A comprehensive introduction to the most important aspects of housing aid and advice work. Delegates will gain the legal knowledge and practical skills required to determine housing status and become familiar with the principles, processes and duties inherent in the homelessness legislation.

NB: this course was previously called 'Key Housing Aid and Advice: Part A'.

Course contains

Day One

• Housing status
• History of housing legislation
• Rent Act 1977, Housing Acts 1985, 1988 and 1996
• Tenancies and licences
• Occupiers outside mainstream protection
• Excluded occupiers
• Tied accommodation
• Notice rules

Day Two

• Grounds for possession
• Possession orders and brief overview of the role of the court
• Bailiffs' warrants
• Basic defence of proceedings and counterclaims
• Joint tenancies
• Fixed term tenancies
• Impact of order for possession on security of tenure
  

Days Three and Four

• Policy options for allocations and homelessness legislation
• Legislation and the Code of Guidance
• Duty to make enquiries
• Housing options and prevention of homelessness
  
• Key elements of the basic definition sections of the legislation
• Assessing eligibility, intentionality, homelessness priority need, and local connection
• Important case law
• Review and appeal rights
• Allocation of housing

Learning outcomes

After this course, you will be able to:

• Diagnose security of tenure
• Advise an occupier on notice entitlement
• Advise an occupier on criteria upon which the court can make an order for possession
• Identify where an occupier has a defence to possession proceedings
• Identify when the council has a duty to start a homelessness investigation under the Housing Act 1996 (Part VI)
• Describe key factors governing eligibility for assistance, homelessness, priority need, intentional homelessness and local connection, and to the facts of a case
• Advise on the duties of a local authority towards a homeless person
• Identify broad legal issues arising in allocation of social housing under the Housing Act 1996 (Part VI).

Suitable for

Recently appointed advisers from both the statutory and voluntary sectors and those who wish to broaden their knowledge or catch up with recent changes in housing law/policy. The course assumes little or no knowledge of legislation.

In-house training

We can also run this course in-house. Find out more about in-house training