A party had applied to a judge for what in effect amounted to leave to appeal and had been refused. Held: Wherever power is given to a legal authority to grant or refuse leave to appeal, the decision of that authority is, from the very nature of the thing, final and conclusive and without appeal, … Continue reading In re Housing of the Working Classes Act 1890, Ex parte Stevenson: CA 1892
The House considered situations where a secure or assured tenancy had been made subject to a suspended possession order and where despite the tenant failing to comply with the conditions, he had been allowed to continue in occupation. Held: Mrs White remained an assured tenant despite the continued suspended possession order. Mr Porter was entitled … Continue reading Knowsley Housing Trust v White; Honeygan-Green v London Borough of Islington; Porter v Shepherds Bush Housing Association: HL 10 Dec 2008
The claimants had been engaged to provide an asbestos survey. An arbitration claim had gone against them and they appealed. Akenhead J [2013] EWHC 1322 (TCC), [2013] WLR(D) 211 Bailii, WLRD Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 108(5), Scheme for Construction Contracts (England and Wales) Regulations 1998 Cited by: Appeal from – Aspect Contracts … Continue reading Aspect Contracts (Asbestos) Ltd v Higgins Construction Plc: TCC 23 May 2013
The defendant had been convicted, under regulations made under the Act, of smoking in a railway carriage. He sought to challenge the validity of the regulations themselves. He wanted to argue that the power to ban smoking on carriages did not . .
The applicant sought leave to apply for a judicial review of a decision that she was not a person with a sufficient interest to challenge a scheme of management proposed under the Act. She was a lessee of a property affected, but had sought to make . .
The respondent board had refused to pay housing benefit on the basis that the claimant’s tenancy was not run on a commercial basis. She asserted that they had not given her a fair opportunity to be heard. New regulations had changed the treatment of . .
(Bermuda) An appeal Court did have jurisdiction to hear an appeal against the discharge of leave to apply for certiorari order, since this was outside scope of the rule in Lane v Esdaille.
Lord Hoffmann said: ‘Nevertheless, the limited nature . .
The Council appealed from an order quashing its decision that the applicant was intentionally homeless. . .
The claimant let a house to the defendant under an assured shorthold tenancy. In breach of condition, the defendant operated her licensed conveyancer’s business from the premises. Under an associated arrangement land was let to the defendant for her . .
The appeal succeeded. The Scheme implied that any overpayment could be recovered. . .
1267 – 1278 – 1285 – 1297 – 1361 – 1449 – 1491 – 1533 – 1677 – 1688 – 1689 – 1700 – 1706 – 1710 – 1730 – 1737 – 1738 – 1751 – 1774 – 1792 – 1793 – 1804 – 1814 – 1819 – 1824 – 1828 – 1831 – 1832 … Continue reading Acts
B occupied a room in a hotel. He sought an injunction to prevent his eviction, arguing first that he was a tenant protected by the Housing Act 1988 and second that he was protected under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. His application was refused. Held: His appeal was also dismissed. To claim under the … Continue reading Brillouet v Landless: CA 1996
The rent assessment committee had rejected market rent comparables as an indicator of market rent for the subject premises, because, inter alia, they were not satisfied of the actual absence of scarcity, and thus found that the landlord had not demonstrated the unsoundness of registered fair rent comparables. Held: The decision was upheld. A fair … Continue reading Spath Holme Ltd v Greater Manchester and Lancashire Rent Assessment Committee: CA 9 Aug 1995
The sale of a council house imposed an additional duty on a local authority to disclose known structural defects to buyers. Citations: Times 24-Jun-1997, [1997] EWCA Civ 1752, (1998) 10 Admin LR 185, (1998) 30 HLR 295, (1998) 76 P and CR 293 Links: Bailii Statutes: Housing Act 1985 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Citing: Cited … Continue reading Payne and Woodland v Mayor and Burgesses of London Borough of Barnet: CA 22 May 1997
The landlord served a section 146 notice and the tenant served a counternotice under the 1938 Act. The landlord sought leave to forfeit the lease. Held: Leave was given under ground (e) to forfeit the lease of a public house which had closed for business in 1998 and then had been vandalised and finally destroyed … Continue reading Landmaster Properties Limited v Thackeray Property Services Limited: 2003
A group of employees had brought proceedings which appeared (though there was some ambiguity) to be intended as claims for redundancy payments. More than three months after the effective date of termination they sought to amend to plead alternative claims for unfair dismissal. Held: In hearing appeals from the EAT the first question the court … Continue reading British Newspaper Printing Corporation v Kelly: CA 1989
