Housing

Government announces introduction of short-term lets register in England

Councils will also be given greater power to control short-term lets by making them subject to the planning process

High Court considers whether a house in multiple occupancy should be assessed as a single dwelling or separate dwellings for council tax purposes

Stanuszek v Bunyan (Listing Officer) [2023] EWHC 3275 (Admin)

Scottish civil society organisations call for introduction of national rent cap and rent controls to protect renters following expiry of temporary provisions on 31 March 2024

Letter to Scotland's First Minister warns that, without further support, there will be 'disastrous consequences' including increasing evictions, homelessness, and an overall rise in poverty

Scottish Housing Regulator publishes new Regulatory Framework and Statutory Guidance for social landlords

New regime that comes into effect from 1 April 2024 includes greater emphasis on landlords listening to tenants and service users, and clearer guidance on when a landlord is non-compliant

Local Government Association calls for Right to Buy tenancy requirement to be extended from three to 15 years

New position paper on scheme outlines major reforms needed to address significant housing shortage which has 'pushed council budgets to the brink'

High Court rules that council acted unlawfully by failing to consider exercising discretion to backdate a housing register application to the date of a previous application

Montano, R (On the Application Of) v London Borough of Lambeth [2024] EWHC 249 (Admin)

Government concedes judicial review of regulations removing licensing requirements for asylum seeker accommodation

Draft policy to remove HMO regulation for landlords in England withdrawn ahead of substantive High Court hearing yesterday

More than 30,000 section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction claims were started in England and Wales in 2023

Shelter highlights that new MoJ statistics also show that almost 10,000 households were evicted from their homes last year by bailiffs

Housing Ombudsman and Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman launch aligned complaint handling codes

Government confirms that a further £120 million is to be allocated to councils across the UK to help prevent homelessness of those on the Homes for Ukraine and other support schemes

Immigration Minister also says that while the first visas issued to those fleeing Russia's invasion will start to expire in March 2025, the government will provide 12 months' notice of any extension arrangements

Court of Appeal considers whether actions of a landlord and joint tenants could lead to an inference that a joint tenancy had been surrendered and regranted as a new sole tenancy

Rahimi v City of Westminster Council [2024] EWCA Civ 73

Government launches consultation on competence and conduct standards for social housing staff

Drawn up in response to evidence heard at the Grenfell inquiry, Minister says new standards will ensure staff are properly trained and qualified to deliver homes that are safe, warm and decent

DLUHC sets ‘bespoke’ council tax referendum principle for Thurrock, Slough and Woking councils to allow increases of up to 10 per cent in 2024/2025

While also 'not opposing' a request by Birmingham City Council for flexibility to increase council tax bills by an additional 5 per cent, Secretary of State says it is 'disappointing' that the city's taxpayers are having to foot the bill for its 'poor governance and decision making'

High Court refuses permission to bring judicial review of council’s allocation scheme despite long delay in finding claimant and her disabled child more suitable accommodation

MJ, R (On the Application Of) v London Borough of Islington [2024] EWHC 159 (Admin)

High Court rules that local authority’s assessment of homeless family’s housing needs that did not account for children who ‘might reasonably be expected to reside’ with the claimant, was unlawful

SK, R (On the Application Of) v Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead [2024] EWHC 158 (Admin)

High Court rules that causation and proportionality tests under s.15 of Equality Act 2010 were misapplied when considering whether appellant's son's disability and consequent anti-social conduct materially influenced landlord's decision to seek possession

Nightingale & Anor v Bromford Housing Association Ltd [2024] EWHC 136 (KB)

Select Committee calls for next government to reform council tax to help tackle ‘systemic underfunding’ of local councils in England

MPs says that failure to fix the £4 billion hole in council funding arrangements for 2024/2025 will mean that council services will be at severe risk and further councils in England will face effective bankruptcy