Practice Areas  

Housing

Chambers’ expertise and experience in housing work is well-known; indeed it is the area of work with which we are most closely associated. Andrew Arden QC, widely regarded as the “Godfather” of the subject, having been one of its main founders in the 1970s, is still its most eminent practitioner and the author/editor of many of its leading texts, including the Housing Law Reports, Encyclopedia of Housing Law, and Arden & Partington on Housing Law (now also with other members of chambers).

Our members are ranked as leaders in the field in all the leading directories, and regularly appear in the leading cases. We are committed to acting for all client groups equally, regardless of the funding basis. We regularly advise and appear for private individuals (tenants, applicants and leaseholders), local and other public authorities, private registered providers, banks, charities, developers and third sector organisations. We are frequently asked to advise on strategic and policy issues, as well as in individual cases.

We are also experienced in alternative dispute resolution, including early neutral evaluation, mediation and arbitration. For details of Chambers’ mediation service, follow this link.

We can provide specialist assistance to clients across the full range of housing issues, including:

• homelessness and allocations
• human rights and equalities
• possession and forfeiture
• unlawful eviction
• disrepair and dilapidations
• enforcement of private sector standards, such as
  • HMO and private rental sector licensing and enforcement
  • HHSRS
  • tenancy deposits
  • statutory nuisance
  • rogue landlords and rent repayment orders
• enfranchisement and right to manage
• service charges
• social housing fraud
• housing benefit and welfare reform
• regeneration
• rent setting (including affordable rents, disaggregation and reduction (Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016))
• stock transfer and disposals
• anti-social behaviour

Notable recent cases include:

• Nottingham CC v Parr [2017] EWCA Civ 188; [2017] HLR 22 (permission to appeal to the Supreme Court has been granted)
• Poshteh v Kensington & Chelsea RLBC [2017] UKSC 36; [2017] 2 WLR 1417; [2017] HLR 28
• Haque v Hackney LBC [2017] EWCA Civ 4; [2017] HLR 14
• R (Turley) v Wandsworth LBC [2017] EWCA Civ 189; [2017] HLR 21
• Islington v Dyer [2017] EWCA Civ 150; [2017] PTSR 731; [2017] HLR. 20
• Trindade v Hackney LBC [2017] EWCA Civ 942; [2017] HLR 37
• Dove & Dove v Haringey LBC [2017] EWCA Civ 156; [2017] HLR 19
• Partridge v Gupta [2017] EWHC 2110 (QB)
• Hertfordshire CC v Davies [2017] EWHC 1488 (QB); [2017] HLR 33
• Bucknall v Dacorum BC [2017] EWHC 2094 (QB); [2017] HLR 40
• R (C) v Islington LBC [2017] EWHC 1441 (Admin); [2017] HLR 32
• R (XC) v Southwark LBC [2017] EWHC 736 (Admin); [2017] HLR 24
• R (Sambotin) v Brent LBC [2017] EWHC 1190 (Admin)
• Samin v Westminster CC [2016] UKSC 1; [2016] 1 WLR 481; [2016] HLR 7
• McDonald v McDonald [2016] UKSC 28; [2016] 3 WLR 45; [2016] HLR 28
• Nzolameso v Westminster CC [2015] UKSC 22; [2015] 2 All ER 942; [2015] HLR 22
• S v Birmingham CC [2016] EWCA Civ 1211; [2017] H.L.R. 6
• Watts v Stewart [2016] EWCA Civ 1247; [2017] 2 WLR 1107; [2017] HLR 8
• Holley v Hillingdon LBC [2016] EWCA Civ 1052; [2017] PTSR 127; [2017] HLR
• Birmingham CC v Stephenson [2016] EWCA Civ 1029; [2016] HLR 44
• Birmingham CC v Wilson [2016] EWCA Civ 1137
• Abdulrahman v Hillingdon LBC [2016] EWHC 2647 (Admin)
• R (Woolfe) v Islington LBC [2016] EWHC 1907 (Admin); [2016] HLR 42
• R (Edwards) v Birmingham CC [2016] EWHC 173 (Admin); [2016] HLR 11;
• R (SG and others) v SSWP [2015] UKSC 16; [2015] PTSR 471; [2015] HLR 21;
• Haile v Waltham Forest LBC [2015] UKSC 30; [2015] AC 1471; [2015] HLR 24;
• Mohamoud v Kensington & Chelsea RLBC [2015] EWCA Civ 780; [2016] PTSR 289; [2015] HLR 38;
• Sanneh v SSWP [2015] EWCA Civ 49; [2016] QB 455; [2015] HLR 27; and
• Wandsworth LBC v Tompkins [2015] EWCA Civ 846; [2016] PTSR 102; [2015] HLR 44
• Waltham Forest LBC v Hussain [2015] EWCA Civ 14; [2015] HLR 16
• R (Alemi) v Westminster CC [2015] EWHC 1765 (Admin); [2015] PTSR 1339