The claimant landlord had sought to assert that the let was an assured shorthold tenancy. On a rehearing, the tenant said no notice had been served under section 20. The landlord also now asserted non-payment of rent. Held: A notice which was invalid for the purposes for which it was sent might still fulfil some … Continue reading Drew-Morgan v Hamid-Zadeh: CA 13 May 1999
The court examined the principle of the surrender of a lease by operation of law: ‘. . . all the old cases will be found to depend on the principle to which we have adverted, namely, an act done by or to the owner of a particular estate, the validity of which he is estopped … Continue reading Lyon v Reed: 1844
The appellant had contracted to provide office accomodation to the defendant. The air conditioning did not work and there were other defects. The appellant now challenged a finding of liability and that its contract terms which were said to totally exclude liability were unfair under the 1977 Act. Held: The appeal succeeded. Alternative remedies would … Continue reading Regus (UK) Ltd v Epcot Solutions Ltd: CA 15 Apr 2008
A steep staircase in a house which might lead to an accident was not because of that fact a statutory nuisance. It was not directly prejudicial to health as required by the Act for liability. Citations: Times 09-Mar-1999, Gazette 31-Mar-1999, Gazette 10-Mar-1999, [1999] EWCA Civ 869, [1999] 1 WLR 1170, (1999) 31 HLR 1102, [1999] … Continue reading Regina v Bristol City Council ex parte Everett: CA 26 Feb 1999
The claimants, trustees of a Hindu temple, sought judicial review of a decision that a bullock in their temple should be slaughtered having positively reacted to a test for bovine tuberculosis bacterium. They said that the animal posed no threat since it was isolated from other anmals and was sacrosanct to them. Held: The article … Continue reading Suryananda, Regina (on the Application of) v The Welsh Ministers: Admn 16 Jul 2007
A contract which employed one person, but anticipated that the services required might be carried out by his employees did not fall within the Truck Acts. Citations: [1853] 138 ER 116, [1853] EngR 156, (1853) 13 CB 166, (1853) 138 ER 1161 Links: Commonlii Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: Cited – Kelly v Northern … Continue reading Sharman v Sanders: 25 Jan 1853
The applicant sought review of a decision not to offer him temporary accomodation pending an appeal following a review of a refusal to offer him emergency accomodation. He had become homeless as a result of imprisonment. Held: The section gave the authority a wide discretion which should be respected. The authority had acted lawfully. Citations: … Continue reading Regina v Brighton and Hove Council ex parte Nacion (2): CA 1 Feb 1999
EAT Four employees successfully established before the Employment Tribunal that they had been unfairly dismissed for redundancy. The Tribunal found that there had been procedural defects. In particular the assessments in the redundancy exercise had been inadequate and subjective. The Tribunal considered whether the dismissals were fair under section 98A(2) of the Employment Rights Act … Continue reading Software 2000 Ltd v Andrews etc: EAT 17 Jan 2007
The OFT had considered whether it was necessary to refer a merger between two companies to the Competition Commission, and decided against. The Competition Appeal Tribunal held that the proposed merger should have been referred. The OFT and parties appealed. Held: The Tribunal had misdirected itself as to one test. The statutory test required the … Continue reading Office of Fair Trading and others v IBA Health Limited: CA 19 Feb 2004
The tenants had sought to purchase the freehold under the 1987 Act. One tenant having signed an ‘irrevocable’ agreement to participate, withdrew his involvement in the purchase, and the remaining number of tenants were no longer a sufficient majority under the Act. Held: The individual tenant’s right not to participate in the purchase of a … Continue reading Mainwaring and Yeoman’s Row Management Limited v Trustees of Henry Smith’s Charity (No 2): CA 3 Oct 1996
PC (Grenada) The defendant was editor of a newspaper which carried a story severely defamatory of the prime minister. He was convicted of criminal libel, and appealed. Held: The appeal was dismissed. The onus of proof remained, correctly, on the prosecution to prove that the libel was false. The prosecution also had to show that … Continue reading George Worme Grenada Today Limited v The Commissioner of Police: PC 29 Jan 2004
A person who undertakes work and employs several or many men to do, or to assist in doing, the work is not an artificer or workman for the purposes of the Truck Act which prohibited payment other than in the currency of the realm. Citations: [1848] 154 ER 405 Statutes: Truck Act Jurisdiction: England and … Continue reading Ryder v Warde: 1848
