Rental reform
Inside Housing (£) covers the Law Society’s calls for rental reform, as new figures show rising numbers of landlord and mortgage possession orders, leaving countless at risk of homelessness.
Law Society president Richard Atkinson said: “The rising number of eviction orders reflects the alarming state of our housing crisis and the urgent need for rental reform.
“It is deeply concerning that 25.3m people (42%) do not have a local legal aid provider for housing advice. This means that there is no support for renters who cannot afford legal help.
“It is critical that the government invests in the legal aid system, so that renters have the help they need to avoid losing their homes.
“While we welcome the government’s Renters’ Rights Bill, it will struggle to achieve effective rental reform without funding the justice system and legal aid. The government must immediately invest £4.3 million in housing legal aid alongside the Bill to close this gap in provision.”
TA6 property information form
Today’s Conveyancer covers an open letter from the Property Lawyers Alliance calling on the Law Society to withdraw the updated TA6 property information form.
A Law Society spokesperson said: “We are grateful to all those in the profession who have engaged with the TA6 property information form consultation. We are now working through the volumes of feedback received and will provide an update to the profession in the New Year.”
SRA and professional ethics
The Law Society is mentioned in a Letter to the Editor written in the Gazette about professional ethics and the SRA.
Also worth a read:
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- Kemi Badenoch has called for a reduction in ‘public law burden’ - Gazette
- Top UK government lawyer calls for ‘revolving door’ with industry, as pay gap widens – FT (£)
- Bar Council argues BSB’s proposed equality rule change is unlawful – Legal Futures
- Jo Sidhu misconduct tribunal hearing continues this week - Gazette
- Explainer: What is the likelihood of imprisonment of public protection (IPP) prisoners being released under the Labour government - Independent
- PM has warned cabinet ministers to stay neutral on the issue of assisted dying – Guardian
- Home Secretary announces a major reform to UK policing, introducing a dedicated Home Office unit to monitor performance and improve public safety - Solicitors Journal
- Sir Keir Starmer has backed plans to pay countries such as Vietnam and Turkey in an attempt to cut the number of illegal migrants leaving each year for Britain - Telegraph (£)
- Home Office will spend £170m to reopen old asylum centres – inews (£)
- Dozens of pro-democracy activists jailed in Hong Kong’s largest national security trial - BBC
- Farmers set to protest inheritance tax in central London – Times (£)