The Housing Act 1988 in Practice

Introduction

The vast majority of private (and many social) residential tenancies in England & Wales are protected by the Housing Act 1988. A good working knowledge of this legislation is therefore essential for anyone finding themselves dealing with residential property.

This virtual classroom seminar is aimed at lawyers and property professionals with some understanding of landlord and tenant law who find themselves dealing with tenanted property and need to advise private sector landlords, tenants, purchasers, mortgagees, surveyors, and lettings and block managing agents in this area.

It will examine the Act in detail, consider the most important cases that explain and affect it, and review the further amendments that alter it, including the Deregulation Act 2015, the Immigration Act 2014 and the Tenant Fees Act 2019. It will also provide updates on recent relevant case law including the key Court of Appeal case concerning gas safety certificates and section 21 notices, Trecarrel House Limited v Rouncefield. The latest developments on residential tenancies will also be covered together with the latest on the Government’s plans to abolish section 21 notices.

What You Will Learn

This live and interactive session will cover the following:

• An overview of the various parts of the Housing Act 1988
• Application of the Act:
• Requirements for an assured tenancy and AST
• Exceptions to the Act
• How tenancies fall into and out of the Act
• Security of tenure and periodic tenancies
• Rent review under the Act
• Rent increase clauses
• Section 13 notices
• Recovery of possession under section 8
• The grounds for possession in detail
• Practical comments on their use
• Recovery of possession under section 21
• Review of key cases and defences
• Review of the requirements brought in by the Deregulation Act 2015 and update on the case law
• How the temporary legislation relating to COVID-19 has affected the Housing Act 1988
• The changes in Wales
• The interaction between the Tenant Fees Act 2019 and the Housing Act 1988
• The Government’s proposals for changes to residential landlord and tenant law in the Renters Reform Bill

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.