The tenant of a house had subdivided it and let off the flats. He sought to acquire the freehold. Held: Where none of the subtenants themselves had qualifying leases, the head tenant could be in sufficient occupation to be able to buy the freehold. Judges: The Hon Mr Justice Laddie Lord Justice Jonathan Parker Citations: … Continue reading Earl Cadogan, Cadogan Estates Limited v Search Guarantees Plc: CA 27 Jul 2004
The defendant appealed an award of pounds 11,000 damages for unlawful eviction of his tenant. The tenant had found herself unable to pay the rent and had given notice to quit. She was then told to leave immediately. The judge awarded statutory damages under section 27 representing the difference between the vacant possession value of … Continue reading King v Jackson (T/a Jackson Flower Company): CA 16 Jul 1997
Application to enforce arbitration award. Judges: Waller LJ, Dyson LJ Citations: [2007] EWCA Civ 527 Links: Bailii Statutes: Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, Construction Contracts (England and Wales) Regulations 1998 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Construction Updated: 06 November 2022; Ref: scu.253258
The applicant had been found to have deliberately procured her own eviction from her tenanted accommodation in Harrow. She was given temporary accommodation in a guest house, where she stayed for over a year. Her housing benefit was then reduced by half, on the basis that her rent was too high. The landlord then told … Continue reading Regina v London Borough of Harrow ex parte Fahia: CA 7 Mar 1997
Industrial Tribunal’s reporting restrictions provisions are to be given considering wider interests than just the parties who appeared before the tribunal. The tribunals themselves are the best judges of case management decisions. Citations: Times 18-Apr-1997, [1998] ICR Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: Cited – Bryant v Housing Corporation CA 21-May-1998 A complainant before an … Continue reading X v Z Ltd: CA 18 Apr 1997
Citations: [1996] EWCA Civ 1235, [1999] 1 LI Rep 747 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: Cited – Great Future International Limited and Others v Sealand Housing Corporation (in Liquidation) and Others ChD 3-Dec-2002 The claimants were to be awarded damages, having been fraudulently induced to purchase shares. The defendant claimed that the increase in … Continue reading Standard Chartered Bank v Pakistan National Shipping Corporation and Another: CA 17 Dec 1996
Misbehaviour of a tenant in the immediate neighbourhood of tenanted property could be a nuisance in respect to that tenancy. Citations: Times 03-Jan-1997, Gazette 11-Mar-1998, [1997] EWCA Civ 821 Statutes: Housing Act 1985 Sch 2 Ground 2 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Housing, Landlord and Tenant Updated: 04 November 2022; Ref: scu.84352
The claimant sought judicial review challenging the restrictions on the sale of electoral registers to registered credit reference agencies. Following Robertson (1) the new regulations created two registers, and the claimant sought to be able to purchase the records for its register of addresses. Held: The consultation had been adequate. The regulations did not create … Continue reading I-CD Publishing Ltd v The Secretary of State, The Information Commissioner (Interested Party): Admn 21 Jul 2003
The parties disputed the compensation for the diversion of a right of way. The right was over a service road connecting the land with the highway. If the land was acquired by the development authority under section 104, and was carried out by a person claiming title under them, then they would have the right … Continue reading Ford-Camber Ltd v Deanminster Ltd and Another: CA 24 May 2007
A landlord’s notice to the effect that ‘3 month’s rent due’ was a sufficiently precise demand to allow the tenant to know the nature of his default, and the notice was valid. the relevant notice said: ‘Signed: RM If signed by agent, name and address of agent: Acting Agent RM’ with the address. This notice … Continue reading Marath and Another v MacGillivray: CA 5 Feb 1996
The applicant was a twenty four year old woman with a history of drug addiction and alcoholism. There was in fact suitable hostel accommodation available which had been offered to the applicant at the relevant time and it was hard to see why she needed the remedy of judicial review. She sought leave to appeal … Continue reading Ortiz v City of Westminster: CA 1994
A shorthold tenancy notice was issued before the tenancy began, but it gave the wrong date for termination. Held: The prescribed form required the correct termination date. A notice with a wrong date is not substantially the same as one with a correct date. The tenancy was therefore not an assured shorthold tenancy, and the … Continue reading Panayi and Pyrkos v Roberts: CA 1993
Citations: [2004] EWHC 1901 (Admin) Links: Bailii Statutes: Housing Act 1996 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Housing, Immigration Updated: 25 October 2022; Ref: scu.199830
