Housing

Scottish Government and COSLA launch consultation on increasing council tax charges on second and empty homes

Proposals include new powers for councils to charge up to double the full rate of council tax on second homes from April 2024

High Court dismisses former Grenfell Tower resident’s challenge to the legality of the allocation policies adopted following the 2017 fire as they relate to separated families

Gomes, R (On the Application Of) v Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea [2023] EWHC 778 (Admin)

Council found at fault for three-year delay in moving family with a disabled child from unsuitable housing that could not accommodate essential mobility and safety equipment

Following Ombudsman investigation, Lambeth Council agrees to pay £20,000 compensation to the family for the avoidable risk of harm caused by the delay

Government consults on developing further regulation of the short-term holiday let market in England

Views sought on proposals for a new registration scheme for short term lets, and new restrictions under the planning regime

High Court rules that joint tenancy was not unequivocally surrendered when one tenant continued to live in the property and there was no evidence of her surrender

City of Westminster Council v Kazam & Anor [2023] EWHC 825 (KB)

Round-up of recent decisions from the Housing Ombudsman

Round-up of recent Upper Tribunal housing case law

Shelter research finds that private renters who complain about disrepair are more than twice as likely to be served with an eviction notice

Housing charity urges government to urgently introduce Renters Reform Bill to put an end to unfair evictions, drive up standards, and hold landlords to account

Technical drafting amendments to provisions relating to cost of living protections for tenants in Scotland

New statutory instrument

Government sets out details of final New Burdens funding in relation to council tax energy rebate scheme

DLUHC Letter to local authorities in England also provides information on how initial grant payments will be reconciled and how councils should handle ineligible payments

Department for Communities publishes statutory review of Caravans Act (Northern Ireland)

Review concludes that while existing legislation and mechanisms provide a pathway for resolution for the majority of concerns, caravan owners need more clarity about terms and conditions and their rights of recourse if things go wrong

Government sets out plans to provide landlords with increased powers to evict anti-social tenants more easily

Launching new Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, Prime Minister says that new powers will also be introduced for police and local authorities to 'address rough sleeping where it is causing a public nuisance'

Ombudsman’s special investigation into Rochdale Boroughwide Housing finds that prevailing culture of ‘othering’ was at the heart of repeated complaint handling failures

Report notes 'dismissive and discriminatory' attitude to residents' complaints in investigation prompted by death of child from respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to damp and mould

Court of Appeal rules that councils failed to adequately comply with duties to accommodate two homeless households as close as possible to their areas when making out of borough private rented sector offers

Zaman v London Borough Of Waltham Forest [2023] EWCA Civ 322

Average Band D council tax bills in England to exceed £2,000 for the first time in April 2023

New DLUHC statistics also confirm that almost all local authorities with social care responsibilities have opted to use some or all of the social care precept flexibilities to increase bills by up to 2 per cent

Court of Appeal rules that section 233 of the Local Government Act 1972 applies in relation to notices served under section 83ZA of the Housing Act 1985

Birmingham City Council v Bravington [2023] EWCA Civ 308

Welsh Government to launch a consultation on establishing a single, unified tribunal system for Wales

Bringing tribunals together and establishing an appellate court in Wales for the first time will give the nation a simple, modern and fair tribunal structure, says Minister