Housing Law Casebook

PROBABLY THE MOST FAMOUS, MOST IMPORTANT AND MOST USEFUL CASEBOOK ON HOUSING LAW NOW AVAILABLE

An appreciation by Elizabeth Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers

and Reviews Editor, "The Barrister"

"Housing Law is hard law" write the two expert authors, Nic Madge and Sam Madge-Wyld. One reason is because of the effect that housing cases can have on people. Any person involved in housing needs this book: the largest of the Legal Action Group titles available at 1,300 pages, with every single page counting!

Do read the introduction as your first port of call. Results of hearings, at worst, "may result in homelessness for tenants or severe economic problems for landlords" say the writers. They go on to comment that, at best the hearings "may result in the provision of good quality accommodation for tenants or the realization of substantial economic assets for landlords" so there can be a great deal at stake.

Where we come in as advisers rests with the conflict of interest between the parties which is frequently a major factor with cases bitterly fought so you do need this book as a main point of reference. One of the biggest single problems is that of the conflict of interest between "often destitute homeless people and local authorities" where the authorities "frequently do not have the financial resources or organisation to comply with their statutory obligations".

The main purpose of this casebook is to give us, as practitioners, help in tracking down and reading, very quickly, cases which we know about although we may have forgotten some of the details- more of a common problem than many realise with the massive number of new authorities now available.

The title is also of great help to more recently qualified practitioners and the Young Bar. It is also highly likely today that many litigants in person will use the casebook. And, like all casebooks, it is great for those who do not have ready access to law libraries and require short summaries of cases to assist in the understanding of particular areas of housing law. But, a word of caution as with all casebooks- don't treat it as a replacement for the law reports!

In some of the earlier editions of this work, we commented on the main aim of the authors which had been to include all the cases that housing law practitioners "will ever need". Sadly, but not unexpectedly, "that is no longer possible" but Nic and Sam gives us the best possible service for our legal practice with this new seventh edition as a time when many areas of substantive law are in much the same position.

A big "thank you" remains all that needs to be said to them and to LAG and please remember to contact the authors should you have any points to make about the new edition. We believe that the contents of this book for the practitioner cannot be bettered!

The law in this book is up to date as at 8th February 2017 and is available as a book and an ebook.