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Justin Bates KC

@justinbates

Housing lawyer, editor of the Encyclopedia of Housing Law, co-author Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act and Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act.

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15.10.2023
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Latest posts by Justin Bates KC @justinbates

Presumably not just about the money ('tho TA rents are high). I suspect it's also because new Ground 5G (see Sch.1, para.18, Renters' Rights Act 2025) creates a new mandatory ground for possession in some circumstances where a private landlord houses a homeless person at the request of the council.

22.02.2026 11:12 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Arthur Phillips & Anor v Tess Garraway - Find Case Law - The National Archives

"Rent" in the Housing Act 1988 means the same as "Rent" under the Rent Act 1977: caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewca/civ/202...

09.02.2026 20:16 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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The Supreme Court grants Shelter permission to… - Landmark Chambers Explore 'The Supreme Court grants Shelter permission to intervene in case concerning the end of the main housing duty' at Landmark Chambers for in-depth…

Our @sophieearnshaw.bsky.social has been granted permission to intervene in a case that will be heard at the Supreme Court.

This case concerns homeless applicants and the circumstances in which a local authority's duty to accommodate ends #housinglaw
@landmarkch.bsky.social

shltr.org.uk/JfQ6y

09.02.2026 10:39 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I can feel your pain through the screen...

03.02.2026 10:36 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

In the wake of the publication of our draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill on Tuesday, lots of existing leaseholders have been in touch seeking clarity as to when the government plans to make it cheaper and easier to extend a lease or buy a freehold 🧡

31.01.2026 17:04 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 8 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Commencement) (Wales) Order 2026 This Order, made by the Welsh Ministers, brings into force the provisions of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (β€œthe Act”). These provisions relate to the prohibition of discriminato...

Renters’ Rights Act anti-discrimination (children and benefits) powers devolved to Wales on 1 June www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2026/6/c...

20.01.2026 10:07 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

An early Christmas gift for homelessness lawyers and public lawyers more generally. R (UYR) v Derby CC [2025] EWCA Civ 1648

Is De Falco and the "strong prima facie case" test (to secure mandatory orders for housing as part of interim relief) wrong? I think the CA is hinting it is wrong...

18.12.2025 12:26 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Oh my goodness

17.12.2025 15:12 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
​​A National Plan to End Homelessness​ ​​This strategy sets out our long-term vision to end homelessness and rough sleeping, making sure everyone has access to a safe and secure home.

Homelessness strategy now out - calling it A National Plan to End Homelessness certainly shows the right level of ambition

www.gov.uk/government/p...

11.12.2025 09:53 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Memorandum of Understanding between the Regulator of Social Housing and The Charity Commission for England and Wales

Memorandum of understanding between the Regulator of Social Housing and the Charity Commission. Important for charitable social landlords in England:

www.gov.uk/government/p...

12.11.2025 12:35 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Nadine Buzzard-Quashie v Chief Constable of Northamptonshire - Find Case Law - The National Archives

This is a remarkable case which will see the Chief Constable punished for contempt! Much to unpack but huge praise due to junior counsel for the appellant and, for very different reasons, to counsel for the Chief Constable

caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewca/civ/202...

12.11.2025 09:22 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Permission to appeal to the Supreme Court has been refused in the case of Beach v South Hams DC. The case concerned accom offered to a man where the LA had accepted the full housing duty; he was in priority need as he had children, but he presented without the children, in need of emergency accom

03.11.2025 10:02 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

I don't imagine they have much hope of winning in the domestic courts. I had always assumed that the plan was to exhaust domestic remedies as quickly as possible and then roll the dice in the ECtHR

26.10.2025 11:38 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

As it was a Div Ct, I wonder if they'll try for a leapfrog directly to the SC?

25.10.2025 17:26 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
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Revealed: Labour-run council using legal loophole to serve families with no-fault evictions Exclusive: London council created an arm’s-length body to manage some of its housing stock

This isn't an exclusive. These LA-owned/controlled housing companies have existed for decades. And have many legitimate purposes (e.g. to allow social housing to be built without attracting the RTB).

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

11.10.2025 18:23 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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English councils’ temporary accommodation bill rises to Β£2.8bn Councils in England spent a record Β£2.8bn on temporary accommodation last year, with the annual bill rising by 25% as the homelessness crisis deepens.

Can't think of many better illustrations of how badly we have botched housing policy than the fact that our bill for housing homeless families (Β£2.8bn pa) is now higher than the money we spend each year on new affordable housing (Β£2.3bn)

www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/english...

29.09.2025 14:08 πŸ‘ 111 πŸ” 62 πŸ’¬ 4 πŸ“Œ 4
Find Case Law - The National Archives Judgments and decisions from 2003 onwards.

Ye gods. Westminster accept a breach of s.193(2) HA 1996 and accept they have been in breach for months. They want 12 weeks to comply. The court gave them 4. They went down for a proportion of C's costs plus their own.
caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewhc/admin/2...

26.09.2025 13:33 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Rayner says in her resignation letter: "The challenges of government are nothing compared to the challenge of putting food on the table and getting a roof over our head when I brought up kids working as a home help."

Absolutely. A shame to lose that perspective from the cabinet table.

05.09.2025 11:48 πŸ‘ 547 πŸ” 105 πŸ’¬ 14 πŸ“Œ 0

The long tradition of the position of Sec of State for housing being a cursed one continues.

05.09.2025 11:05 πŸ‘ 18 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Ooh - that's a very important discovery.

21.08.2025 08:18 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

This isn’t a hard one. Right to Buy massively benefited one generation of tenants (and good luck to them) but at the expense of subsequent generations of people in housing need. And the consequential homelessness costs are destroying the finances of local councils to this day.

13.08.2025 17:52 πŸ‘ 20 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

It's so obviously A Good Thing that it won't happen.

08.08.2025 10:48 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Now there is a vacancy... time for the Karen Buck bat signal?

08.08.2025 10:39 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Made it into the new Private Eye @privateeyenews.bsky.social Now I can retire.

07.08.2025 10:19 πŸ‘ 245 πŸ” 60 πŸ’¬ 10 πŸ“Œ 4
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London Residentials Ltd v London Borough of Newham: [2025] UKUT 201 (AAC) Upper Tribunal Administrative Appeals Chamber decision by Judge Perez on 22 June 2025.

That rarest of beasts - the 2nd case from the UT on the duties on letting agents to publish details of fees.

www.gov.uk/administrati...

06.08.2025 09:03 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Statutory homelessness in England: January to March 2025

One (small) bit of good news on homelessness in England - number of families in B&B has dropped by over 30% (March 2025 as against March 2024). Applications still going up. Households in TA still going up.

www.gov.uk/government/s...

24.07.2025 14:56 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
The Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (England) and Persons Subject to Immigration Control (Housing Authority Accommodation and Homelessness) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 Regulation 2 of these Regulations amends the Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (England) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1294) (β€œthe Eligibility Regulations”). The amendments ensure tha...

English regs www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/89...

Welsh regs www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2025/894...

This is silly. Eligibility should be the same across E, W and Scotland. Won't someone think of the local connection referral implications?!

24.07.2025 07:37 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
The Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (England) and Persons Subject to Immigration Control (Housing Authority Accommodation and Homelessness) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 Regulation 2 of these Regulations amends the Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (England) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1294) (β€œthe Eligibility Regulations”). The amendments ensure tha...

England and Wales have diverged on eligibility for homelessness assistance and allocations.
Intention appears to have been to catch same people (Brits fleeing conflict in Middle East). E has a general category (anyone leaving any country pusuant to gov advice) W has limited it to identified areas.

24.07.2025 07:34 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0