> members of the housing team

Members of the team have appeared in a number of leading cases across the wide subject of housing law and are committed to publicly-funded work representing tenants' rights, homeless people and other occupiers. Areas of practice include defending possession proceedings, judicial review and Housing Act appeals, representing victims of unlawful eviction or harassment, injunction and committal proceedings, disrepair along with particular experience in niche areas such as homelessness, housing benefits, squatters' rights including adverse possession claims, Disability Discrimination Act, Mobile Homes cases, nuisance and 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.

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 LAG 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) and are involved as speakers at training events across the country for Shelter and numerous Housing Law Practitioners Groups.

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, essentially so that the lay-clients receive the best and most up to date advice from their initial contact with solicitors.

The most recent seminar series (Feb/Mar 2005) has included topics such as ASBO proceedings from a criminal and civil perspective, judicial review in housing law, nuisance possession proceedings and harassment in housing law.

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.