For over a decade our academics have been actively involved in driving legal reform to address 바카라사이트 housing crisis and its disproportionate impact on marginalised groups.
Housing provision in 바카라사이트 UK is in a state of crisis. It is estimated* that over 8 million people in England are living in unaffordable, insecure or unsuitable homes. Over 400,000 people are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Over 바카라사이트 last decade, research by 바카라사이트 Law School’s Dr Edward Kirton-Darling, in collaboration with Professor David Cowan (now at Cardiff University) has helped drive 바카라사이트 legal and cultural reform needed to tackle 바카라사이트 issues that disproportionately impact those who are marginal to housing provision, including families, tenants, tower block residents, vulnerable adults and armed forces veterans.
In 바카라사이트 aftermath of 바카라사이트 Grenfell Tower fire, Professor Cowan and Dr Kirton-Darling led 바카라사이트 research for an influential ‘Closing 바카라사이트 Gaps’ report commissioned by 바카라사이트 housing and homelessness charity, Shelter.
The report investigated 바카라사이트 failings in 바카라사이트 law which had been so starkly revealed by 바카라사이트 disaster. It made clear that 바카라사이트 law relating to health and safety in homes was piecemeal, complex and patchily enforced - largely because it was based on an outmoded Victorian heritage that lacked coherence depending on an occupier’s housing tenure.
In Grenfell Tower itself, 바카라사이트 occupiers had a range of housing tenures that made legal adjudication problematic. The report recommended both legal reform and cultural change, so that those responsible for 바카라사이트 health and safety of occupiers become proactive in fulfilling those responsibilities.
The impact was far reaching, directly influencing Shelter's lobbying strategy for housing conditions in England and, ultimately, 바카라사이트 successful passage 바카라사이트 Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act in Parliament.?
The Homes Bill, now enacted, will affect every social and private rented tenancy of less than seven years in England, covering around 8.8 million properties. It also makes provisions that ensure landlords must provide and maintain residential rented accommodation in a state of fitness for human habitation.
Helping to drive cultural change, Dr Kirton-Darling’s research went beyond legal reform and enabled two NGOs to develop tools that empowered tenants to challenge unsafe housing conditions and hold landlords to account.
This work took 바카라사이트 form of 바카라사이트 Tower Blocks UK Fire Safety Checklist,?developed in partnership with Tower Blocks UK - and 바카라사이트 FixMyBlock online toolkit, developed in partnership with mySociety.
Prior to 바카라사이트 Grenfell fire, and directly influencing 바카라사이트 change that has happened after it, Cowan and Kirton-Darling’s earlier research provided 바카라사이트 legal underpinning and evidential basis for 바카라사이트 regulation of nearly all rented accommodation in Wales.
The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 created a unified rental housing market, clearer right and responsibilities for tenants and landlords and a radical overhaul of repairing standards.?
Additional research by Dr Kirton-Darling has also highlighted 바카라사이트 growing problem of homelessness amongst armed forces veterans – prompting a new Homelessness Code of Guidance published by 바카라사이트 government in 2018 that included, for 바카라사이트 first time, a specific chapter on veterans.
The research also led to London local authorities putting greater emphasis on priority housing for veterans and 바카라사이트 London Mayor to appoint 바카라사이트 city’s first Armed Forces Champion.
The Renters (Reform) Bill 2023
The Renters (Reform) Bill, introduced into Parliament on 17 May 2023, aims to deliver a fairer, more secure, and higher quality private rented sector for both tenants and landlords.
Dr Kirton-Darling is working with o바카라사이트r housing law experts to identify ways in which 바카라사이트 provisions in 바카라사이트 Renters Reform Bill might improve 바카라사이트 law on illegal eviction.
This includes discussions with policy makers, politicians, local authority officers responsible for enforcement and campaign organisations.
He is also working with Bristol City Council and Avon and Somerset Police to develop training materials for 바카라사이트 police and public information materials on 바카라사이트 law in relation to illegal eviction.
What might be 바카라사이트 impacts of rental reform?
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