Housing

Richard Hazell, Forbes Robertson and Christian Sweeney are our very experienced housing caseworkers.

Richard has been with the Law Centre since the doors opened back in 1981 and there is nothing he doesn't know about housing law. Forbes, an experienced housing caseworker, joined the team in July 2006. Richard and Forbes were joined in April 2009 by Christian Sweeney, a barrister with experience in housing law. Christian also specialises in debt advice.

The demand for Housing law advice has remained as strong as ever.  Referrals come from a wide variety of agencies and individuals.

 

We have seen an increase in the number of mortgage arrears queries.  Sadly not enough clients come to us for advice before receipt of a summons.  When they do, we can explain their circumstances to the lender and often agree favourable terms for a suspended possession order.  

 

We continue to administer the Possession Day Duty Rota.  The ration of mortgage to rent cases on possession day is about 2:1 which reflects the growing trend of an increase in repossession hearings.

 

Many of our Council tenant clients are referred to us by their Housing officers and we have excellent working relationships with them, particularly the Tenancy Sustainment Officers, who seem not to be allowed to draft letters of appeal due to a perceived conflict of interest. 

 

Housing Benefit continues to be a major cause of difficulties, not helped by the fact that the software used by the Council’s contractors seems to be incapable of producing letters to claimants to explain the decision on their claim in plain English.  Instead they receive a form with very little text, which is hard to understand. 

 

The new Local Housing Allowance has been introduced during the past year and already seems to be causing problems.  The direct payment to the tenant causes real concern for landlords, as does the fixed nature of the amount.  Our clients still need to be advised to claim a Discretionary Housing Payment for the shortfall.

 

In April 2007 the new rules for deposit protection also came into force.  These are proving to be a minefield for local landlords, especially the need to provide prescribed information.  Regrettably tenants are cautious to assert their rights, even though section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 Notices of Seeking Possession are invalid where the deposit protection provisions have not been complied with.

 

We continue to attend the Homeless Day Centre on Tuesdays and Thursday lunchtimes.  We are proud to be involved in this piece of work – the Day Centre may be controversial in its area, but the users do benefit from being able to go to one place where they can see several housing, health and legal advisers at the same time. 

 

We also continue to service the meetings of HOSTS, which now meets at the new Salvation Army hostel at Booth House.  This still provides a useful forum for the providers of services to local homeless people to meet together informally to share experiences and frustrations at the lack of local accommodation for people with complex social needs.