HOUSING LAW NEWS & POLICY ISSUES

Homelessness, prevention and relief – England
On 23 March 2017 the DCLG published statistics, for the period of October to December 2016, on the number of households that reported being homeless (or threatened with homelessness) to their local authority and were offered housing assistance. Local authorities accepted 14,420 households as being statutorily homeless in that period (down 3 per cent on the previous quarter and down 0.4 per cent on the same quarter of last year). These are households that are owed a main homelessness duty to secure accommodation as a result of being unintentionally homeless and in priority need. 75,740 households were in temporary accommodation on 31 December 2016 (up 10 per cent on a year earlier, and up 58 per cent on the low of 48,010 on 31 December 2010). Local authorities took action to prevent and relieve homelessness for 50,970 households between October and December 2016 (down 3 per cent on 52,520 in the same quarter of 2015). For the statistics, click here

Homelessness – Wales
On 22 March 2017 the Welsh Government published data, for the period of October to December 2016, on the number of households applying to local authorities for housing assistance under the Housing Wales Act 2014 and the number of homeless households in temporary accommodation. 1,965 households were assessed as threatened with homelessness within 56 days and for 1,305 households (66 per cent) homelessness was successfully prevented for at least 6 months. 2,589 households were assessed as being homeless and owed a duty to help secure accommodation during that period. Of these, 1,104 households (43 per cent) were helped to secure accommodation that was likely to last for 6 months, following intervention by the local authority. 480 households were assessed to be unintentionally homeless and in priority need and qualified for the duty to have accommodation secured for them. Of these, 396 (82 per cent) households accepted an offer of permanent accommodation. At the end of December 2016 there were 1,953 households in temporary accommodation. Private sector accommodation was the main form of temporary accommodation used, accounting for 43 per cent of all households in temporary accommodation at the end of December 2016. For the full data, click here

The Homelessness Monitor 2017 – England
On 22 March 2017 the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Crisis published The Homelessness Monitor 2017, their annual report analysing the impact of economic and policy developments on homelessness. According to the report, in 2015/16 there were 271,000 ‘local authority homelessness case actions’ (including informal 'homelessness prevention' and 'homelessness relief' activity, as well as statutory homelessness acceptances) – a rise of 32 per cent since 2009/10. Of 162 of England’s 326 local authorities which responded to the survey, 64 per cent are struggling to find social tenancies for homeless people, while half find it ‘very difficult’ to assist applicants into privately rented accommodation. Councils are finding it particularly difficult to house homeless young people: 85 per cent are having difficulties helping single people aged 25–34 into accommodation, and 94 per cent said they expect greater difficulties in finding accommodation for homeless 25–34 year olds in the next 2–3 years. Loss of a private tenancy accounted for 31 per cent of those accepted as homeless in England. To read the report, click here For comment by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, click here For that by Crisis, click here For a response from the Local Government Association, click here

Frontline homelessness services – England
On 27 March 2017 Homelessness Link launched its 2016 survey of frontline homelessness services in England. The research found that there are 35,727 bed spaces available in homelessness accommodation projects, a drop of 2 per cent since 2015. The number of accommodation projects has fallen by 5 per cent to 1,185, while the number of day centres has increased by 3 per cent to 214 since 2015. Although 47 per cent of accommodation projects have experienced decreased funding, they are still supporting people to develop the skills they need to move on. They provide a range of support services, with 93 per cent offering life skills, 90 per cent resettlement support and 87 per cent helping with basic needs. To read the survey, click here To read a summary, click here

Homelessness Reduction Bill
On 23 March 2017 the Homelessness Reduction Bill received its Third Reading in the House of Lords. It has now completed all its parliamentary stages and awaits Royal Assent on a date to be set. For more details, see Housing Laws in the Pipeline. For the response of CIH to the Bill’s passage, click here

Homelessness services – Local Government Ombudsman’s investigation
On 23 March 2017 the Local Government Ombudsman reported that its investigation had found that a homeless woman was turned away five times by a local authority after she lost her home. Since complaining to the LGO, the woman has received an apology from the council and has been offered temporary accommodation, which she has refused. The LGO also recommended payments to the woman of £300, to her father of £200 and stated that the council should also ensure that in future homelessness applications are taken and decision letters issued in all appropriate cases. For the LGO’s report, click here

Universal credit and homeless tenants
On 25 March 2017 The Guardian reported that local authorities in London have said that “rent collection levels for homeless tenants placed in emergency accommodation have collapsed following the introduction of the universal credit digital service last year.” Croydon Council, for example, has said that it faces an unpaid £2.5m rent bill. As a consequence ministers are under pressure to exclude homeless people from universal credit. To read the story, click here

