Page 125 - Solving Housing Disputes

38. The MHCLG should incorporate into the statutory homelessness statistics
data on local authority internal homelessness reviews, including the number
of internal reviews conducted and the overturn rate [3.68-3.69].

39. The time limit for appealing a local authority internal review decision on
homelessness to a Circuit Judge pursuant to section 204 of the Housing Act
1996 ought to be extended from 21 to at least 28 days, to give appellants more
time to access legal aid [3.70].

40. When local authorities provide their written decision on an internal review to
a person seeking homelessness assistance, they should offer that person
access to their full case file from which the decision was made [3.71].

41. MHCLG and HMCTS, in conjunction with local authorities, should explore
how to develop local authority digital case files that can seamlessly migrate
to an appellate court level [3.73].

The housing disputes landscape

Cross ticketing

42. “Cross-ticketing” in housing disputes ought to be placed on a more robust and
formal footing through rule changes [4.5].

43. A cadre of ticketed, specialist “housing judges” should be established to hear
housing disputes, irrespective of which jurisdiction a dispute falls into [4.6].

Simplifying the landscape

44. A judicially led group should be established to look over housing dispute
types and to advise the Government on whether certain types of disputes
ought to migrate from the County Court to the First-tier Tribunal (Property
Chamber) or vice versa [4.12].

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