Social & Affordable housing

Extensive and longstanding experience advising on the legal issues associated with developing and managing social & affordable housing.

We provide sound practical advice to local authorities, housing associations, ALMOs and social landlords, from acquisition and disposal of housing developments through to complex litigation and tenancy management issues.

For more than 20 years, we’ve acted for some of the largest social & affordable housing landlords in the country including the Guinness Partnership, Sovereign Housing Association, LiveWest, Cornerstone Housing, Evolve and the Aster Group. We also act for various London Boroughs in connection with their non-routine litigation work including the London Boroughs Legal Alliance consisting of 16 London based Authorities.

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 both tailored to and accommodates these concerns, and above all, provides value for money.

The team are able to 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 and 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, as well as car club and electric vehicle charging schemes.

Our social & affordable housing experience

  • Advising a JV formed by a London Borough and a Registered Provider on a six year £130m regeneration scheme that developed 700 affordable homes, other mixed tenure houses and flats, and private sale homes.
  • Advising Wandsworth Borough Council on a £250 million mixed use development of a large retail site.
  • Acting for a local authority on the disposal of an eight-hectare town centre development site using the competitive dialogue process. Long-term development agreement with novel environmental and sustainability requirements. Development value in excess of £300m.
  • Advising on development and planning for the Duchy of Cornwall’s 4,000 unit 540 acre site at Nansledan.
  • Advising Wichelstowe LLP on a joint venture between BDW Trading Limited and Swindon Borough Council on a residential-led scheme with 2,750 new homes.
Ashfords has excellent ability to deal with complex matters and explain matters clearly. They're always able to set out proposed decision-making in line with our corporate position.
Chambers 2023

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Awards and accreditations

1
Chambers Top Ranked

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