Supported housing funding
On 28 March 2017 the Work and Pensions Committee and the Communities and Local Government Committee questioned ministers and officials from the DWP and DCLG as part of a joint inquiry into the Government's proposed reform of supported housing funding. To view the session, click here For more information about the scope of the inquiry, click here

Housing Benefit guidance
On 24 March 2017 the Department for Work and Pensions re-issued Circular HB A3/2017 with revised guidance regarding ‘couples unable to share a bedroom” at paras 16 to 18 and redrafted the corresponding leaflets. The revised circular also seeks to provide clarity to the description of the Regulations in Annex 1 and also two of the examples in Annex 6. For the circular, click here For other circulars, published at the same time, which provide advice, guidance and information on Housing Benefit to local authority staff and which update the Housing Benefit guidance manual, click here

Housing association tenants and Right to Buy
On 27 March 2017 the House of Commons Library published a briefing explaining proposals to extend the Right to Buy to assured tenants of housing associations on a voluntary basis. No implementation date for full roll-out has been announced. A large regional pilot scheme is planned for 2017/18. To read the briefing, click here

Forces Help to Buy scheme
On 23 March 2017 the Ministry of Defence published latest statistics for the Forces Help to Buy scheme for February 2017.  739 First Stage applications (ie those which pass initial eligibility checks) were received; 421 Second Stage applications (ie those which pass detailed eligibility checks) were received; 251 payments were made to Service personnel. Since the Scheme began in April 2014: 21,113 First Stage applications have been received; 12,607 of these applications have proceeded to the Second Stage; payment has been made to around 10,200 applicants, totalling over £154 million, an average of approximately £15,100 per claim. For the full statistics, click here

Rogue letting agents
On 24 March 2017 Sian Berry, the London Assembly Member, published a report – Letting them get away with it – concerning enforcement by London councils since new rules on displaying letting fees and membership of deposit and redress schemes were introduced in May 2015. Despite 1,351 complaints made to councils about letting agents, only 444 visits were made by trading standards officers, just 462 warning letters were sent and only 52 final notices were issued. Only four councils – Islington, Camden, Newham and Kensington and Chelsea – have issued any fines to letting agents. Only £66,000 was received in fines and nearly two-thirds of this (£42,000) was taken in by one council – Islington. For more details, click here

Private housing rental prices
On 21 March 2017 the Office for National Statistics published its Index of Private Housing Rental Prices for February 2017. The latest figures show that: private rental prices paid by tenants in Great Britain rose by 2.1 per cent in the 12 months to February 2017 (this is down from 2.2 per cent in January 2017); in England, private rental prices grew by 2.3 per cent, Wales saw growth of 0.5 per cent while Scotland saw zero growth in the same period; and London private rental prices grew by 1.9% in that period, which is 0.2 percentage points below the Great Britain 12-month growth rate. To access the statistics, click here

Young first time buyers
On 27 March 2017 the Social Mobility Commission published research which showed that the proportion of first-time buyers relying on inherited wealth or loans from their parents has reached a historic high and the trend looks set to continue. For 25- to 29-year-olds, home ownership has fallen by more than half in the last 25 years from 63 per cent in 1990 to 31 per cent most recently. Over a third of first-time buyers in England (34 per cent) now turn to family for a financial gift or loan to help them buy their home compared to one in five 7 years ago. A further one in ten rely on inherited wealth. For the report, click here For the press summary, click here

Dementia-friendly housing charter
On 22 March 2017 Alzheimer’s Society published a dementia-friendly housing charter which seeks to make the housing sector, including housing organisations, corporate bodies and sector professionals, aware of the challenges of living with dementia so that it can improve home environments for people with the condition. The charter is aimed at the full range of professionals working in the housing sector, from planners and architects to landlords and developers, housing managers and handypersons. To download the charter, click here and follow the link.

