Category Archives: Guest blogger

Guest blogger

Is the concept of ‘intentional homelessness’ incompatible with human rights?

There may be another way ...

Guest blogger Samir Jeraj asks if the intentional homelessness rule is compatable with our Human Rights legislation – what do you think?

A new tenants’ movement?

Tenants are getting more organised in the face of poor housing. Guest author Samir Jeraj is on the case – but good landlords have nothing to fear …

Tom Derrett’s Deposit Protection Nightmares

Pole Dancer

Here are three bizarre deposit protection cases brought to you by Tom Derrett, author of How to Win Deposit Disputes

The Story of Scammers Ltd

Cash for the scammers

Dishonest letting agents are a fact of life in many larger towns. Ben gives some examples of their methods of operation.

Better tenants mean better landlords

Alan Ward - Chairman of the RLA

I am delighted to introduce a special guest post from Alan Ward, who is Chairman of the Residential Landlord Association. The bad landlord problem There’s a new pejorative term being attached to landlords – amateur is now added to rogue. Meanwhile Phil Wilson MP recently launched a ten minute Bill to regulate landlords. Using Shelter’s…

Housing Benefit changes – an update

Alan Smith

I received a very useful briefing recently from Alan Smith (pictured), housing officer at Hartsmere Borough Council, and he has kindly given me permission to reproduce this for you all. Budgetary Changes being made to Housing Benefit (NB: Except where stated, existing HB recipients will be affected from their tenancy anniversary, or possibly sooner if…

TRO Confidential : The case of the Tenancy Deposit rant

Tenancy deposit legislation

I asked TRO Ben Reeve Lewis if he could do a  tenancy deposit post, to fit in with this weeks theme, so he got out his soap box … The case of the Tenancy Deposit rant Explanation: Tenancy Relations Officers (TRO) work for local council’s providing advice on landlord tenant law and investigating allegations of…