Defending Possession Proceedings (seventh edition) by Jan Luba QC, John Gallagher, Derek McConnell and Nic Madge

As can be seen from the fact that it is now in its seventh edition, Defending Possession Proceedings is a popular book!  It is also much heavier than it was when first published, now running to over 800 pages.  A reflection on the ever increasing complexity of this area of law.

The authors refer in their preface to the (much regretted by lawyers in this field) lost opportunity to reform and simplify the law, when the Law Commission’s Renting Homes Bill was not taken up.  I suspect that if it had become law, this book would be a slimmer volume.

Defending possession proceedings is a practical book which covers the three main types of possession claim – those brought by social landlords, private landlords and mortgage companies.  The authors (including a QC, a Judge and the Principal Solicitor of housing charity Shelter) are all specialist housing lawyers, and have between them enormous authority and experience.

Since the last edition was published in 2006 there have been considerable changes, discussed in the preface.  This has resulted in seven new chapters, on family intervention tenancies, replacement tenancies, public law defences, disability discrimination defences, rent arrears and bankruptcy, and Islamic home purchase, plus chapters on introductory and demoted tenancies.

The book remains, as it always has been, a practical guide for lawyers and other practitioners working in the housing law field.  It is regarded, justly, by many as the housing lawyers bible.  If you work in this area of law, you should waste no time in ordering the new edition, and it is a must for all law libraries.

Defending Possession Proceedings is published by Legal Action Group and can be purchased online from Amazon.