What's new on Shelter Legal
The pages on Shelter Legal are updated regularly to reflect changes in the law.
This page lists the most recent updates to Shelter Legal.
Social housing allocations for veterans
18 December 2024
From 18 December 2024, the Allocation of Housing (Qualification Criteria for Armed Forces) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 exempt all former members of the regular armed forces from any local connection requirements for social housing allocations. Previously, only current members or members who had left the armed forces within the last five years were exempt from local connection rules.
View amended articleBanned tenant fees and penalties for landlords
2 December 2024
In Switaj v McClenaghan [2024] EWCA Civ 1457, the Court of Appeal considered whether a prohibited payment paid before the Tenant Fees Act 2019 came into force and retained by the landlord would prevent the landlord from serving a valid section 21 notice for subsequent statutory periodic tenancies. The court held that prohibited payments taken before the Act became law on 1 June 2019 did not invalidate the section 21 notice.
View amended articleRight to buy for council tenants
2 December 2024
In Howe v Brent London Borough Council [2024] EWCA Civ 1444, the Court of Appeal considered a joint right to buy application by a secure tenant and a family member submitted shortly before the secure tenant's death. The court held that the family member could still exercise the right to buy even though the local authority had not accepted that they met the qualifying criteria before the tenant died. The family member was a deemed joint tenant under section 123(3) Housing Act 1985 after a valid application was submitted.
View amended articleCourt orders to remove the perpetrator and prevent abuse
27 November 2024
On 27 November 2024 CPR Practice Direction 51ZF introduced a pilot procedure for the County Court to make a Domestic Abuse Protection Order during 'relevant proceedings' under Part 3 Domestic Abuse Act 2021. Relevant proceedings include possession proceedings for rented or mortgaged property. Pilot areas are the London boroughs of Croydon, Sutton, and Bromley and Greater Manchester.
View amended articleCounty court appeal time limits
22 November 2024
In Idara v Southwark LBC [2024] 11 WLUK 193, the High Court considered an out of time County Court appeals against a local authority homelessness decision. The court held that for a late appeal to be allowed, an applicant must show good reason for the whole delay in submitting the appeal, including the initial failure to meet the 21 day deadline and any further delay.
View amended articleCouncil tenant right to buy discounts
21 November 2024
The Housing (Right to Buy) (Limits on Discount) (England) Order 2024 reduces the maximum discounts for new applications for the Right to Buy from 21 November 2024 onwards. For example, the maximum discount for London was previously £136,420. This has now been reduced to £16,000 in most boroughs. The changes also increase the relevant time period for the cost floor rule to 30 years.
View amended articleLiability for council tax
11 November 2024
This new page explains who is liable to pay council tax on residential property. It sets out the hierarchy of liability, including owners, tenants, and licenses, and when a tenant has a material interest in a property they have left. It covers students, HMOs, joint liability for residents and couples, and exemptions for deceased residents. This page was produced in partnership with Shelter's Specialist Debt Advice Service.
View amended articlePriority need of people who have been in care
7 November 2024
A new table breaks down priority need by age group and care history and sets out exceptions.
View amended articleComplaints to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
30 October 2024
This page has been reviewed and updated. Updates include new information about how the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman can make recommendations for local authorities to put things right, including taking corrective steps, making service improvements and issuing financial remedies.
View amended articleQualifying debts in a debt relief order
7 October 2024
This page has been updated to reflect an Insolvency Service policy change that allows a debtor to omit certain debts from a DRO application. A debtor can leave out a debt if the payments are up to date. In some cases, the payments can count as an allowable expense.
View amended article