The respondent had failed to renew the claimant’s license to fish in the South Atlantic for Patagonian Toothfish. The refusal had been found to be unlawful. The claimant now sought damages. Held: English law does not generally provide a remedy in damages for a breach of a public law right. There must exist a private … Continue reading Quark Fishing Ltd, Regina (on the Application Of) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Admn 22 Jul 2003
The applicant had been born and registered as a female, but later came to receive treatment and to live as a male. He complained that the respondent had failed to amend his birth certificate. Held: The court accepted that, by failing to confer on a transsexual a right to an amended birth certificate, the state … Continue reading Rees v The United Kingdom: ECHR 17 Oct 1986
Health insurer is not body providing qualification to carry on profession or trade and not liable as such in race discrimination laws. Citations: Times 24-Jul-1997, [1997] EWCA Civ 2046 Statutes: Race Relations Act 1976 12 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: Cited – Kelly v Northern Ireland Housing Executive; Loughran v Northern Ireland Housing Executive … Continue reading Dr Tattari v Private Patients Plan Limited: CA 8 Jul 1997
A complaint as to the privileging of civil over religious marriages in Turkey was found admissible.‘ the essential object of Article 8 is to protect the individual against arbitrary interference by the public authorities. There may in addition be positive obligations inherent in effective ‘respect’ for family life. In both contexts regard must be had … Continue reading Serife Yigit v Turkey: ECHR 20 Jan 2005
‘This case concerns the approach to be adopted by the court towards the assessment of a ‘good reason’ for delay in bringing an appeal under s.204 of the Housing Act 1996 (‘the 1996 Act’) against an adverse review decision under the homelessness provisions of that Act, in circumstances where the reason put forward for the … Continue reading Al Ahmed v London Borough of Tower Hamlets: CA 30 Jan 2020
The respondent had requested a review of his housing priority need. He had applied to the Authority under the homelessness provisions of the 1996 Act, the Council decided that he was not in priority need. The solicitors then acting for him requested a review of that decision. The decision on the review / upheld the … Continue reading London Borough of Hamlets v Al Ahmed: QBD 26 Mar 2019
The applicants complained that as an unmarried couple they had been excluded from consideration as adopters. Held: Northern Ireland legislation had not moved in the same way as it had for other jurisdictions within the UK. The greater commitment to traditional family structures did not however justify the difference. The rules were unlawful discrimination.Lord Hoffmann … Continue reading In re P and Others, (Adoption: Unmarried couple) (Northern Ireland); In re G: HL 18 Jun 2008
Extension of Time for Parental Order The court considered the making of a parental order in respect of a child through surrogacy procedures outside the time limits imposed by the 2008 Act. The child had been born under Indian surrogacy laws. The commissioning parents (now the applicants) had separated for a short time. Held: The … Continue reading In re X (A Child) (Surrogacy: Time Limit): FD 3 Oct 2014
The claimants were shareholders in Westrip, accusing the Defendant directors of deliberately engaging in a course of conduct which has led to Westrip losing ownership and control of a very valuable mining licence and which, but for their intervention, would have led to Westrip losing all or almost all of its remaining assets. They say … Continue reading Iesini and Others v Westrip Holdings Ltd and Others: ChD 16 Oct 2009
Lord Russell of Killowen said: ‘The function of the Employment Appeal Tribunal is to correct errors of law where one is established and identified. I think care must be taken to avoid concluding that an experienced industrial tribunal by not expressly mentioning some point or breach has overlooked it.’ It should not examine the tribunal … Continue reading Retarded Childrens Aid Society v Day: CA 1978
The employee claimed that the behaviour which gave rise to her dismissal was a protected disclosure, and that her motive was irrelevant. Held: The fact that what was disclosed was true was not conclusive to protect the disclosure. The court could look to motive, and a bad motive might defeat the protection even if the … Continue reading Street v Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre: EAT 22 Sep 2003
The Listed buildings registers are to be read consistently; the trading level is a material consideration in listed buildings consent applications. The weight to be given to a material consideration once identified was a matter of judgment for the decision maker alone. Lord Clyde said: ‘In the practical application of section 18A, it will obviously … Continue reading City of Edinburgh Council v Secretary of State for Scotland and Another; Same v Same (Conjoined Appeals): HL 31 Oct 1997
