Councillor convicted of benefit fraud

Crime watch

The government wants to make the unlawful sub-letting of social homes a criminal offence. So what are the challenges and will its proposals bring an end to the practice? Nick Duxbury investigates

L&Q takes trio to court over fraud at failed Ujima

London & Quadrant is suing three people charged with defrauding Ujima Housing Association, a court heard on Tuesday.

Ex-ALMO chief sentenced for benefit scam

The former chair of an ALMO and her husband who pleaded guilty to gaining property by deception and falsely claiming benefits have avoided being sent to jail.

Landlord fined £100,000 after man dies from burns

A housing association has been fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £35,000 costs after a man died from burns received from a scalding hot bath.

The wrong side of the law

Acting with conviction

Squatting could soon be criminalised but awareness of current laws is crucial, says Sarah Lines, social housing lawyer at Cobbetts

The harassment minefield

Landlords which chase debts reasonably don’t need to fear legal action, says Matthew Lake, solicitor at Weightmans LLP

Counting the costs

Just because you are successful at trial doesn’t mean you will recover all your legal costs, says Dan Butler

Sentenced to life without a home

Imprisonment and homelessness are among the more traumatic experiences that can befall an individual. All too often, the two are inextricably linked.

No magic solution

Proposals to make it easier to evict anti-social tenants are unlikely to work, says Angela Jack, barrister at Five Paper