Warren Bradley claims that bad practice by local authorities is a myth (see [2007] Gazette, 22 March, 18). Examples of bad practice affecting homeless people and others in housing need feature in the Housing Law Reports and on the Local Government Ombudsman website.


Mr Bradley questions the accountability of legal aid expenditure on housing cases. Practitioners have to report the outcomes of cases using a detailed list of codes. Where there have been court proceedings, any court order must be provided. The eventual outcome will be unknown in some legal help cases, for example where a client has been advised and is taking action themselves.



The total amount spent on housing certificated work has not increased by 28%. While there has been an increase in housing advice (legal help), the amount spent on legal aid certificates for housing cases was the same in 2005/06 as it was five years previously - a decrease in real terms.



The Legal Services Commission is overhauling the system but in a way which will lead to many more tenants and homeless people being unrepresented. One extremely undesirable effect will be more incidents of bad practice by local authorities in housing cases going unchallenged, with damaging consequences for tenants and homeless people.



Vivien Gambling, chairwoman, Housing Law Practitioners Association