'Court Duty: A Reference Guide to Defending Tenants in the Possession
Lists' by Daniel Bacon will be a comprehensive but easy-reference guide
to the defences that may be available to common possession proceedings
encountered on Court Duty, with references to legislation, case law and
CPR provisions. It will also deal with matters of the court's discretion
and addresses other matters that always arise but can sometimes seem
remote or opaque - such as the applicability of the fixed costs regime,
the exceptional hardship test, and calculating deemed dates of service.
Developed from the notes the author uses in his own Court Duty practice,
this guide is designed to maximise utility when time is short but
thoroughness is still required.
Designed for the often-junior solicitors who carry out Court Duty, it is
hoped that this guide will be of assistance to all duty advisers, the
court itself, and even, perhaps, those acting for the claimants!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Daniel Bacon is a solicitor at Duncan Lewis Solicitors in the City of
London who specialises in housing law. He regularly acts as Court Duty
adviser defending tenants on the possession lists. He also acts for
landlords on a private basis. He holds a Master of Laws (LLM) from the
University of Law.
CONTENTS
Chapter One - General Discretion of the Court and Possible Orders
Chapter Two - Security of Tenure
Chapter Three - Reasonableness of Making a Possession Order
Chapter Four - Deemed Date of Service of the NOSP
Chapter Five - Actual Service of the NOSP
Chapter Six - Personal Service of the NOSP
Chapter Seven - Raising a Defence of Set Off Against Arrears
Chapter Eight - Gas Safety Records and the Validity of a Section 21
Notice
Chapter Nine - The Exceptional Hardship Test
Chapter Ten - Costs
Chapter Eleven - Introduction to Defences
Chapter Twelve - General Defences
- Standing
- Conduct of the Litigation and Rights of Audience
- Particularisation of the Claim
- Court Forms Used
- Verification by Statement of Truth
- Covid Notice
- Service of the Nosp
- Limitation
- Form and Substance of the Nosp
- Notice Period
- Lack of Capacity
- Equality Act Defences
Chapter Thirteen - Section 21 Specific Defences
- Service of the NOSP in the First 4 Months of the AST
- Expiry of the NOSP and / or Issue of Proceedings Within the
Contractual Period
- The How to Rent Guide
- Gas Safety Record
- Energy Performance Certificate
- Deposit Protection and Prescribed Information
- Improvement Notice From the Local Authority
- Licensing Requirements (Selective Licensing for Rental Properties)
- Licensing Requirements (Houses in Multiple Occupation)
- Prohibited Fees
Chapter Fourteen - Section 8 (The Rent Arrears Grounds) Specific
Defences
- Making Out Grounds 8, 10, and 11
- Section 48 Notice
- Defence of Set-Off by Way of a Counterclaim: Disrepair / Housing
Conditions
- Begin Here if You Are Short of Time
- Defence of Set-Off by Way of a Counterclaim: Deposit Protection /
Service of Prescribed Information
- Defence of Set-Off by Way of a Counterclaim: Breaches of the Equality
Act (Discrimination and Harassment)
