Reforms to housing legal aid could save the NHS at least £15 million annually, according to independent analysis commissioned by the Law Society.

The study, carried out by Frontier Economics, was commissioned by Chancery Lane to assess the costs associated with applying for and maintaining a civil legal aid contract, as well as the profits or losses generated by such work. The research was part of a broader review of civil legal aid initiated by the previous government, though the findings of that review have not yet been released.

Earlier this year, research revealed that lawyers were losing money on housing legal aid cases. The new report highlights the broader economic benefits of adequately funding civil legal aid.

The latest findings show that the cost of a typical GP consultation to the NHS is £42, while the least expensive A&E visit costs £86. More serious hospital admissions can cost as much as £586 per day.

Nearly half of tenants in the UK are living with some form of housing disrepair, with 10% facing significant issues. In England alone, homes in serious disrepair are estimated to cost the NHS an additional £255 million. If reforms to housing legal aid could reduce the occurrence of major disrepair issues by just 5%, it could save the NHS £15 million annually.

Nick Emmerson, President of the Law Society, commented: "For decades, previous governments have gradually starved the civil justice system of funding, pushing it to the brink of collapse. Legal aid is crucial for ensuring that citizens' voices are heard. Without it, the consequences extend beyond justice, impacting health, employment, and education."

Emmerson added, "Like any public service, legal aid must be properly funded. Our research clearly shows the economic benefits of investing in the justice system. The Prime Minister and his government have the opportunity to reverse the damage done by the previous administration by properly investing in civil legal aid. This would ensure that public services are equipped to support families facing issues like eviction, housing disrepair, and other life-altering challenges."

BPS SOLICITORS AND LANGTON LAW CLOSED BY THE SRA. 

In a remarkable move, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has shut down two Liverpool-based claims firms, BPS Solicitors and Langton Law, on the same day. Both firms are closely linked to McDermott Smith, another Liverpool firm that went into administration just last month.

The SRA intervened in BPS Solicitors after determining that its manager, Alistair Davies, had violated the Administration of Justice Act 1985. While no dishonesty or breach of accounts rules was suspected, the firm was closed immediately, and Davies, who had been practicing since 1988, was suspended.

Similarly, Langton Law Limited was shut down by the SRA, and its manager, Kathryn Langton, was suspended. Langton, who was admitted to the profession in 2009, was cited for suspected failures to comply with SRA principles, the code of conduct, and accounts regulations.

Stephensons Solicitors, a North West firm, has been appointed as the intervening agent for both BPS Solicitors and Langton Law.

MCDERMOTT SMITH SOLICITORS

McDermott Smith, which appointed administrators last month, had significantly increased its work in progress and debts in the previous year. BPS Solicitors reportedly took on some of McDermott Smith’s work after it closed. Until April, BPS was registered at the same Liverpool address as McDermott Smith. Alistair Davies himself had joined BPS from McDermott Smith in April, and BPS’s head of housing disrepair also came from the same firm.

While not as large as McDermott Smith, BPS saw rapid growth in recent years. Accounts from 2022/23 revealed a jump from zero staff to two, and from £110,000 in debt to over £1.8 million. By the time of the intervention, the firm employed around 40 people. Earlier this summer, BPS was actively recruiting housing disrepair solicitors and had offered training contracts to three staff members. Those staff members have since posted on LinkedIn seeking new firms to take on their training contracts.

Langton Law, founded by Kathryn Langton, was incorporated in December 2022. Langton had previously served as a director at McDermott Smith before stepping down in 2024. Until last week, Langton Law had been registered at the same address as the now-defunct McDermott Smith, before moving to a new city centre location on Dale Street. Just a week ago, Langton Law had announced on LinkedIn that they were relocating to "bigger and better premises," teasing that the new address would be revealed soon.

HOW WE CAN HELP CURRENT CLIENTS

Although Stephensons has once again been appointed by the SRA as Intervention Agents, they are not responsible for any creditors of BPS or Langton, nor will they be handling any ongoing cases.

Clients involved in housing disrepair or motor finance matters are encouraged to seek new legal representation. Stephensons will facilitate the transition by ensuring that any recovered files are forwarded to the client’s new law firm.

The sudden closure of a law firm can create significant challenges for both former employees and clients. It’s always unfortunate to see situations like this, where support staff are left without employment through no fault of their own. Equally, clients are now faced with the task of finding alternative legal representation without warning.

If you are affected by this situation and need legal assistance, please contact us at 0345 504 0005 or complete the contact form below for a no-obligation consultation.

Please note that our firm specialises in Housing Conditions claims for tenants in properties owned by housing associations or councils in England and Wales, and may not be able to assist with all legal matters.

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After a massive year in the social housing sector, what can you expect to see in 2022?

It's fair to say that 2021 was a reasonably rollercoaster year for the social housing sector. With questions about fire safety and the zero-carbon requirements that loom ever closer, change was well and truly afoot. 

