Barrister Profile  

Riccardo advises, drafts, and represents clients of all types in all of Chambers’ core practice areas, and accepts instructions at all levels, whether alone or led.

In addition to his usual practice, he assists litigants in person on a pro bono basis in making and/or opposing applications in the Chancery Division of the High Court through the Chancery Bar Litigant in Person Support Scheme (CLIPS), and in making applications to the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal to that court through the Court of Appeal Permission to Appeal Scheme (COAS).

Housing

Riccardo has experience of the whole range of housing law matters, at first instance and on appeal. He is frequently instructed in claims for possession and subsequent applications for occupiers’ eviction; claims relating to tenancy deposits, disrepair, and unlawful eviction; and claims including allegations of discrimination and failure to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. He regularly appears in such matters before High Court, Circuit, and District judges.

In addition to appearing in reported cases in his own right (see below), he has assisted in leading cases in this area including Loveridge v Lambeth LBC [2014] UKSC 65; [2014] 1 WLR 4516; [2015] HLR 12, Southward Housing Co-operative Ltd v Walker [2015] EWHC 1615 (Ch); [2016] Ch 443, Sanneh v SSWP [2015] EWCA Civ 49; [2016] QB 455; [2015] HLR 27, and Nicholas v SSD [2015] EWCA Civ 53; [2015] 1 WLR 2116; [2015] HLR 25.

He drafted the application to the European Court of Human Rights in Sims v UK (12786/15), and the petition to the Supreme Court in Watts v Stewart (UKSC/2017/0018). He was instructed in Mayo v Genesis Housing Association Ltd (B5/2016/2994) prior to its settlement.

Homelessness

Riccardo is regularly instructed in homelessness appeals under ss.204-204A Housing Act 1996 and related judicial review claims, including on an urgent basis and out of hours before the High Court duty judge.

In addition to appearing in reported cases in his own right (see below), he has assisted in leading cases in this area including Hussain v Waltham Forest LBC [2015] EWCA Civ 14; [2015] 1 WLR 2912; [2015] HLR 16, Mohamoud v Kensington & Chelsea RLBC [2015] EWCA Civ 780; [2016] PTSR 289; [2015] HLR 38, and Haile v Waltham Forest LBC [2015] UKSC 34; [2015] AC 1471; [2015] HLR 24.

He drafted the applications to the European Court of Human Rights in Nwabudike v UK (22985/15), Hussain v UK (23780/15), and Huzrat v UK (34572/15), and the petitions to the Supreme Court in Saleem v Wandsworth LBC (UKSC/2015/0253) and Huzrat v Hounslow LBC (UKSC/2014/0265). He was instructed in Habte v Westminster CC (B5/2016/2994) prior to its settlement.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Riccardo accepts instructions on behalf of all parties in matters relating to antisocial behaviour. He appears in ex parte and on notice proceedings under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, in gang injunction applications under the Policing and Crime Act 2009, and in all types of committal proceedings. He was seconded to a local authority in the West Midlands for five months and to a private registered provider of social housing in London for two months, bolstering his experience at the injunction and committal stages.

Residential and Commercial Landlord & Tenant

Riccardo accepts instructions from residential and commercial landlords and tenants in a wide variety of leasehold disputes. He is particularly interested in matters involving Airbnb and other such short-lettings services on which he has written a number of articles, listed below. He advises and represents clients in housing enforcement matters including in relation to licensing (whether mandatory, additional, or selective under the Housing Act 2004) and in Environmental Protection Act 1990 cases, including in prosecuting and defending criminal proceedings. He also accepts instructions in matters relating to rent repayment orders, tenancy deposits, management orders, and social housing fraud (particularly where there is an Airbnb element).

Public Law

Riccardo acts for and against public bodies in matters relating to all of Chambers’ core practice areas. He is regularly instructed in judicial review claims. He has a particular interest in public law and its interaction with all of Chambers’ core practice areas. He acts for public bodies and for claimants/applicants in such matters. He regularly advises in proposed claims, and appears in claims, for judicial review. He is also frequently instructed in other claims with a public law element, for claimants and defendants.

Public Access

Riccardo is qualified to accept instructions on a Public Access basis directly from members of the public, organisations, and companies, rather than having to receive instructions through any intermediary.

