Barrister Profile  

Ian became a member of Chambers in April 2017 after practising at a set in Lincoln’s Inn. He specialises in property litigation and public law.

He is an expert in homelessness and allocations law and has appeared in the County Court, the Administrative Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

He regularly acts in landlord and tenant disputes concerning both residential and business tenancies. He has particular experience of claims relating to neighbour nuisance, disrepair and service charge disputes.

He is a contributor to Macdonald on the Law of Freedom of Information and Hill and Redman’s Law of Landlord and Tenant.

Ian has been recommended for social housing in Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500.

He accepts Public Access instructions in appropriate cases.

Housing

Ian is an expert in homelessness and allocations law, regularly appearing in the County Court, the Administrative Court and the Court of Appeal.

He appeared (unled) in the Supreme Court in two recent homelessness cases – Nzolameso v Westminster CC [2015] UKSC 22; [2015] 2 All ER 942; [2015] HLR 22 (concerning the scope of local authorities’ duties to secure accommodation in their own areas) and Samin v Westminster CC [2016] UKSC 1; [2016] 1 WLR 481; [2016] HLR 7 (concerning eligibility for housing assistance). He also appeared in the recent allocations case R (Alemi) v Westminster CC [2015] EWHC 1765 (Admin).

Ian has experience of all aspects of housing law, including possession claims, injunctions to restrain anti-social behaviour and disrepair. Earlier in his career he played a part in the development of the concept (now abolished by statute) of the “tolerated trespasser” in the case of Greenwich RLBC v Regan (1996) 28 HLR 469.

Local Government

Ian has acted for and advised a number of local authorities in cases involving a wide range of issues. He was an elected member of a London local authority for 8 years and has a clear understanding of decision making in local authorities and of the constraints under which they operate.

Real Property

Ian acts in landlord and tenant disputes concerning both residential and business tenancies. He has appeared in possession claims, claims relating to neighbour nuisance, disrepair and dilapidations, service charge disputes and appeals arising from rent reviews.

Public Law

Ian has appeared in public law cases both in a housing context and in other contexts, including cases relating to education and the firefighters’ pension scheme.

Public Access

Ian accepts instructions on a Public Access basis in appropriate cases.

Public Access

Samin v Westminster CC [2016] UKSC 1; [2016] 1 WLR 481; [2016] HLR 7

R (Alemi) v Westminster CC [2015] EWHC 1765 (Admin); [2015] PTSR 1339

Nzolameso v Westminster CC [2015] UKSC 22; [2015] 2 All ER 942; [2015] HLR 22

El-Dinnaoui v Westminster CC [2013] EWCA Civ 231; [2013] HLR 23

Maswaku v Westminster CC [2012] EWCA Civ 669; [2012] HLR 37

Abdullah v Westminster CC [2011] EWCA Civ 1171; [2012] HLR 5

Hanton-Rhouila v Westminster CC [2010] EWCA Civ 1334; [2011] HLR 12

Beckingham v Hodgens [2003] EWCA Civ 143; [2004] ECDR 6

Bater v Greenwich RLBC [1999] 4 All ER 944; [2000] 32 HLR 127

Greenwich RLBC v Regan (1996) 28 HLR 469

Recommended for Social Housing in Chambers & Partners 2017:

“He has significant experience of appearing in key housing cases at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.”

“Strengths: ‘He is extremely thorough, thoughtful, and he puts the client’s case across well.’”

Recommended for Social Housing in Legal 500 2016:

“Always well prepared and thorough.”

Contributor

Macdonald on the Law of Freedom of Information, 3rd edition (OUP, 2013)

Hill and Redman’s Law of Landlord and Tenant (LexisNexis)

Ian has a first class degree in Mathematics from Trinity College, Cambridge. He then obtained the Diploma in Law from City University.

He stood for Parliament in Runnymede and Weybridge at the 1997 General Election and was an elected member of a London local authority from 1998 to 2006.

He has a keen interest in music.