Housing Law News Homelessness in England: on 5 September 2013 the homelessness statistics for England for the first quarter of 2013/14 were published. They show that: (1) 13,460 applicants were accepted as owed a main homelessness duty, 5% higher than during the same quarter of 2012; (2) 56,210 households were in temporary accommodation on 30 […]
Immigration Law News The Ministry of Justice has announced a second stage of consultation on amended proposals regarding changes to the provision of legal aid. To read further, click here. And for further proposals on reforming judicial review, click here. Proposed changes to Immigration RulesOn Friday 6 September 2013, a written ministerial statement was laid […]
A nine-month old girl has been returned to her family after her parents won an unusual High Court case in which they were accused of "baby shaking". Barristers acting for the parents cast enough doubt on the medical evidence for the judge to refuse the l
Housing Law News Private rented sector: in January 2013, the Newham London Borough Council declared the whole of its district an area of mandatory licensing of private sector landlords. On 27 August 2013 it published statistics indicating that 110 legal cases are on-going against local landlords, including: (1) 67 prosecutions for failure to license and/or […]
Immigration Law News The scheme by which immigration judicial reviews are to take place in the Tribunal, rather than the High Court, is now to take effect imminently. The scheme applies to any case in which an application for permission is issued in the High Court on or after 9 September 2013 or in the […]
Housing Law News Private rented sector: the Home Office consultation, on tackling illegal immigration in privately rented accommodation by requiring private landlords to carry out immigration status checks on prospective tenants, closed last week. For the response made by the Residential Landlords' Association, click here. For the response made by the Housing Team at Garden […]
Immigration Law News The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has published updated guidance on asylum seekers from Afghanistan. For further information, click here. The Migration Matters Trust has carried out an analysis of the likely increase in net migration from Bulgaria and Romania, following the end of transitional controls at the beginning of 2014. […]
Tom Wainwright has successfully secured the acquittal of a participant in the ‘Critical Mass’ protest which took place on the opening night of the Olympic Games following a four-day appeal at Southwark Crown Court.
Garden Court Chambers Housing Team has submitted a response to the Home Office consultation “Tackling illegal immigration in privately rented accommodation”. In our response, we set out why we are wholly opposed to the proposals to require private landlor
Rebecca Hill and Tom Stoate have successfully defended two defendants charged with aggravated trespass arising out of a protest on the roof of the headquarters of security firm G4S. They had been protesting against the company's alleged unlawful involveme
Housing Law News Legal aid for housing cases: the Low Commission is looking at the impact of legal aid reform on areas of social welfare law, including housing. It has closed its evidence-gathering phase but is now seeking views of those working in and around the advice sector on its draft report and emerging recommendations. […]
Brenda Campbell is due to speak at the 'Beyond Law: The UN mechanisms for the protection of human rights' event , which runs from 2-5 September 2013. The event aims to provide a practical introduction to how UN human rights can be applied in practice.
Housing Law News Possession claims against tenants: on 8 August 2013 the latest official statistics on landlord possession claims in the county court were released. 39,293 claims were issued in the three months March to June 2013 and during the same period bailiffs executed over 9000 possession warrants for landlords. For the full figures, click […]
Immigration Law News The Home Office has amended both the guidance for points-based system (PBS) dependants and the application forms for Tier 4 (Child) applications; Tier 2 Priority Dependant applications; Tier 1, 2 or 5 Dependant applications and Tier 4 Dependant applications. For further information, click here. Immigration Law Cases Che, R (on the application […]
Immigration Law News The statement of changes in the Immigration Rules (Cm 8690) came into force on 1 August 2013. The accompanying Explanatory Note sets out that: "The purpose of these changes is to amend the Immigration Rules to: Incorporate compulsory screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis for migrants coming to the UK for over six […]
Housing Law News Housing costs and welfare benefits: the House of Commons Library has updated several of its helpful free briefing notes on issues around rent, other housing costs and benefits. For Under-occupation of social housing: Housing Benefit entitlement, click here. For Measures to reduce Housing Benefit expenditure – an overview, click here. For Paying […]
In a case likely to determine whether a woman will be able to live a relatively healthy long life or whether she will face an extremely distressing and undignified death within weeks, Roseline Akhalu last week won the latest - and her supporters hope the
A woman who moved-out temporarily while a council repaired her home still holds her tenancy eight years later, the Court of Appeal rules.
Housing Law News Last minute housing appeals: mortgage borrowers and tenants in rent arrears often make last minute applications to stay or suspend warrants for possession, even on the very eve of eviction. If an application is refused by a district judge, an appeal can be made to a circuit judge. In London, an increasing […]
Immigration Law Cases CW (Jamaica) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWCA Civ 915 23 July 2013CW challenged the UTIAC’s dismissal of his appeal against ‘automatic deportation’ on two grounds: (1) inadequate enquiry by the UT into the consequences for his children of his deportation; (2) SSHD’s (and UT’s) inadequate regard to […]
