Landmark Ruling To Hit Council Waiting List Rules

Councils could have to overhaul residency requirements for social housing or risk a High Court challenge, following a landmark legal judgement. The judgement, handed down by the High Court, could confound some local authorities’ attempts to control their housing waiting list after the government relaxed allocation rules in 2011. Ealing Council in 2013 introduced a policy stopping people from joining its housing register unless they have lived in the borough for at least five years. The court found the policy breached the 1996 Housing Act, which requires councils to give ‘reasonable preference’ to homeless people. Lawyers now believe that the ruling sets a legal precedent for other English local authorities. Read more on Inside Housing.