However, neither of the two problems mentioned above took centre stage in 2021. That spot was, of course, occupied by the exposure of terrible housing conditions in which some were being forced to live. As the ITV and Dan Hewitt, in particular, led an all-out assault on those providing way below par housing. The country tuned-in to the coverage and began to highlight problems of their own.

In this short but sweet blog, we want to offer some insight as to what we can all expect from 2022. Take our hand as we walk through the social housing sector for the coming year.

 

Housing associations could hold back on development to make right the problems they face.

It's no surprise that housing associations have pledged tens of millions to make right the fire safety issues that many of their properties face. It will also come as less of a surprise if they have to reach deep into their development pockets to do so. 

With the net-zero movement looking like it will cost a lot more than initially imagined, social housing providers are going to have to fix up or fall short. Expect more borrowing and the cost of reaching the governments' targeted number of affordable homes to be covered by private entities.

 

More regulation.

It was announced in 2021 that Kate Bosworth would take up the director of consumer regulation role at the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). The RSH immediately pushed forward with its suggested increased regulation in terms of tenant satisfaction. Social landlords are to be judged on five specific themes. Repairs, Building safety, respectful and helpful tenant engagement, responsible neighbourhood engagement and effective complaint handling. Therefore cranking up the pressure on the large associations who are failing those most in need.

 

Is there more social housing pressure forthcoming?

It was Daniel Hewitt and the power of ITV that seemed to finally bring the issue to national attention. Despite this behaviour going on for years prior. However, the national coverage has forced action, and it's nothing more than tenants deserve. Social landlords have shuffled off into the darkness to do some much-needed soul searching. However, the RSH and housing ombudsmen have no intention of resting. 

The pressure is on for social housing providers. They must now tick the boxes to ensure they are compliant in terms of housing disrepair. Or risk facing the consequences of their actions. Expect more fireworks this year as companies similar to Clarion are put under the microscope in a similar fashion.

 

If you are suffering from housing disrepair, follow the link below and find out how we could help you.

 

https://www.antonyhodari.co.uk

 

Could Antony Hodari Solicitors be the answer to your housing problems in 2022?

The year starts again with a flurry of promises of change. Whether it's the strict new diet, the plan to start driving or the often short-lived 'Dry January'. It's just what we do as humans, roll out of bed on January 1st with a head full of expectations and aims, and we are all about that positivity.

If there's an opportunity to grow, we suppose the new year is a great place to start, but for us, it's each and every day, and that's precisely what we are promising. However, the difference for us is that we aren't promising one another as we pass in the office; we are making the commitment for you. Whether you are a current client, a reader of our blog, or who knows, maybe a future customer. We will keep improving what we do for you, and that's what will make our service unique this year. 

The city and us.

You may have noticed we are the first to sing and dance about being from Manchester. In fact, most of our dancing is done on tables, that's what they're for, right? But the truth of the matter is that we offer our services across the UK. 

We are far more active in London than in Manchester, but that's just down to where the people need us most. Within our service, we offer national surveyor coverage, meaning that no matter where you are, we can get one of our experts out to you to analyse the disrepair you are living with day-to-day.

What's the plan?

The truth is in 2022; we want to produce the same us on a more extensive basis. With all of the same exceptional customer service and user experience, with added capabilities and reach. That's why we continue to expand our offering as a company and build our in-house team so that you're in the safest hands possible.

So, that being said, if you know anyone that needs us this year, follow the link below and find out about our recommendation scheme.

https://www.antonyhodari.co.uk/recommend-a-friend/

Have the best 2002, everyone.

Antony Hodari Solicitors.

Is the increase in social housing investment enough to rectify the issues of 2021?

The end of the Twenty Twenty-One saw an incredible increase in social housing investment, and, of course, that's something to cheer about. However, we must not lose sight of the importance of continued investment in the most troubling times. 

The coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the world we once knew in countless ways. One of the most prominent casualties has been the housing sector. Of course, it's vital that we understand the darkness; otherwise, we would have no knowledge of the light, and in these times, we need to take those little glimmers as hope.

It was the Welsh government who, in the final working weeks of twenty twenty-one, ploughed money into the housing package once more. This time it was an additional commitment to helping solve homelessness and to reducing carbonisation by the years 2024-25. Alongside previous housing sector funding increases, including money attributed to building safety risks, the total package is worth over £1bn.

Despite the above being steps towards a brighter destination, the bulk of the investment has been allocated towards social housing. An investment of £310m a year for the next three years highlights the intentions of those in power.  Undoubtedly pushing us towards a better future for the sector. 

For those outside of the housing sector, it's vital to stress the importance of this figure. For perspective, only five years ago, the Welsh government were spending £70m per year on the same problem.

 

What will the investment do?

The investment will provide a solid starting point for social housing providers. Let's be honest, that is needed now more than ever. The role of social housing has to play in national poverty is vital, and therefore, these investments are clearly a step in the right direction.

However, it's unlikely that the investment will be beneficial without sharpening up on governance and ruling against those social housing providers who allow their standards to become inadequate. 

