> members of the housing team

Chambers has developed one of the leading teams of specialist housing law practitioners outside of London and enjoys an excellent reputation amongst practitioners in this field.

Members of the team have been involved in some of the most important cases in this field in the appellate courts in recent years – most notably Manchester City Council v Pinnock [2010] UKSC 45. They are however just as dedicated to the kind of casework which does not make the law reports, but which nonetheless has a real and significant effect on the life of their individual clients.

Members of the team are committed to publicly-funded work representing tenants' rights, homeless people and other occupiers. Areas of practice include security of tenure (public and private), defending possession proceedings for all occupiers including mortgagors and squatters, judicial review (especially homelessness) and Housing Act appeals, representing victims of unlawful eviction, harassment or racial harassment, injunction and committal proceedings, disrepair including Environmental Protection Act proceedings along with particular experience in niche areas such as homelessness, housing benefits and other housing-related administrative law cases (especially community care), squatters' rights including adverse possession claims, Disability Discrimination Act, travellers and Mobile Homes cases, nuisance and other EPA proceedings. They are also able to offer an emergency service for applicants requiring urgent interim relief including out of court hours applications to the duty judge. Clients are often vulnerable, whether as a result of disability, addiction, age or homelessness; often speak little or no English; and often have significant mental health problems.

Members of the team are regularly instructed in cases involving Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) in the Magistrates' Court and County Court and have appeared in leading cases in this field including R v Manchester Crown Court ex parte McCann [2002] UKHL 39. Members regularly defend clients who have been served with closure notices under the Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003.

The housing team are particularly aware of the many overlaps between housing and other areas of law and in order to fulfill their distinct objective to offer a complete and comprehensive service to tenants, they can offer specialist expertise in community care, welfare rights and mental health law as well as on immigration-related housing matters including asylum support. Members of the housing team are experts in the field of human rights law and regularly employ arguments under the ECHR.

Cases in which members of the team have been involved are regularly reported in journals such as Legal Action and Housing Law Reports.

Members of the housing team have active links with tenant focused groups and are co-ordinators of NWHLPA (North West Housing Law Practitioners Association). They regularly contribute articles and case reports to publications such as Legal Action and NearlyLegal and frequently lecture and give seminars at a range of legal training events nationwide including the HLPA Annual conference, for Shelter and numerous Housing Law Practitioners Groups.

Recommendations

"Garden Court North is considered to be the leading set for tenants work outside of London...." (Chambers & Partners 2009) more

"For tenants' work, there really isn't another set to touch Garden Court North in the North West. As one source phrased it, 'its ethos is firmly focused on helping tenants and this dedication shines through'." (Chambers & Partners 2008, p1687) more

"Outside London, there are very few concentrations of social housing talent but Garden Court North can claim to represent one of them. Based in Manchester, ...it has been active for the past decade. Its team of seven is active across the sector, handling such matters as tenants' rights, the defence of possession proceedings, Housing Act appeals and squatters' rights." (Chambers & Partners 2007, p1511)

Members of the housing team are also recommended in Legal 500 2008 and 2007.

Reported cases

> Click here to see details of reported cases.

Seminars

The housing team delivers regular seminars to instructing solicitors on developing areas of law and are keen to ensure that practitioners are kept abreast of developments.

> click here to see details of our housing law seminars archive

Housing team "What's new?"

> click here to view the Housing team "What's new" page to access case reports, legal bulletin and download judgments.

A strong team

The housing team work as a strong team offering continuity of service, support and confidence to their instructing solicitors and this is highly valued. They offer a modern and informal approach and wherever possible are happy to take preliminary telephone calls in relation to potential instructions. All members of the team are able to offer excellent empathy with lay clients, especially with difficult clients or those with mental health issues.