The claimant had obtained orders against two companies who banked with the respondent. Asset freezing orders were served on the bank, but within a short time the customer used the bank’s Faxpay national service to transfer substantial sums outside the bank’s branch controls, and defeat the freezing order. The claimant sought recovery from the bank. … Continue reading Commissioners of Customs and Excise v Barclays Bank Plc: ComC 3 Feb 2004
The complainant has requested a copy of a financial viability assessment relating to a large housing development at the Elephant and Castle in London. London Borough of Southwark refused the request, withholding the information under the exception for the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information. During the course of the Commissioner’s investigation the council applied … Continue reading Southwark Council (Decision Notice): ICO 18 Jul 2013
A youth was charged with causing grievous bodily harm. His trial was fixed for 11 October 1988. On the date of trial, the prosecution applied for an adjournment on the grounds that, if the trial proceeded immediately and the magistrates decided that the victim did not have sufficient understanding to take the oath by reason … Continue reading Regina v Walsall Justices, ex parte W (a minor): QBD 1990
The authority sought to evict their tenant on the ground that he was behaving in a way which was a nuisance to neighbours. The tenant was disabled, and claimed discrimination. Held: In secure tenancies, the authority had to consider the reasonableness of making a possession order, and in situations where it was enforcing a possession … Continue reading Council of the City of Manchester v Romano, Samariz: CA 1 Jul 2004
The Secretary of State had introduced regulations which excluded the statutory right to payment of ‘urgent case’ benefits for asylum seekers who had not claimed asylum immediately upon arrival, or whose claims for asylum had been rejected, and who were awaiting appeal. Held: Leaving asylum applicants without benefits defeated the purpose of the asylum laws. … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for Social Security Ex Parte B and the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants: CA 27 Jun 1996
The claimant had been a foster son and was now the administrator of the estate of the deceased tenant. He sought to occupy the property as a successor under the 1985 Act. He said that as a former foster child, he had become a member of the deceased’s family and the 1985 should be read … Continue reading Sheffield City Council v Wall (Personal Representatives of) and Others: CA 30 Jul 2010
The claimant sought additional provision from her father’s estate. She said that the will failed to make reasonable provsion for her, bearing in mind her extreme financial needs. She was a single mother of three. Held: The claim failed. Michael Furness QC J said: ‘the most important factors are first the financial position of the … Continue reading Garland v Morris and Another: ChD 11 Jan 2007
The authority complained that during the course of the trial, the judge had repeatedly intervened during oral evidence. Held: A judge must be careful not to repeatedly intervene during oral evidence as opposed to counsel making submissions. The risk was not whether a reasonable observer would see bias, but that the judge would have descended … Continue reading London Borough of Southwark v Kofi-Adu: CA 23 Mar 2006
The claimant taxi driver sought to assert race discrimination. The respondent argued that he had not been an employee, but an independent contractor. The Claimant owned his own vehicle and paid the respondents minicab operators pounds 75 per week for a radio and access to their company system, which allocated calls from customers to a … Continue reading Mingeley v Pennock and Another (T/A Amber Cars): CA 9 Feb 2004
Uber drivers are workers The claimant Uber drivers sought the status of workers, allowing them to claim the associated statutory employment benefits. The company now appealed from a finding that they were workers. Held: The appeal failed (Underhill LJ dissenting) The drivers accepted the control of tee Uber app: ‘Even if drivers are not obliged … Continue reading Uber Bv and Others v Aslam and Others: CA 19 Dec 2018
The council tenant had wished to appeal following a possession order made after her tenancy had been demoted. The court handed down a supplemental judgment to give effect to its earlier decision. The Court had been asked ‘whether article 8 of the . . Convention . . requires a court, which is being asked to … Continue reading Manchester City Council v Pinnock: SC 9 Feb 2011
