylum Seekers) Bill (see
Housing Laws in the Pipeline)
25 February 2022
Postponed second reading in the House of
Commons of the Evictions (Universal
Credit) Bill (see Housing Laws in
the Pipeline)
25 February 2022
Closing date for submissions to the
consultation on amendments to the Home
Office code of practice for landlords
(see Housing Law Consultations)
3 March 2022
Closing date for submissions to the
consultation on Regulator of Social
Housing: Consultation on the
introduction of tenant satisfaction
measures (see Housing Law
Consultations)
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Advertise
your vacancy to Housing Law Week
Readers
Send
details of the vacancy and a link to
the vacancy on your website to info@limelegal.co.uk
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Featured
Jobs of the Week
Citizens
Advice Bradford and Airedale and
Bradford Law Centre
Housing
Litigation Solicitor / Chartered Legal
Executive
The Post-holder will
offer housing law (residential landlord
and tenant) advice and representation to
clients under a Legal Aid Agency
contract. The post-holder may also be
required to provide support in relation
to housing law on other contracts.
Salary: £28,672 (Plus
5% contribution to pension scheme)
Hours: 37 per week
Holidays: 25 days plus
8 bank holidays plus 3 additional days
Location: Main base
Bradford Manor Row Office
Closing date:
9am Monday 7 March 2022
Interview date: Tuesday
22nd March 2022
For an Application pack
please contact Naj Ilyas, by email: admin@bradfordcab.com
or by telephone; 01274-758030
between 9am-4pm.
We are committed to working towards
equal opportunities for all groups
subject to discrimination.
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Lime Legal
Limited, Greengate House, 87
Pickwick Road, Corsham,
Wiltshire, SN13 9B
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