Universal Business Team Pty Ltd v Moffitt [2017] EWHC 3251 (Ch)

Panayiotou v Waltham Forest LBC [2017] EWCA Civ 1624; [2017] HLR 48

Bucknall v Dacorum BC [2017] EWHC 2094 (QB); [2017] HLR 40

Trindade v Hackney LBC [2017] EWCA Civ 942; [2017] HLR 37

Hertfordshire CC v Davies [2017] EWHC 1488 (QB); [2017] 1 WLR 4395; [2017] HLR 33

Watts v Stewart [2016] EWCA Civ 1247; [2017] 2 WLR 1107; [2017] HLR 8

R (Davis) v Watford BC [2016] EWHC 4155 (Admin)

Holley v Hillingdon LBC [2016] EWCA Civ 1052; [2017] PTSR 127; [2017] HLR 3

Leaseholders of Foundling Court and O’Donnell Court v Camden LBC [2016] UKUT 366 (LC); [2017] L&TR 7

R (Edwards) v Birmingham CC [2016] EWHC 173 (Admin); [2016] HLR 11

Assistant Editor

Encyclopedia of Housing Law and Practice

Articles

“Coppard v Barrington, County Court at Basingstoke, 29 August 2017“, Legal Action 2017, November, 40-41 (contributor).

“Panayiotou v Waltham Forest LBC; Smith v Haringey LBC [2017] EWCA 1624, 19 October 2017“, Lime Legal Housing Law Week, 25 October 2017.

“Homelessness and vulnerability“, Local Government Lawyer, 20 October 2017.

“Trindade v London Borough of Hackney [2017] EWCA Civ 942“, Lime Legal Housing Law Week, 12 July 2017.

“Watford Community Housing Trust v Fagg, County Court at Watford, 12 April 2017“, Legal Action 2017, June, 32 (contributor).

“No quick fixes: the Housing White Paper”, Journal of Housing Law 2017, 20(3), 53-57 (co-author).

“The Housing White Paper 2017 at a glance“, Social Housing Law Association Newsletter, April 2017 (co-author).

“The rehabilitation of antisocial offenders”, Journal of Housing Law 2017, 20(2), 47-49.

“Parliament gets a vote on Brexit“, Solicitors’ Journal 2017, 161(5), 18 (co-author).

“Brexit challenge in the Supreme Court“, Solicitors’ Journal 2016, 160(47), 19 (co-author).

“Landlords: the new border guards”, Landlord & Tenant Review 2016, 20(6), 220-222.

“Cardiff CC v Lee: a sea change“, FlatLiving, November 2016.

“Case Study – Proportionality and second succession claims to property (Holley v London Borough of Hillingdon)“, LexisNexis, 14 November 2016 (co-author).

“No Brexit without Parliament”, Solicitors’ Journal 2016, 160(42), 19 (co-author).

“Finger on the trigger”, Solicitors’ Journal 2016, 160(40), 19 (co-author).

“The other side of AirBnB”, Solicitors’ Journal 2016, 160(40) Supp (Property Focus), 26.

“Case Comment: Mirga v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions; Samin v Westminster City Council [2016] UKSC 1”, UK Supreme Court Blog, 5 August 2016.

“Five things you really should know about Brexit”, Solicitors’ Journal 2016, 160(31) (co-author).

“Recovering possession of abandoned property”, Social Housing Law Association Newsletter, July 2016.

“How to Airbnb”, Estates Gazette 2016, 1625, 94-95.

“Air B&B and social housing fraud”, HousingView, 27 June 2016, 3-4.

“Housing: co-operatives”, Legal Action 2016, May, 17-18.

“EEA nationals and social assistance”, Local Government Lawyer, 4 February 2016.

“Deterring unlawful eviction: a plea to district judges”, Journal of Housing Law 2015, 18(4), 67-72.

Podcasts

“Airbnb for Leaseholders”, The Leasehold Advisory Service, September 2016.

Bar Professional Training Course: Outstanding

Graduate Diploma in Law: Commendation

MA Philosophy: Distinction

BA (Hons.) Industrial Economics: Upper Second Class

Housing Law Practitioners’ Association

Social Housing Law Association

Constitutional & Administrative Law Bar Association

Awards/Prizes

Wolfson Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn)

Buchanan Prize (Lincoln’s Inn)

Languages

Riccardo speaks fluent Italian and intermediate Spanish. To contact him regarding the provision of legal advice and representation in these languages visit www.lawinyourlanguage.com.