Housing law and advice foundation (Part A)

What this course covers

Face to face and webinar training includes:

Security of tenure

• housing status, tenancies, and licences

• tenancies created by the Rent Act 1977, Housing Acts 1985, 1988 and 1996

• occupiers outside mainstream protection and excluded occupiers

Possession proceedings

• notice rules

• grounds for possession and defences

• possession orders and brief overview of the role of the court

• bailiff warrants

Homelessness applications

• homelessness legislation and the code of guidance

• duty to make enquiries

• the Homelessness Reduction Act (assessment, prevention, relief duties)

• housing options and prevention of homelessness

• key elements of the basic definition sections of the legislation

• assessing homelessness, eligibility, intentionality, homelessness, priority need and local connection

• review and appeal rights

Face to face training

Face to face training also covers:

• the history of housing legislation

• changes to social housing law under the Localism Act 2011

• tied accommodation

• joint tenancies and fixed-term tenancies

• impact of order for possession on security of tenure

• policy options for allocations and homelessness legislation

• allocation of housing

What you'll learn

At the end of this training, you'll be able to:

• diagnose security of tenure

• advise an occupier on notice entitlement

• instruct an occupier on criteria the court can use to make an order for possession

• identify where an occupier has a defence against possession proceedings

• find out when the council has a duty to start a homelessness investigation under the Housing Act 1996 (Part VI)

• describe key factors relating to eligibility for assistance, homelessness, priority need, intentional homelessness and local connection

• advise on the duties of a local authority towards a homeless person

Face to face training includes allocations of social housing.

Who this training is for

You don’t need any prior knowledge of housing or homelessness legislation for this course. You might be new to a role as an adviser, caseworker or work in a housing or homelessness role for a local authority.

If you need a more advanced course, try our Housing law and advice foundation (Part B) training. It's for professionals with experience in homelessness, tenancy status and housing rights.