Private renting licensing consultation – Brent
On 23 March 2017 Brent Council published the results of its consultation, which took place from September to December 2016, on proposals to extend licensing to all or more parts of the borough. There were more than 1,200 responses and a report will now go to Brent’s Cabinet Meeting later in the Spring. To read the report, click here

Social housing providers – consent from the regulator
On 27 March 207 the Homes and Communities Agency published guidance as to how and when social housing providers should get consent from the regulator before they undertake certain changes to their organisations. Changes to the consents regime will take effect from 6 April 2017. For guidance, directions and associated forms, click here

HCA regulator of social housing – innovation plan
On 27 March 2017 the Homes and Communities Agency published a plan showing how the regulator of social housing is ensuring its approach to regulation supports innovation and disruptive business models, and how regulators are using innovation to deliver their own work more effectively. To read the plan, click here

Private landlords and council tax
The Supreme Court has refused permission for Leeds City Council to appeal from the Court of Appeal’s judgment in favour of the landlords in Leeds City Council v Broadley [2016] EWCA Civ 1213. The case concerned whether the landlords or tenants should be responsible for paying the council tax on a property after the tenant moved out, but a contractual periodic tenancy agreement was still in place. For the Court of Appeal judgment, click here For coverage by the Residential Landlords Association, click here

HOUSING LAWS IN THE PIPELINE

Homelessness Reduction Bill
This is a Private Members’ Bill introduced in the House of Commons by Bob Blackman which seeks to amend the Housing Act 1996 to make provision about measures for reducing homelessness; and for connected purposes. The Bill has completed all its stages in the House of Commons and received its Third Reading in the House of Lords on 23 March 2017. The Bill now awaits Royal Assent, for which a date has yet to be set. For the Bill as introduced in the House of Lords, click here For progress of the Bill, click here For all the debates on all stages of the Bill click here On 17 January 2017 the DCLG announced that councils would receive a further £48 million funding to help deliver new and expanded services under the Bill; for the announcement, click here and for the Local Government Association’s response to the announcement, click here The House of Commons Select Committee for Communities and Local Government has published a report following its pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill; to read the report, click here For the Law Society’s parliament briefing on the Bill, click here For the House of Commons Library briefing paper published on 27 March 2017, click here For a series of factsheets published by the DCLG and providing further background information on the measures within the Bill, click here

Renters’ Rights Bill
This is a Private Members’ Bill introduced in the House of Lords by Baroness Grender which seeks to provide tenants and prospective tenants with certain rights, including affording access to a local housing authority’s database of rogue landlords, ending certain letting fees and providing for certain mandatory electrical safety checks. The Bill had its Second Reading on 10 June 2016 and completed its Committee stage on 18 November 2016; for a record of the debate, click here It will enter its Report stage on a date to be announced. For the Bill as amended in Committee, click here To read debates at all stages of the Bill’s passage, click here For progress of the Bill, click here

Crown Tenancies Bill
This is a Private Members’ Bill introduced in the House of Commons by Wendy Morton which seeks to provide that ​Crown tenancies may be assured tenancies for the purposes of the Housing Act 1988, subject to certain exceptions; to modify the assured tenancies regime in relation to certain Crown tenancies; and for connected purposes. It completed its Committee stage, without amendment, on 1 March 2017 and had its Report stage and Third Reading on 24 March 2017. To read debates on all stages of the Bill, click here For the Bill as introduced, click here For progress of the Bill, click here For a research briefing from the House of Commons Library providing background on the Bill, click here

Housing (Tenants' Rights) Bill
This is a Private Members’ Bill introduced by Caroline Lucas which seeks to establish a Living Rent Commission to conduct research into, and provide proposals for, reducing rent levels in the private rented sector and improving terms and conditions for tenants; to require the Secretary of State to report the recommendations of the Commission to Parliament; to introduce measures to promote long-term tenancies; to establish a mandatory national register of ​landlords and lettings agents; to prohibit the charging of letting or management agent fees to tenants; and for connected purposes. The Bill is being prepared for publication and its Second Reading has been postponed to 12 May 2017. For progress of the Bill, click here

Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Bill
This Bill is currently at Stage 1. The Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the general principles of the Bill. The Committee is inviting submissions of written evidence to assist in its consideration of the Bill. Submissions should arrive by 28 April 2017. For progress of the Bill, the text of the Bill itself and explanatory memorandum, click here and scroll down.

NEW HOUSING CASES

London Borough of Islington v Dyer [2017] EWCA Civ 150
The appellant authority (“the Landlord”) granted an introductory tenancy to Mr Dyer (“the Tenant”) under Part V of the Housing Act 1996 (“HA 96”).

(An introductory tenancy is a trial or probation period which normally lasts for one year (but can be extended for a further six months). After the trial period has ended an introductory tenancy can become a secure tenancy. During the trial period, the tenant does not have security of tenure and has only limited statutory protection. A landlord is not required to satisfy the statutory grounds for possession in order to determine the tenancy in the same way as it does with secure tenancies. The landlord need only serve a notice that complies with section 128 of the HA 96, carry out a review if it is requested by the tenant as per section 129 of the HA 96, and ensure proceedings are begun no earlier than the date specified in the notice.)

