News, events and consultations
HLPA Seminar: Tips and Tricks for Dealing with the Housing Possession Duty Desk
Wednesday 17 October 2012
6.00 – 8.00 pm
Seminar Leaders:
District Judge Linda Pearce
Lambeth County Court
James Bowen
Garden Court Chambers
Venue:
Mary Ward Legal Centre
10 Great Turnstile Street
London WC1V 7JU
This seminar is aimed at all levels. It is not limited to housing solicitors covering Duty Schemes, but anyone who has to make last minute court applications on behalf of clients.
The booking form can be downloaded here.
HLPA’s Training Seminars have been specifically designed to allow more time for in-depth discussion and debate than the regular general meetings can provide. Places are strictly limited and will be allocated to the first 20 practitioner members per seminar paying the fee of £35.00 in full in advance. HLPA seminars have been awarded 2 hours’ CPD by the Law Society and the Bar Council.
Consultation Response: High Income Social Tenants
HLPA’s response to the DCLG consultation on increased rent levels for higher income social tenants (‘pay to stay’) can be downloaded here
Disrepair – Legal Aid Surveyors’ fees
After a long and sustained effort by HLPA, Shelter, ASA and LAPG, the MoJ has now concluded its review into appropriate hourly rates to pay to surveyors in disrepair cases. As you know, the current rate is £50 per hour.
A review of available data, including data supplied by HLPA, showed that the average hourly rate in London is £125 per hour and out of London is £95 per hour. As all experts’ rates (alongside solicitor and counsel’s rates) were to be codified and reduced by 10%, the new guideline hourly rates for surveyors in housing disrepair cases are:
Outside London – up to £85 per hour
In London – up to £115 per hour
The MoJ have advised that it is unlikely that these rates will be codified in a statutory order before April 2013. Therefore, we will need to make applications for prior authority to instruct surveyor’s at these rates.
The MoJ/LSC are going to issue guidance to caseworkers at the LSC so that they are aware of these new guideline rates. They aim to issue this guidance by 1st October 2012.
The MoJ/LSC are also going to advise us as to how best to make the applications for prior authority and whether this can be included as a standard paragraph in APP1s. Again, they should provide this advice by 1st October.
If you wish to instruct someone for more than these hourly rates you will need to justify this in an application for prior authority as before.
We will update members when the guidance or any further information becomes available.
19 September 2012 Meeting
Wednesday 19 September 2012
Homelessness Update
7.00-9.00pm
Portland Hall, University of Westminster, 4 Little Titchfield Street, London W1W 7UW
Consultation on Mobile Home Owners – HLPA Response
HLPA’s response to the DCLG consultation ‘Better Deal for Mobile Home Owners’ can be downloaded here
Consultation on Social Housing Fraud – HLPA Response
HLPA’s response to the DCLG consultation on social housing fraud can be downloaded here [link to doc file]
Allocations Guidance
The DCLG has published the new Allocations Code of Guidance for Local Authorities.
The Code of Guidance can be found here [pdf]
12 July 2012 – HLPA Seminar: Homeless Cases: Has the duty been discharged
Homeless Cases: Has the Duty Been Discharged?
Thursday 12 July 2012
A booking form is here for the above Intermediate Level HLPA Seminar, which will be held from 6.00-8.00pm on Thursday 12 July at Mary Ward Centre, 10 Great Turnstile Street, London WC1V 7JU (nearest underground stations Chancery Lane and Holborn).
With the Government set later this year to bring into force the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 that enable housing authorities to choose to complete the main homelessness duty by making an offer of private rented sector accommodation, this seminar will be of particular interest to housing practitioners wanting:
- an overview of the current position;
- to find out what the future holds for their homeless clients once a duty is accepted;
- how future decisions discharging duty may be challenged.
The seminar leaders are Jamie Burton and Ben Chataway from Doughty Street Chambers.
For further information, contact:
Professional Briefings
london@profbriefings.co.uk
01920 487672
Member password
The member password for the site has been updated. The new password was circulated to members signed up for 2012 by email on 21 May 2012.
If you have not received the email and are registered for 2012, please contact Chandra_Rao@shelter.org.uk
16 May 2012 Meeting
7 pm 16 May 2012
Possession Claims Old and New
Speakers:
Tim Powell: Powell Forster Solicitors
Tracey Bloom: Doughty Street Chambers
From 7 pm at Portland Hall, University of Westminster, 4 Little Titchfield Street, London W1W 7UW