Twins were conjoined (Siamese). Medically, both could not survive, and one was dependent upon the vital organs of the other. Doctors applied for permission to separate the twins which would be followed by the inevitable death of one of them. The parents, devout Roman Catholics, resisted. Held: The parents’ views were subject to the overriding … Continue reading In Re A (Minors) (Conjoined Twins: Medical Treatment); aka In re A (Children) (Conjoined Twins: Surgical Separation): CA 22 Sep 2000
The plaintiff was a manager within the social services department. He suffered a mental breakdown in 1986, and had four months off work. His employers had refused to provide the increased support he requested. He had returned to work, but again, did not receive the staff or guidance to allow him to do the work … Continue reading Walker v Northumberland County Council: QBD 16 Nov 1994
The council argued that the defendant was not a tenant granted to him as a secure tenancy since he had not been granted the tenancy in accordance with its policies. An employee had manipulated the Council’s system to grant tenancies to bypass the controls. There was no evidence of this having been done for payment. … Continue reading Birmingham City Council v Qasim and Others: CA 20 Oct 2009
The applicant was heavily pregnant when she was offered a first floor one bedroomed flat. She rejected it. Held: When a housing authority reviewed its decision on the applicant’s decision not to accept the accommodation offered, that review had two stages. Was the accommodation offered suitable, and, secondly, was the applicant’s rejection of the offer … Continue reading Slater v London Borough of Lewisham: CA 12 Apr 2006
Hudoc Judgment (Merits and just satisfaction) Violation of Art. 6-1; Pecuniary damage – financial award; Non-pecuniary damage – financial award; Costs and expenses award – Convention proceedings Citations: [1993] ECHR 14, 13023/87, (1998) 26 EHRR 187 Links: Worldlii, Bailii Jurisdiction: Human Rights Cited by: Cited – A, Regina (on the Application of) v London Borough … Continue reading Salesi v Italy: ECHR 26 Feb 1993
The landlord had failed in his duty to repair. One tenant’s health suffered because of the damp, and they had to rent other premises. Held: The landlord has only a reasonable time to effect repairs once he has been given notice of the need for them. Damages for breach of a covenant to repair are … Continue reading Calabar Properties Ltd v Stitcher: CA 1983
The claimants challenged the benefits cap introduced under the 2012 Act, saying that it was discriminatory, affecting more women than men. Mr Eadie QC submitted on behalf of the Secretary of State that, as ‘an international instrument with no binding effect in English law’, the Convention had no bearing on the case. Held: That suggestion … Continue reading JS and Others, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Others: QBD 5 Nov 2013
The applicant, a recovering drug addict sought assistance as a homeless person in priority need. He said that he was subject to a risk of relapse. Held: The council had correctly applied the tests set out in Pereira and Osmani. They had been entitled to consider that he was not vulnerable within the section. Judges: … Continue reading Simms v London Borough of Islington: CA 16 Oct 2008
The respondent brought in laws restricting marriages between persons subject to immigration control, requiring those seeking non Church of England marriages to first obtain a certificate from the defendant that the marriage was approved. The applicants said this was discriminatory and infringed their human rights. Held: Legislation which prevented marriages of convenience between aliens and … Continue reading Baiai and Others, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: Admn 10 Apr 2006
Statutory appeal by the Office of Government Commerce (the OGC) against two decisions of the Information Tribunal relating to gateway reviews carried out by the OGC of the Government’s identity card programme. Judges: Stanley Burnton J Citations: [2008] EWHC 774 (Admin), [2008] ACD 54, [2009] 3 WLR 627, [2010] QB 98 Links: Bailii Jurisdiction: England … Continue reading Office of Government Commerce v Information Commissioner: Admn 11 Apr 2008
The claimant had applied for emergency housing, saying that he had suffered a deep vein thrombosis, and was vulnerable under the 1996 Act. The authority said that its finding that the VT would not put him at additional risk if homeless, was one of fact against which no appeal lay. The authority now appealing said … Continue reading London Borough of Wandsworth v Allison: CA 15 Apr 2008
Her parents had bought a house and granted tenancies to their adult daughter (the appellant), who suffered a personality disorder. They became unable to repay the mortgage. Receivers were appointed but the appellant fell into arrears with the rent. The receivers began possession proceedings, and a possession order was made and confirmed. She appealed saying … Continue reading McDonald v McDonald and Others: SC 15 Jun 2016