In this case, the Tenant contended that the notice served by the Landlord did not comply with section 128 of the HA 96. In particular, he argued that section 128(7) had not been complied with, which states that:“[t]he notice shall also inform the tenant that if he needs help or advice about the notice, and what to do about it, he should take it immediately to a Citizens' Advice Bureau, a housing aid centre, a law centre or a solicitor”.

The Landlord argued that, although the notice itself did not contain the relevant information, the notice was accompanied by a two-page information leaflet which did contain information on obtaining legal advice. The information leaflet was headed “INFORMATION LEAFLET (to accompany Notice of Proceedings for Possession of Introductory Tenancy” and went on to state “[i]f you need advice about this Notice and what you should do about it, take it as quickly as possible to a Citizens' Advice Bureau, a Housing Aid Centre or a Law Centre, or to a Solicitor. You may be able to receive Legal Aid but this will depend on your personal circumstances”. The Landlord argued that the document titled “Notice” and the document titled “Information Leaflet” together comprised a valid section 128 notice.

The issue for the court was whether the information leaflet formed a part of the notice.

Judgment
The Court of Appeal allowed the Landlord’s appeal and held that the information leaflet did form part of the notice.

The Court noted that there is no prescribed form for a section 128 notice and there is nothing in the statute limiting the notice to a single document. Therefore, it is a question of objective fact in every case whether the documents relied on do or do not form part of the notice. In the present case, the court was of the view that a reasonable tenant would have realised that the two documents were intended to be read together.

Although the language used by the Landlord fell short of an express incorporation of the contents of the information leaflet into the notice, the two documents did objectively function together as a notice for the purposes of section 128.

Such an outcome was also consistent with the court’s approach in the City of London Corp v Devlin [1997] 29 HLR 58, where a cover letter and notice was read together to conclude that the statutory formalities had been met and that there was a valid notice under section 83 of the HA 1985.

Summary by Clara Zang, barrister, Arden Chambers.  For the full judgment click here.

Dove and Dove v London Borough of Havering [2017] EWCA Civ 156
Evelyn and Elaine Dove were twin sisters who had been granted a joint secure tenancy of a flat by LB Havering (‘Havering’).

Havering brought possession proceedings against the sisters, arguing that neither occupied the property as their only or principal home and that consequently they had lost their security of tenure.  Havering argued that it had accordingly terminated the sisters’ tenancy by service of a notice to quit.  Havering also issued possession proceedings on the basis of substantial rent arrears.

At trial before HHJ Bailey in the County Court at Central London, the trial judge found for Havering that neither sister occupied the property as their only or principal home.  Consequently a possession order was made.

Appeal: procedural issues
A number of procedural issues arose on the appeal to the Court of Appeal:

1. The trial judge had refused to adjourn the trial when one of the sisters’ legal aid was withdrawn shortly before the trial.  It was argued that the judge had been wrong to refuse an adjournment.
2. The judge had admitted into evidence a DVD recording by Havering of the inside of the flat, which the sisters argued was unfair on the basis that they had not had advance notice that the DVD would be relied on.
3. One of the sisters could not attend the final day of the trial due to illness; it was argued that the trial should not have continued in her absence.

The Court of Appeal rejected all of these arguments.  On the legal aid issue, the Court of Appeal held that an extension to legal aid could and should have been applied for earlier.  Given that the trial had previously been adjourned, that the adjournment application was made late in the day, that the rent arrears were continuing to increase and that there was no realistic prospect of either sister being able to satisfy any costs order made against them by reason of the adjournment, the Court of Appeal held that the trial judge’s case management decision to refuse an adjournment should not be interfered with.

On the admission of the DVD into evidence, the Court of Appeal noted that the DVD had been in evidence in previous proceedings between the parties in the First Tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber) in a housing benefit appeal and that one of the sisters’ witness statements in the trial in the County Court in Central London had referred in detail to the DVD.  Accordingly, the Court of Appeal held that it was clearly recognised by the sisters that the DVD evidence was in play in the trial.

On the refusal to adjourn due to one of the sisters’ illness on the final day of the trial, the Court of Appeal held that, since the sister who had been ill had provided evidence in writing for the trial and since no application for an adjournment had been made, the trial judge could not be criticised for continuing with the trial.

