Housing and Regeneration Team Promotions

Congratulations to the following members of the Housing and Regeneration Team who have recently been promoted –

• Bethany Paliga, Associate, Governance, Procurement and Information
• Amy Stirton, Senior Associate, Litigation
• Francesca James, Senior Associate, Property
• Kirsty Varley, Partner, Litigation
• Sarah Rogers, Partner, Litigation

Photographed below L-R - Sarah Rogers, Kirsty Varley, Francesca James and Bethany Paliga.

New form of Notice Seeking Possession - but not all is what it seems

A new prescribed form of Notice Seeking Possession (under section 8 of the Housing Act 1988) has been introduced. Landlords in England are required to use this latest form for any Notice Seeking Possession served on or after 04 May 2021. It has no effect on landlords in Wales.

Below is a link to the prescribed form:

The Assured Tenancies and Agricultural Occupancies (Forms) (Moratorium Debt) (Consequential Amendment) (England) Regulations 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)

Construction Framework Review Should Push Playbook

What must the government's independent review of construction frameworks consider to benefit both the public sector and contractors.

Tackling Cuckooing Together

Darren Burton, Head of Housing Consultancy, will be speaking at the Tackling Cuckooing Together webinar on 23rd June which is being cohosted by Janine Green from Janine Green ASB and Nikki Holmes from Safer Together.

Cuckooing is a complex and challenging issue for all community safety and health partners. It has a serious impact on those who are being exploited, as well as communities who are suffering from the symptoms of the problem. The ability to identify the issue and take strong partnership action to manage it, utilising support services and enforcement tools, is vital.

This webinar will bring together safeguarding and community safety specialists to discuss the issue and, most importantly, the possible solutions to end the suffering for all affected.

CLICK HERE for further information and to register your place. 

EU Settlement Scheme- How does the scheme affect Registered Providers?

"Free Movement" to and from the EU ended on 31 December 2020. As a result of this, new rules came into force on 1 January 2021 which affect who can receive help with benefits, housing allocation and homelessness.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members must now apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to remain in the UK. The scheme is only open to citizens that started living in the UK before 31 December 2020.

All change - New notice periods and forms

What's new?

Two sets of regulations have been laid before Parliament, which have brought further changes to the notice periods to be given in respect of possession proceedings for residential tenancies and the corresponding forms of notice to be served by landlords.

Spotllight on...

Kirsty Varley

My role

Partner and Higher Courts Advocate in housing litigation team. I specialise in housing management and tenancy enforcement. I regularly deal with injunctions, possession claims, committal proceedings, vexatious complainants and mental health, equality act and human rights defences. Being higher rights qualified means that I regularly  represent clients in court and undertake my own advocacy up to and including trial. I speak at seminars and offer client training regularly, something which I particularly enjoy.

Qualifications

LLB(Hons) University of Manchester, Legal Practice Course LPC – Manchester Metropolitan University, Higher Rights, LLM in Legal Practice - Nottingham Trent University.

3 words that describe me

Determined, loyal and honest.

Hobbies

I like to run and swim when my knee is better (I am recovering from cruciate surgery after a gym injury) and support Man United (I was brainwashed as a child and had no choice in the matter J).

Funny fact

I once tap danced on Children in Need with my sister when we were young – she won’t thank me for publicising that!

As of 1 March we will centralising our post systems

Our new PO Box number is 686, Blackburn BB2 9QY

and our DX is 17952, Blackburn 1

Please only use these numbers going forward.