(Cayman Islands) The Board considered the effect of a misdeclaration on a proposal for medical insurance.Lord Bingham considered a statement which was said to be ‘complete and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief’. Lord Bingham stated: ‘It is unnecessary to rehearse these authorities in detail, since it is clear in the Board’s … Continue reading Zeller v British Caymanian Insurance Company Ltd: PC 16 Jan 2008
Company directors used council employee to illegally access tenants’ details A Slough letting agent and one of its directors who unlawfully obtained details about their tenants from a rogue employee at Slough Borough Council have been found guilty of committing offences under Section 55 of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). At Reading Magistrates today, … Continue reading Sandhu (Prosecution): ICO 30 Mar 2012
The claimants were husband and wife. They had six children. The wife was severely disabled and confined to a wheelchair. In breach of their duty under section 21(1)(a) of the 1948 Act, the respondent council failed for some 20 months to provide the family with accommodation suited to her disability. The consequences were appalling. The … Continue reading Bernard, Regina (on the Application of) v London Borough of Enfield: Admn 25 Oct 2002
EAT PART TIME WORKERSA police officer was found by the Tribunal to be significantly disadvantaged compared with his peers when carrying out examinations for promotion. Nonetheless, the Tribunal held that he was not disabled within the meaning of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 because that was not a normal day-to-day activity. In so far as … Continue reading Paterson v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis: EAT 23 Jul 2007
The claimants had been detained under the 1971 Act, after completing sentences of imprisonment pending their return to their home countries under deportations recommended by the judges at trial, or chosen by the respondent. They challenged as unlawful the respondent’s, at first unpublished, policy introduced in 2006, that by default, those awaiting deportation should be … Continue reading Lumba (WL) v Secretary of State for The Home Department: SC 23 Mar 2011
The claimant sought judicial review of a refusal to make an ex gratia payment for his imprisonment whilst successfully resisting extradition proceedings. Terrorist connections had been suggested, but the judge made an explicit finding that at no stage had any evidence been produced. Held: The 1988 Act provided only limited circumstances for a payment, but … Continue reading Raissi, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: Admn 22 Feb 2007
The applicant was not entitled in domestic law to succeed to a tenancy on the death of her partner. The aim of the legislation is question was to protect the family, a goal similar to the protection of the right to respect for family life guaranteed by Article 8 of the Convention. The aim itself … Continue reading S v United Kingdom: ECHR 1986
The claimant alleged that the defendants had funded the purchase of various properties by secret and unlawful commissions taken by them whilst in power in Pakistan. They sought to recover the proceeds. They now sought permission to serve proceedings on the defendant companies abroad, outside a Lugano Convention country. Held: The claim should proced. ‘There … Continue reading Islamic Republic of Pakistan v Zardari and others: ComC 6 Oct 2006
The Revenue sought to disallow for industrial buildings allowance sums expended on warehouse premises which were to be used to store window products imported for use in other manufacturing processes. Held: The Revenue’s appeal succeeded. ‘The question under s.18(1) is whether the warehouse is in use for the purposes of a trade which consists in … Continue reading Revenue and Customs v Maco Door and Window Hardware (Uk) Ltd: ChD 19 Jul 2006
An interim anti-social behaviour order had been obtained against an 11 and a half year old boy in the county court, and an injunction sought against his mother under the 1996 Act. The defence had questioned whether there had been the required consultation with the police. It was then disputed whether that issue had been … Continue reading Manchester City Council v Muir and Another: CA 20 Mar 2006
The court was asked about transitional arrangements for Rent Act tenants after the 1988 Act: ‘If A, a Rent Act tenant, takes a new tenancy agreement after the commencement of the 1988 Act jointly with B, does B thereafter partake in the ongoing protection to which A would have been entitled if he, B, takes … Continue reading Secretarial and Nominee Co Ltd v Thomas and others: CA 29 Jul 2005
The occupier had been granted a temporary licence by the authority under the homelessness provisions whilst it made its assessment. The assessment concluded that she had become homeless intentionally, and therefore terminated the licence and set out to evict her. She claimed that the authority had to get a court authority before so evicting her. … Continue reading Desnousse v London Borough of Newham and others: CA 17 May 2006