That being said, the problems of 2021 are lessons from which we must learn. They are the light leading the way towards a brighter tomorrow. It's time for housing associations to step up and provide housing that benefits communities across the board; 2022 is here, and it's time for a change. 

Want to read more? Visit our blog at the link below.

https://www.antonyhodari.co.uk/blogs-news/

Nightmare housing is costing the NHS £1.4 billion per year.

 

Families are suffering in silence whilst landlords leave their homes in a state of complete disrepair.

An ITV article this past week reported that poor housing costs the NHS nearly £1.4 Billion a year. The report focuses on a Building Research Establishment (BRE) finding that highlighted that the figure is spent treating the illnesses and ailments caused by housing disrepair. The figure included all sorts of hazards such as damp & mould, excessive cold and falling down the stairs.

The report went on to say that most of the housing disrepair problems are "generally, not expensive to rectify compared with the long-term cost to the NHS and society if they are ignored." Highlighting that most of the time, it boils down to landlords wanting to avoid rectifying simple problems.

The highest cost was the £857 million said to be spent on treating residents whose health deteriorates due to excessively cold homes. However, this is a drop in the ocean compared to the cost of those unable to work due to disrepair. This was announced in the BRE report at a whopping £18.5 billion.

 

Housing - Solving the problem

The shocking figure is that to solve the problem; it would only cost landlords on average around £3800. The issue of poor housing isn't a new phenomenon, as highlighted by a statement made by Jane Goddard. The current Director of Corporate Affairs for the BRE said: "This hasn't changed; it hasn't improved since we did the first survey in 2015. This isn't a problem that's going to mend itself. 

 What about us?

As you probably know, at Antony Hodari Solicitors, we specialise in providing five-star service to tenants in need. As a housing disrepair specialist, we have helped over 100,000 clients and managed to obtain over £100 million in compensation. So if you know anyone who needs us, we're here and waiting to hear from you! 

 

 

In his first week in the job, new housing secretary Michael Gove took aim at the quality of social housing. Describing the current quality as 'scandalously poor', Gove also suggested that incentives may be implemented for standards to improve.

The new housing secretary went on to say, 'there are people who are living in conditions which are overcrowded...living in conditions affected by damp and other factors, which hold back the flourishing of children and families."

In recent months, primarily supported by the investigations of ITV News, social housing has come under increased scrutiny. Despite setting out a proposal to increase regulations in the sector back in October 2020, no date has yet been provided for the legislation needed.


Gove went on to comment on how he believes some people may be stuck in a situation whereby they live in social housing for most of their adult lives. Therefore the need for adequate regulations is a must to protect those in such a situation.

When summarising what his department will be working on in the coming months, Gove stated. "investing more in urban regeneration...a better deal for those in social housing...and helping those who currently rent to own their own homes."

"Our mission will also mean keeping faith in the victims of Grenfell. honouring their memory, making everyone's home greener and sharing the cost of that work more fairly."

Mr Gove made all the right noises in his opening statement; however, how long change will take and indeed how stringently legislation will be enforced upon social housing providers is very much a case of, let's wait and see.

If you are a tenant who is struggling with the standard of your home, we are here to help! Simply fill out our contact form, and we will be in touch as soon as possible.

 

 

Being responsible for over 800 different housing associations certainly isn't easy work. However, 2021 has witnessed the NHF holding their hands up and accepting their mistakes. It has also produced new regulations that will hopefully see the standard of exempt accommodation rise in the future.

It's no secret that the NHF would have done anything possible to avoid another year like 2021. The federation has promised changes across the board, resulting in better living standards for all. It has been said that they will hold the right to refuse entry to any association looking to enter the sector for the wrong reasons. The NHF will also remove existing members if they don't adhere to the new proposed ethos.

Problems with exempt accommodation

The change comes in response to the amount of exempt accommodation across the UK. Exempt accommodation is often used to house those who have little to no other options. For example, prison leavers, refugees, substance abusers, etc. Due to the minor level of care the associations provide, those living in exempt accommodation cannot access housing benefits. Housing associations are therefore charging more than regular landlords.

The NHF has received numerous reports highlighting some exempt accommodation as unsafe. Tenants have also claimed they have not received the support and help they were promised.

Whilst looking into exempt accommodation, they have also found links between not-for-profit housing and for-profit landlords. The problems are there for all to see, and the NHF has acted as quickly as possible to rectify them. With the new regulations coming into play as early as September.

NHF statement

In a statement from the chair of the NHF, Baroness Diana Warwick, she highlighted the great work of some providers. 

"I am immensely proud of the amazing supported housing providers we represent, which deliver excellent services against an incredibly challenging environment. But they must not be confused with the actions of landlords entering the supported housing market for the wrong reasons. Primarily to make a profit instead of helping individuals and their local communities."

As The NHF strengthen their stance on those cutting corners, it's time that the negligent and rule-bending associations do likewise.

For more news and blog posts follow the link below.

https://www.antonyhodari.co.uk/blogs-news/