Rise In ‘Fitness For Human Habitation’ Claims From ‘PPI-Style’ Legal Firms

Social landlords are seeing a rise in the number of costly housing condition claims linked to new legislation that is costing the sector millions of pounds. Lawyers are facing a major uptick in claims made through the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, with many landlords opting to settle out of court rather than risking higher costs by going through the courts. The rules around what constitutes a property that is fit for habitation under the new law is far stricter than requirements set out in the previous legislation. Read more on Inside Housing.

https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/landlords-see-rise-in-fitness-for-human-habitation-claims-from-ppi-style-legal-firms-71156

Bill Giving Tenants Power To Take Action Against Landlords Becomes Law

The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act has been given Royal Assent– completing its lengthy journey from a private members bill into law. The act will give tenants the right to take landlords to court if the property falls below legal standards, and seek an injunction to carry out the work and damages. The bill was proposed by Labour MP Karen Buck and received official government backing in January – an extremely unusual step for an opposition MP’s bill. She said: “There are a million properties- home to some 3 million people- that are unsafe or unfit to occupy and this act will provide those tenants, private and public, with a way to act against bad landlords.” Read more on Inside Housing.

https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/bill-giving-tenants-power-to-take-action-against-landlords-becomes-law-59593?utm_source=Housing60&utm_medium=email&utm_content=article_link&utm_campaign=H60