Sue Lukes
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Courses for community and volunteer groups

Sue has offered numerous tailor-made courses for small community organisations, including a consortium of advice groups and refugee and migrant groups, to increase their knowledge of the ins and outs of housing issues.

If you would like to find out how Sue's training could help your organisation, please contact her directly.

Below are two examples of courses she has given a migrant group in Enfield on applying for housing.

Housing is often now described as in crisis: mortgages are very hard to get, house prices are rising, job or income loss are leading to repossessions, and restrictions on Housing Benefit are making access to the private rented sector more difficult. So the pressure on local authority housing waiting lists and homelessness services is growing. Councils and housing associations face ever more difficult decisions. But the law in this area is also changing, as a result of the Localism Act and case law.

1. An introduction

This course provides a basic introduction to the law and Enfield’s housing. The course includes:
  • The relationship between LB Enfield, Enfield Homes and local housing associations
  • Local authority allocations and how they work in Enfield
  • Points, choice based lettings (the bidding system), new applications and transfers
  • The law on homelessness and how it is operated in Enfield
  • Who can apply for housing or homelessness services and who is excluded
  • How immigration status, “right to reside” or habitual residence tests affect housing applications
  • How unacceptable behaviour may affect housing applications
  • How people may be rehoused in private rented accommodation
  • Recent changes in the law on homelessness and allocations
After this course, you will be able to:
  • Advise people on how to apply for council and housing association housing
  • Advise people on their eligibility for the housing register and homelessness services
  • Explain what will happen after applying for help as homeless
  • Explain how to apply for housing
  • Help people apply for a review of a housing decision
  • Explain the effect of recent changes in housing law

2. Dealing with common problems

This course provides an update to changes in the law and case law, and a chance to explore common but complex housing problems and how to deal with them. The course includes:
  • The Localism Act
  • How Enfield intends to use the new options in the Localism Act
  • Latest case law and common problems on eligibility
  • Issues in making housing applications
  • Common problems in homelessness applications
  • Reviews, complaints and other remedies
After this course, you will be able to
  • Advise people on how housing law and practice has changed
  • Deal with the more complex issues of eligibility
  • Challenge allocations and homelessness decisions
  • Advise about the remedies available for housing decisions
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