ROOF Blog

In the first court ruling of its kind a vulnerable family has been told they can stay in their home as owner occupiers or rent it for life, after almost losing it in a repossession sale and rent back scam. The case, bought before the court with Shelter’s help, saw the judge brand the sale and rent back company Repossessions Stopped as ‘dishonest’ for promising the family could stay in their home forever. Within two years of the company selling the property on, the new owner defaulted on the mortgage and the house was repossessed, with the family nearly evicted.

A group of Gypsies and Travellers living at Dale Farm near Wickford in Essex have lost their battle against eviction after law lords dismissed their appeal to overturn an earlier ruling. The law lords dismissed the Travellers’ appeal saying that Basildon council had acted lawfully, as half the people living at the farm do not have planning permission. A United Nations’ committee is recommending Basildon council grant planning permission where needed or offer alternative land.

The government has finally responded to the Rugg review into private lettings and announced plans for tighter regulation of landlords. The government plans to create a register of all private landlords in England, including an improved complaints system that could remove rogue landlords from it, and will ensure that policing is done through the creation of an independent regulator. Meanwhile tenants will receive two months’ notice if their landlord is being repossessed.

Cities with large numbers of flats bought for the buy-to-let market are facing a huge rise in evictions. In some of these areas there has been a 20 per cent rise in the number of instructions from landlords wanting to get rid of tenants who are not paying their rent. The length of time landlords are prepared to wait before commencing action is also decreasing. Cities affected include Manchester, London, Liverpool and Birmingham.

Shelter Scotland has demanded an urgent review into a registration scheme which is failing to protect tenants from bad landlords. Shelter says a minority of landlords taint the sector with Dickensian treatment of tenants and the charity estimates that one in four properties is still not covered by the scheme introduced three years ago. The report calls for an urgent review of the scheme to ensure it tackles problems such as withheld deposits, poor management, harassment and unlawful eviction.

A man due to be evicted from his home is believed to have blown up his home yesterday. Donald Joyce who was being evicted for harassment, intimidation and filming neighbours has not been seen since three explosions destroyed his home near Cambridge.

Community Legal Advice (CLA) has created a film outlining the rights of private tenants who are facing eviction, having problems paying rent or getting their deposit back. The film has been shot in British Sign Language, as CLA has found deaf people suffer disproportionately with legal problems, however there is a voiceover making it easily understood by any private renter.

There has been a ‘steep rise’ in the number of tenants evicted after landlords have defaulted on their mortgage, Shelter warned. Ministers have to ‘act quickly to give tenants far, far longer’ as some tenants can get just a few days’ notice to leave their homes. Around three million homes in England and Wales are rented from private landlords. The government is considering a major overhaul of the sector, although it has not yet said when it would happen.