Appeal: substantive issue
On the issue of whether the property was one or both of the sisters’ only or principal home, the Court of Appeal endorsed the position of previous decisions (in particular Islington LBC v Boyle [2011] EWCA Civ 1450) that where a person ceases to physically occupy a property, the court must consider whether they have an intention to return.  That intention must be supported by the objective facts of the case.

The Court of Appeal held that those well-trodden principles apply not only to cases where a person ceases to occupy their property at all but also to cases where a person continues to occupy but not as their only or principal home.

In the instant case, the Court of Appeal found that there had been ample evidence for the trial judge that neither sister occupied the property as their only or principal home: each lived for most of the week with their partners elsewhere and each gave their partner’s address for post, medical appointments and other purposes.  There was no suggestion that either sister intended to change their pattern of life in the foreseeable future (e.g. by spending more time living in the council property rather than with their partners) so the case law on intending to return to a property after a prolonged absence (e.g. Islington LBC v Boyle, above) did not apply.  Accordingly, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and upheld the possession order which had been made.

Finally, it was argued that the trial judge had been wrong to hold that he was bound by a form of issue estoppel to follow the conclusions reached by the First Tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber) in a housing benefit appeal which had found that the sisters did not occupy the property as their only or principal home and were therefore not entitled to housing benefit.  However, since the trial judge had nevertheless considered the evidence for himself and had made clear that he did not accept the sisters’ case that the property was their only or principal home, the Court of Appeal was not required to decide the issue estoppel point.

Summary by Alexander Campbell, barrister, Arden Chambers.  For the full judgment click here.

HOUSING LAW CONSULTATIONS

Procedure of the First Tier Tribunal Housing and Property Chamber
The Tribunals (Scotland) Act 2014 establishes an integrated structure of tribunals with a First-tier Tribunal (F-TT) and an Upper Tribunal. Jurisdictions within the First-tier Tribunal will be organised into ‘chambers’ according to the nature of the dispute. On 1 December 2016, the Private Rented the Private Rented Housing Panel/Homeowner Housing Panel transferred to the F-TT – the first of the existing tribunals to move to the new structure. A single set of operational rules is being developed to apply across all jurisdictions in the Housing and Property Chamber. These are required for the expansion of the Chamber to other private rented sector disputes. Views are sought on the operational procedure of the Housing & Property Chamber for hearing the disputes transferring from the Sheriff court, disputes under the new letting agents’ regime and disputes involving the new tenancies established by the Private Tenancies (Scotland) Act 2016.  For the consultation document, click here The consultation closes on 31 March 2017.  

Private Rented Sector in Northern Ireland – Proposals for Change
This consultation document is the second stage in the Department for Communities’ review of the role and regulation of the private rented sector. It proposes a number of changes which will impact on both landlords and tenants. The document sets out proposals on: supply, affordability, security of tenure, tenancy management, property standards and dispute resolution. The Department will hold four public events to facilitate discussion on this document. For the consultation document and details of the discussion events, click here The consultation closes on 3 April 2017.

Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 – Guidance relating to supported accommodation
The Welsh Government is consulting on: statutory guidance landlords must follow when temporarily excluding a contract-holder under a supported standard contract; and non-statutory guidance to assist landlords and local authorities in carrying out their functions relating to extending the relevant period before a tenancy or licence for supported accommodation becomes an occupation contract. The aim of the guidance is to make the legal process clearer for landlords and local authorities to follow and implement. For the consultation document and for the means by which to respond, click here The consultation ends on 28 April 2017.

Fixing our broken housing market
As part of the housing white paper the DCLG is also consulting on changes to planning policy and legislation in relation to planning for housing, sustainable development and the environment. The consultation, including details of how to respond, can be found in the white paper. For the white paper, click here To respond online, click here The consultation ends on 2 May 2017.

Planning and affordable housing for Build to Rent
This consultation seeks views on planning measures to support an increase in Build to Rent schemes across England. This includes changing the National Planning Policy Framework policy to support and to increase the number of new Build to Rent homes, and the provision of Affordable Private Rent homes as the main form of affordable housing provision on Build to Rent schemes. The consultation seeks to promote the availability of longer tenancies (of 3 years or more) in Build to Rent accommodation, to those tenants who want one. For the consultation paper, click here To respond online, click here The consultation ends on 1 May 2017.

