**STOP PRESS: there are still some places available for next week's conference on homelessness, lettings and possession proceedings - Meeting Housing Needs conference in Bristol on 19 January 2010.
Speakers include: the Housing Ombudsman; barrister Jan Luba QC; solicitors Derek McConnell and Steve Povey; and DJ Exton. For more details, click here. **
The Latest Housing Law News
Social Housing Law: the Housing Law Practitioner's Association has called for the Government to amend housing law so that: (1) social housing is allocated by councils and housing associations under a common statutory framework; (2) social housing tenants enjoy a common form of security of tenure and (3) housing associations are clearly 'public bodies'. For more detail, click here.
Help on Mortgage Arrears: on 1 January 2010 the Housing Minister outlined a further programme of advice and assistance targeted at borrowers in 56 "repossession hot spot areas". For a list of the areas and details of the programme, click here.
Housing and Anti-Social Behaviour: in statements in relation to anti-social behaviour issued on 6 January 2010 Government ministers said that "more needs to be done to impose tough sanctions and offer non-negotiable support". For details of the statements and the latest data on perceptions of anti-social behaviour, click here.
Council house building: on 4 January 2010 the Housing Minister announced that work had begun on the construction of the first of 2000 new council homes, marking a return to a programme of council house building. For full details of the programme and the available finance, click here.
Housing Benefit: in January 2010 the DWP published the latest edition (97) of its free Housing Benefit Direct newsletter. To subscribe, click here.
Housing in Northern Ireland: the independent agency Housing Rights Service produces an invaluable E-bulletin covering issues relating to housing law in Northern Ireland. To subscribe, click here.
The Latest Housing Case Law
4 January 2010
R(McIntyre) v Gentoo Group
[2010] EWHC 5
The claimants were assured tenants of a housing association. They applied for permission to undertake a mutual exchange. The association refused consent until former tenant arrears, owed by one of the joint tenants in respect of a previous tenancy elsewhere, had been cleared. The tenants sought judicial review. The High Court held that consent had been wrongly and unlawfully refused in public law terms but that the claim should have been brought by ordinary civil proceedings and not by judicial review. For a copy of the judgment, click here.
Housing Law Articles
Holmes-Moorhouse: the Housing Act & Children Act collide
P. Carr
[2010] 13 Journal of Housing Law 4
Eligibility of parents from abroad with children in school in the UK
T. Vanhegan
[2010] 13 Journal of Housing Law 12
Housing Law Books
Repairs: tenants' rights
The new edition of Repairs: tenants' rights by Jan Luba QC, Deirdre Forster and Beatrice Prevatt has been published. Price: £45.00. For full details, click here.
Housing Allocation and Homelessness - new edition
The new edition of Housing Allocation and Homelessness: Law and Practice by Jan Luba QC and Liz Davies can now be ordered. Price: £50.00. For full details, click here.
Housing Law Handbook - 10% off
The Housing Law Handbook, edited by Stephen Cottle and written by other members of the Garden Court Housing Team, provides a first port of call for lawyers and advisors dealing with housing. The book covers possession proceedings, homelessness rights, the allocation of social housing, and other routes into housing. To claim your 10% discount, order online and quote promotion code GCTHLH when prompted.
Housing Law Consultations
Closing on 4 February 2010
The Home Office consultation on support arrangements for asylum seekers. For a copy of the consultation paper, click here.
Closing on 5 February 2010
The TSA consultation on all the new National Standards for Social Housing Management. For copies of the consultation paper, click here.
Closing on 15 February 2010
The Treasury consultation on further measures to protect mortgage borrowers. For the consultation paper, click here.
Closing on 22 February 2010
The DWP consultation exercise on proposals for reform of the Housing Benefit scheme. For a copy of the consultation paper, click here.
Closing on 24 March 2010
The CLG consultation on changes to the Code for Sustainable Homes. For a copy of the consultation paper, click here.
Closing on 28 March 2010
The Ministry of Justice consultation on a proposal to require mortgage lenders to obtain a court order or the consent of the borrower before repossessing and selling residential owner-occupied homes. For a copy of the consultation paper, click here.
Housing Law Events
[Next week] 19 January 2010
Meeting Housing Needs
A conference in Bristol for South West England and South Wales
For the details, click here.
[Next week] 20 January 2010
Disrepair
HLPA Meeting in London
For the details, click here.
[Next week] 21 January 2010
Housing Management
A CIH conference in London
For the details, click here.
[Next week] 22 January 2010
Recent Developments in Housing Law
A LAG Training Day in London
For the details, click here.
28 January 2010
Housing Management
A CIH conference in Manchester
For the details, click here.
4 February 2010
Disrepair: Recent Developments & Good Practice
A Garden Court evening seminar
For the details, click here.
22 February 2010
Defending Possession Proceedings
A LAG Training Day in London
For the details, click here.
25 February 2010
Public Sector Housing Law
A Jordans conference in London
For the details, click here.
25 February 2010
Public Law and housing
A LAG Training Day in London
For the details, click here.
