A to Z of housing jargon

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Joint liability

If you are a joint tenant, or if you have a joint mortgage, you may be held responsible for the entire mortgage if the others fail to pay their share.

Joint mortgage

A mortgage taken out by two or more people jointly, for example by spouses, partners, or friends. With a joint mortgage, both or all the borrowers will be equally liable for keeping up the repayments, even if someone moves out or dies.

Joint tenancy

This term has two distinct meanings. Although most commonly used to refer to people who are renting, it can also refer to joint owners of a property.

In rented accommodation, a joint tenancy is where two or more people are named as tenants on the same tenancy agreement. Both/all of the tenants are equally liable for the terms of the tenancy, including the rent payments. If one person gives the landlord valid notice to end the tenancy, it will end the tenancy for everyone.

In owner-occupied properties, joint owners of a property can either be ‘tenants in common’ or ‘joint tenants’. If they are joint tenants it means that they have equal stakes in the property and that if one of them dies, their share in the property automatically pass to the other(s), rather than to the deceased person’s heirs.

Judgement debt

A debt that is owed as a result of a court judgement, or a court order.

Judgement in default/ default judgement

A court judgement made against someone who did not turn up in court, or did not file a defence.

Judicial review

A legal procedure which can be used to challenge the decisions or policies of public bodies such as local councils. A judicial review challenges the way a decision has been made rather than the decision itself. A judicial review can overturn the council's decision and make them look at it again. You will need help from a specialist adviser or solicitor if you want to start judicial review proceedings.

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