EAT The claimant had worked as an adviser for the respondent identifying investment opportunities. He said he had been unfairly dismissed after disclosing that the company had overpaid for an investment. He now appealed against a finding that any disclosures were not made in good faith and were not qualifying disclosures. Though his dismissal had … Continue reading Bachnak v Emerging Markets Partnership (Europe) Ltd: EAT 27 Jan 2006
The tenancy was of an agricultural holding, with protection under the 1986 Act. It had 350 acres of pasture, and two farmhouses. The tenants covenanted not to use the holding for any purpose other than agriculture, to farm it in accordance with the rules of good husbandry and personally to reside in the farmhouses. They … Continue reading National Trust for Places of Historic Interest Or Natural Beauty v Knipe and Knipe: CA 15 May 1997
The claimants were dependants of Iraqi nationals killed in Iraq. Held: The Military Police were operating when Britain was an occupying power. The question in each case was whether the Human Rights Act applied to the acts of the defendant. The question amounted to whether the officers acted under State Agent Authority within the convention … Continue reading Regina (on the Application of Mazin Mumaa Galteh Al-Skeini and Others) v The Secretary of State for Defence: CA 21 Dec 2005
The claimant complained that the law which protected an occupier of a dwelling house from a temporary stop notice did not apply to those living in caravans, and that this was discriminatory. Held: The claim failed. ‘usually a change of use of a building to a dwelling will cause less immediate environmental damage than the … Continue reading Wilson v Wychavon District Council and Another: Admn 20 Dec 2005
The parties had disputed payments for subcontracting work on a major project. The matter had been referred to arbitration, and the claimants now appealed refusal of leave to appeal the adjudicator’s award. Held: The dispute was complex and substantial. Nevertheless, the adjudicator ‘not only took the initiative in ascertaining the facts but also applied his … Continue reading Carillion Construction Ltd v Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd: CA 16 Nov 2005
The defendant appealed his conviction for racially aggravated abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear or to provoke violence. He was driving his motorised scooter and came across three Spanish women. In the course of an altercation he called them ‘bloody foreigners’ and told them to get back to their own … Continue reading Rogers, Regina v: CACD 10 Nov 2005
The Jockey had been disqualified from riding for five years for breaches of the club’s rules. He said the punishment was disproportionate in effectively preventing him working for a living. Held: The appeal failed, and the judge’s analysis was approved. Having entered the profession, the claimant must accept its rules. He had broken them. The … Continue reading Bradley v The Jockey Club: CA 12 Jul 2005
The defendant argued that the 2003 Act was in breach of his article 8 rights. He had been registered as a sex offender, but the offence for which he had been convicted involved no proof of intention. Held: The claimant having brought the proceedings, his name was not to be withheld. The substantial point was … Continue reading Forbes v Secretary of State for the Home Department: QBD 26 Jul 2005
Notices had been served by tenants under the Acts. The properties were on a large estate where the freeholds had been divided and assigned to different bodies, and there were inconsistencies in identifying the landlords. The landlords served a counter-notice but it misidentified the landlord. The landlord appealed a finding that his notice was invalid. … Continue reading Lay and others v Ackerman and Another: CA 4 Mar 2004
The claimant complained that having applied for housing in the borough they had in fact housed him outside the borough. Held: The authority had a duty to house the applicant so far it was reasonably practicable within its borders. The policy had been adopted after an acute shortage of affordable housing. That policy was not … Continue reading Calgin, Regina (on the Application of) v London Borough of Enfield: Admn 29 Jul 2005
The claimant had sought to bring proceedings against the respondent, but as a mental patient subject to the 1983 Act, had been obliged by the section first to obtain consent. The parties disputed whether the failure was a procedural or substantial failing and whether it made the proceedings a nullity. Held: The claimant’s appeal failed. … Continue reading Seal v Chief Constable of South Wales Police: HL 4 Jul 2007
What is reasonable provision for daughter? The deceased had left her estate in her will to several animal charities. The claimant, her daughter, had been estranged from her mother for many years, and sought reasonable provision from her estate under the 1975 Act. The district judge had rejected her claim. Held: The appeal by the … Continue reading Ilott v The Blue Cross and Others: SC 15 Mar 2017
