HOMELESSNESS
Our client approached Hackney council as a homeless person, he was also registered disabled. His relationship with his wife had broken down and he could not longer stay with friends. He was told he had to go back and live with his wife even though they had separated. He had no keys to get into his wife’s property and she had been the sole tenant since before they had been married.
He was told he was not homeless. He was offered no assistance from Hackney Council and had been reduced to sleeping in the car park.
Moss & represented him in his review and made sure that he was given accommodation while Hackney Council looked at their decision again. After accepting that our client was in fact homeless the Council tried ton argue that he was intentionally homeless. Further representations from Moss & Co proved that this was not the case and our client is now waiting to be offered permanent housing.
DISREPAIR
Ms R had lived in a newly converted property from the London Borough of Islington for less than a week when it began to leak rainwater through the ceiling. Our client and her children had to sleep in one room for several months and attempts to repair the leak were unsuccessful. On top of this a sewage drain overflowed in the house and contaminated her belongings. She had not even held the tenancy for one year.
Moss & Co represented the client, commissioned a survey and within two months our client had been offered a new place to live. We also negotiated given over £6,500 in compensation without needing to go to court.
POSSESSION PROCEEDINGS
Ms K had been taken to court by her housing association landlord because she was in arrears with her rent. She had also been eligible for housing benefit and was appealing a decision not to pay her.
On the day before the court hearing her very young son had been diagnosed with a contagious fever and she was not able to attend the hearing because she had no one to look after him. She notified her housing association who nevertheless decided to go ahead with the proceedings. They did not tell the judge that the tenant was looking after her sick child. Our client tried to email the court herself but the message did not get through. A possession order was granted against Ms K and her three children.
The tenant approached Moss & Co and we have now successfully had the order set aside. The possession proceedings are being defended and we are counter claiming against the housing association for repairs they have not carried out.
- Suzanne Bird did these housing cases