Barrister Profile  

Helen is an experienced housing lawyer having practiced in this area for over 18 years. She appears principally in the County Court and High Court and has appeared in the Court of Appeal both as junior counsel and alone. Her practice includes all aspects of Housing Law, with a particular focus on claims involving Equality Act, public law and article 8 arguments, and extends to Judicial Review and Local Government work as well as possession claims against travellers.

Anti-Social Behaviour

A large proportion of Helen’s work arises from allegations of Nuisance and Anti-Social Behaviour, whether in the context of claims for injunctive relief and associated committal hearings, for demotion or possession orders, or Closure Orders. Helen also acts in claims for possession involving issues of succession, loss of security and arrears of rent and other breaches of tenancy.

Housing

Helen is instructed on behalf of landlords (private, local authority and registered providers of social housing) and tenants in equal measure. Her work involves all types of tenancy agreements and she is familiar with the varying rights of and interaction between Assured Shorthold (sometimes Starter) tenancies, Assured tenancies, Introductory, Demoted and Secure tenancies and non-secure periodic tenancies. She is experienced in the law relating to trespassers, licensees and the homeless.

In addition to claims for possession Helen is frequently instructed by both landlords and tenants in claims relating to disrepair, harassment, breach of covenant of quiet enjoyment and unlawful eviction. She is familiar with the provisions of the Housing Act 2004 and associated case law relating to the protection of deposits in private sector tenancies.

Homelessness

Helen is experienced in matters relating to homeless applications and in both bringing and defending appeals under section 204 of the Housing Act 1996. In the High Court Helen appears in Judicial Review claims relating to the provision of accommodation and is able to advise on and draft such applications at short notice.

Public Law

Helen has a particular interest and expertise in the impact of disability both physical and mental on the provision of accommodation and the basis on which injunction or possession orders can successfully be sought in such circumstances. She instructed both by and against individuals requiring the assistance of the Official Solicitor and is very familiar with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 and their relevance to landlord and tenant issues.

Helen frequently acts in cases in which possession orders are sought against travellers. She was junior counsel in Court of Appeal in the case of Leeds City Council v. Hall, one of the group of cases which considered the applicability the Gateway B to Introductory and non-secure tenancies.

Gill v. Leeds City Council [2007] EWHC 2693 (QB)

Kirklees Council v. Davis [2008] EWCA Civ 632

Wear Valley District Council v. Robson [2008] EWCA Civ 1470

Leeds City Council v. Hall [2010] EWCA Civ 336 (part of group of appeals including Salford City Council v. Mullen)

Helen was awarded an Ashworth Scholarship by the Inner Temple during her Bar School year and received an Accommodation Award from them during her pupillage.

In 2015 Helen was appointed to sit as a Deputy District Judge.