HIPs Are Postponed Introduction of Home Information Packs has been delayed until August, will only apply to 'four-bedroom' houses, no certainty on when smaller houses will be included 23.05.07 Guardian, Home Information Packs
Complaints Against Estate Agents Ombudsman for Estate Agents will report there were more than 8k complaints last year, rise of more than a third, poor administration, fees, faulty property details were main issues 11.05.07 BBC, Professional Negligence
Lords Say Scrap HIPs Lords committee is calling on govt to drop its controversial Home Information Packs (HIPs), packs are mandatory from next month but there is little public awareness, a third of survey respondents think they are to do with immigration 02.05.07 Daily Mail, Law Society Press Release, Home Information Packs
HIPs Heading for Chaos Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) claims regulations for Home Information Packs are 'impenetrable, unclear and contradictory', not enough inspectors to run the scheme 25.04.07 Telegraph, Home Information Packs
Law Soc Rails at HIPs Law Society has joined RICS, Council of Mortgage Lenders and National Association of Estate Agents in writing to govt that implementation of Home Information Packs is 'chaotic, costly, damaging' RICS Govt refusing to meet with Law Society and other groups to discuss problems with HIPs 16.03.07 BBC, LegalDay Blog, Home Information Packs
Impact of Sub-Prime Hits the UK Barclays has issued a default notice to New Century Financial for $900m owed financing sub-prime mortgages Telegraph Nearly 60% of new mortgages in the UK are sub-prime, low-grade borrowers and buy-to-let, now accounts for a third of total market Telegraph Massachusetts Secretary of State William F. Galvin had ordered UBS and Bear Stearns to turn over documents on subprime lenders, including New Century 15.03.07 NY Times, Banking Law, Financial Services, Insolvency
New Regeneration Agency New agency to deliver regeneration and housing, Communities England will bring together functions of English Partnerships, Housing Corporation, and range of work carried out by DCLG, including decent homes, housing market renewal, housing PFI, housing growth and urban regeneration 18.01.07 DCLG Press Release, Environment Law, Local Authority Law, Planning Law
Adjusting Property for Disability There has been some bewilderment as to the impact that the Disability Discrimination may have on owners and occupiers, landlords have been concerned that they will have to alter premises to accommodate tenants with disabilities, recent case has shown that the Act may not be as draconian as first feared 14.01.07 Law Now, Commercial Property, Disability Rights, Equality, Landlord and Tenant
Estate Agents to Be Regulated Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Bill will increase consumer rights and representation, compulsory for estate agents to belong to approved ombudsman with powers to award compensation, require estate agents to keep written records of dealings for six years, inspections without notice 17.11.06 Department of Trade & Industry, Consumer Rights, Queen's Speech 2006
Ensuring Reinsurance Claims Most insurers would tend to assume that provided inwards settlements are reasonable they will be able to recover such settlements from their reinsurers, Faraday v Copenhagen Re is a reminder to check carefully the wording of the reinsurance contracts before making such an assumption 14.11.06 Law Now, Commercial Property, Insurance, Litigation
Lords Rule on Property in Cohabitation In Stack v Dowden, landmark case on property rights in cohabitation, Dehra Dowden has won ruling in Lords to right to 65% of value of family home, lived with Brian Stack for 20 years and had four children, greater financial contribution entitled her to greater share of proceeds 26.04.07 Times, Cohabitation, Divorce, Family Law, Stack v Dowden
Rule on What Constitutes Football Case between two Notting Hill neighbours has cost £50k, reached High Ct, justices dismissed case but determined that father and five-year-old son kicking a ball does indeed constitute 'football' 23.11.06 Times, Costs, Neighbour Disputes
Romany Rights Lords to hear case of Gypsy family evicted from field owned by Leeds council, need to reconcile two previous decisions, one on property rights and the other right to family life 08.03.06 BBC, Human Rights
Norfolk Bypass Local Govt and Parliamentary Ombudsmen have ordered DoT and NCC to pay £100k each to Maurice and Audrey Balchin, value of home destroyed when bypass routed within four metres 13.10.05 BBC, Environment Law Links
Living Together Landmark decision gives share of property to cohabiting partner who invested in house but without written record, partner told buyer's solicitor she was 'sitting tenant' 08.06.04 Guardian, Cohabitation Links