Changes to the frequency of Help to Buy Wales statistical outputs
Data on the Help to Buy – Wales Shared Equity Loan Scheme are published on Stats Wales on a monthly basis, covering activity at the local authority level. The Welsh Government publish a Statistical Headline every three months plus an annual release. On 1 March 2017 the Welsh Government opened a consultation on proposals to reduce the frequency of these data outputs from May 2017 onwards to bring them in line with the publication of other statistics on housing supply. To respond to the consultation, click here The consultation closes on 24 May 2017.

EHRC inquiry and Call for Evidence: Housing for Disabled People
The Equality and Human Rights Commission launched an inquiry into housing for disabled people in December 2016, and called for evidence in February 2017.  Submissions from disabled people and relevant organisations should be made by 18 April 2017. The Commission will look at whether the availability of accessible and adaptable housing, and the support services around it, is fulfilling disabled people’s rights to live independently.  For more information, click here

Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Bill
The  Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the general principles of this Bill. The Committee is inviting submissions of written evidence to assist in its consideration of the Bill. Submissions should arrive by 28 April 2017. For more details, see Housing Laws in the Pipeline.

HOUSING LAW ARTICLES & PUBLICATIONS

Housing repairs: update John Beckley [2017] March issue of Legal Action. Available in print and on-line for Legal Action subscribers. For the latest issue, click here

Homelessness and housing problems reach crisis point in all EU countries – except Finland Dawn Foster [2017] Guardian 21 March. To read this article, click here

What can the UK learn from how Finland solved homelessness? Dawn Foster [2017] Guardian 22 March. To read this article, click here

Want to reduce homelessness? We need longer tenancies Deborah Garvie [2017] Shelter Blog 23 March. To read this article, click here

The High Court on ‘stopgap’ affordable housing guidance Gregory Jones QC and Caroline Daly [2017] Local Government Lawyer 23 March. To read this article, click here

Recent Developments in Housing Law Jan Luba QC & Nic Madge [2017] March issue of Legal Action. Available in print and on-line for Legal Action subscribers. For the latest issue, click here

THE HOUSING LAW DIARY

31 March 2017              
Consultation closes on Procedure of the First Tier Tribunal Housing and Property Chamber (Scotland) (see Housing Law Consultations)

1 April 2017                  
Universal Credit (Housing Costs Element for Claimants aged 18 to 21) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 come into force

3 April 2017                  
Consultation closes on Private Rented Sector in Northern Ireland – Proposals for Change (see Housing Law Consultations)

6 April 2017                  
Commencement of Rent Repayment Orders and Financial Penalties (Amounts Recovered) (England) Regulations 2017

10 April 2017                
Commencement of various sections in Part 2 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016

18 April 2017                
Deadline for submissions to EHRC inquiry and Call for Evidence: Housing for Disabled People (see Housing Law Consultations)

28 April 2017                
Consultation closes on Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 – Guidance relating to supported accommodation (see Housing Law Consultations)

28 April 2017                
Consultation closes on Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Bill (see Housing Law Consultations)

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RECRUITMENT

Featured Job of the Week
Freelance trainers: housing law and advice

Shelter Training is recruiting freelance trainers to deliver our nationwide programme of courses.

We would like to hear from specialists in these areas:
• Domestic violence • Welfare benefits / Benefit reform
• Housing and homelessness law  • Skills and management

Previous training experience, or extensive front line services experience for housing trainers, is essential. We are particularly keen to hear from housing law trainers based in the South West, Midlands and North of England.

NB: all of our courses (except skills and management) cover elements of housing and homelessness law so you will need good knowledge of the relevant legislation and case law.

To apply please send the following information to training@shelter.org.uk
• An up-to-date CV.
• A list of courses you would like to deliver.
• Your experience and knowledge of these areas.
• Your experience of delivering training.

Head of Community Services
Worcester City Council
Job Ref: WMC000000024
Click here for details

Senior Legal Assistant - Civil Litigation
Brent Council
Job Ref: 1700141
Click here for details

Noise and Nuisance Officer
LB of Hammersmith & Fulham
Job Ref: 2539
Click here for details

Corporate Fraud Investigator
Crawley Borough Council
Job Ref: RF79
Click here for details

Licensing, Enforcement and Grant Coordination Manager
Lewisham Council
Job Ref: CUS-16-069
Click here for details

Housing Officer
Notting Hill Housing
Job Ref: HOWF1704
Click here for details

Housing Advice and Homelessness Team Leader
London Borough of Newham
Job Ref: LBN00939
Click here for details

Leasehold & Commercial Services Officer
Portsmouth City Council
Job Ref: 848 – 919
Click here (and page down) for details