Sadly it is not rare to hear of cases of people living in conditions that are less than what we would expect to be a normal, healthy standard. For those of us who are fortunate enough to not worry about the state of our home; whether it is fit to live in, we all cannot help being affected by the tragic story of little Awaab Ishak. Awaab died aged just 2 years old as a result of the severe mould and damp conditions inside his home. How can this possibly happen?
The Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 gives qualifying leaseholders the right to join together to buy the freehold of their properties – a process known as collective enfranchisement. A recent case demonstrated that this right can be exercised even when the landlord cannot be found. The leaseholders of two flats in a terraced house wished to purchase it from the landlord, but were unable to ascertain his whereabouts and therefore could not serve notice on him under Section 13 of the Act. They therefore applied for an...