Housing

Housing Ombudsman confirms introduction of simpler process for escalating complaints when tenants remain unhappy with their landlord’s final response

Scottish Government introduces Bill to temporarily freeze rents and prevent eviction enforcement action until April 2023

New legislation also includes option to extend the measures for two further periods of six months subject to Parliamentary approval

New licensing scheme introduced for short-term lets in Scotland

New hosts must obtain a licence before accepting any bookings, and anyone already operating as a host must apply before 1 April 2023

Round-up of recent Upper Tribunal housing case law

Housing associations reconfirm commitment that they will not evict tenants if they are engaging in a plan to manage their rent arrears

National Housing Federation restates eviction policy to reassure tenants in light of the cost of living crisis

Welsh Government confirms intention to add those who are ‘street homeless’ as a new category of person in priority need for purposes of Housing (Wales) Act 2014

Following consultation, new definition replaces the original proposal of 'person sleeping rough'

More than a million private renters in England had a rent increase in the last month

Shelter urges government to stop this 'ticking timebomb' by unfreezing housing benefit, which is lagging way behind rents having been frozen at 2020 levels

‘Urgent and impactful’ action needed if government is to meet its manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping in England by 2024

All Party Parliamentary Group says that key building blocks for success need to include prevention, early intervention and support to ensure the homelessness never happens again

Number of households in England threatened with homelessness due to service of a Section 21 notice more than doubled in 2021/2022

Department for Levelling Up says this may partially reflect the removal of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on private rented sector evictions from May 2021

Government to introduce legislation to ensure landlords pass on the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme payment to tenants who pay all-inclusive bills

Confirmation of updated energy support measures also includes a support package for households in Northern Ireland equivalent to that operating in Great Britain

Kerslake Commission calls on government to reintroduce eviction ban to avoid cost of living crisis having ‘catastrophic’ impact on homelessness

Failure to act will see 'any hope of the government meeting its manifesto pledge to end rough sleeping by 2024 gone'

Housing Ombudsman makes two findings of severe maladministration in relation to landlord’s failure to investigate and resolve problem with damp and mould in resident’s home

Southern Housing Group ordered to apologise to resident and award compensation of £1,095

Welsh Government launches consultation on applying six month notice period for no fault evictions to existing tenancies that convert to ‘occupation contracts’ after 1 December 2022

Proposals also include a six month delay before implementing the change in order to allow landlords and others sufficient time to make any necessary changes

High Court considers whether Housing Act 1985 provisions that prevent family members from succeeding to a secure tenancy when tenant is absent due to ill health before death are unlawful

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council v Mailley [2022] EWHC 2328 (QB)

Number of people presenting as homeless in Northern Ireland increased by 10 per cent in first half of 2022

New Department for Communities figures also show that almost 40 per cent of those placed in temporary accommodation were in hotels or B&Bs

Government highlights areas that do not meet minimum standard of having at least one legal aid provider for housing

Justice Minister advises that individuals in these areas can access housing advice via the Civil Legal Advice telephone services or by contacting providers in neighbouring areas

Exemption from council tax for refugees from Ukraine who are Irish citizens living in self-contained accommodation in Scotland

New statutory instrument