The Social Housing Team has been acting for some of the largest social housing landlords in the country for more than 20 years. Clients include the Guinness Partnership, Sovereign Housing Association, Liverty, Cornerstone Housing, Evolve and the Aster Group. We act for the London Boroughs Legal Alliance consisting of 16 London based Authorities. We are also act for the London Borough of Wandsworth and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in connection with all of their non-routine litigation work.
We appreciate the political issues, financial constraints and regulatory controls that affect the day to day work of our clients and are committed to providing a service and that is tailored to and accommodates these things and above all provides value for money.
The Social Housing Team can assist with a wide range of housing litigation and tenancy management issues including complex ASB cases, disrepair claims and counterclaims, subletting, non-occupation and social housing fraud cases, injunctions, homelessness reviews.
We can also help with everything from employment law including high level TUPE and union advice, drafting policy, planning and construction issues through to site purchase and shared ownership, acquisition and disposal of social housing developments.
We advise on all types of property disputes acting for commercial, agricultural and residential landowners and landlords and tenants nationally.
Find out moreOur 92 public sector lawyers advise local and national government organisations and other public sector bodies on all relevant legal issues.
Find out moreSocial housing priorities for the new Government
On the morning of 9 June 2017, we will be waking up, breathing a sigh of relief that (hopefully!) we will not be taking a trip to the polling station again for a few years.
Find out moreWaiting for legal aid is not an excuse for missing time limits in judicial review cases
The Court of Appeal has recently given judgment in a case which all those involved in public sector litigation should be aware of.
Find out moreIs housing policy sea change a tidal wave?
Theresa May announces that new longer-term partnerships "will be opened up to the most ambitious housing associations through a ground-breaking £2 billion initiative".
Find out moreDisrepair claims: 5 golden rules
Disrepair claims can give RPs a real headache. Even though the changes in funding rules now make pursuing disrepair claims slightly less attractive to tenant lawyers claims continue to be made particularly as counterclaims to rent possession actions. Preventing claims from happening at all is impossible and tenants can, and do, seek to pursue counterclaims to buy time in proceedings even if...
Find out moreHomelessness and the Children Act 2004
Local authority housing teams no doubt breathed a sigh of relief at the end of July when the joint decisions of Maryam Mohamoud v Kensington & Chelsea Royal London Borough Council and Bushra Saleem v Wandsworth London Borough Council (2015) were handed down by the Court of Appeal.
Find out moreDespite the fact that 17% of households in England are social housing households (i.e. households where the property is owned by either a local authority or a housing association), by and large, social housing tends to stay out of the headlines.
Find out moreOver recent months the housing press has regularly featured articles about gas safety and the 'Gas access Campaign' that is running to try and change the law in this area.
Find out moreSpecialisms
- Complex ASB cases
- Disrepair claims and counter claims
- Injunctions to enforce tenancy obligations
- Homelessness reviews
- Drafting and advising in relation to policy
- Dealing with issues arising from leasehold properties
- Complex site acquisitions
- Office to residential conversion schemes
- Advising on commercial lease transactions following on from a specific site acquisition
- Carrying out site set up on schemes following the initial land acquisitions
- Drafting and negotiating options, pre-emptions, partnership agreements and leaseback arangements
- Plot sales
- Building contracts for fast track design and construction of new build
- Asset management contracts, including for the refurbishment, repairs and maintenance of housing stock
- HR advice
- Employment contracts
- Service agreements and handbooks
- Restructures and redundancy
- TUPE
- Union issues
- Complex employee relations issues
- Management of all litigation matters in courts and employment tribunals
Frequently Asked Questions
-
What Public Sector panels are Ashfords on?
Ashfords act for more than 130 public authorities. If you would like to instruct us under a framework or you have any framework related questions, please email our Bid Team bids@ashfords.co.uk or call 01392 333613.
-
Who should I contact if I have a social housing query?
Sian Gibbon is head of the social housing team and can be contacted at s.gibbon@ashfords.co.uk or on 01392 334101
-
I am an individual/business and need help with a social housing matter, can you help?
Please fill out the contact form below and we will get in touch with you.
-
Do you offer training to property professionals?
Yes, we provide training on a wide range of legal topics which may interest as well as soft skills workshops. Please fill out the contact form below with your training requirements.
Awards
@Housing_Law
Ashfords Housing RT @Ashfords_Law: Visit the Ashfords Foundation site for more information: https://t.co/tSzpmOjUF3 https://t.co/yX8sW2f6cu
3 days ago
Ashfords Housing The government has published guidance to encourage social housing providers to review their existing allocation pol… https://t.co/y0xaJTyj8H
25 days ago
Ashfords Housing RT @VickeryHolman: Great VH Event Friday Clay Pigeon Shooting and Lunch at the Nobody Inn. Great day with great Clients. Thank you all for…
26 days ago