Social Housing

We are recognised as a leading chambers for the provision of legal services to the social housing sector.

The Legal 500 identifies Exchange Chambers as a leading set for representing social landlords, noting its “client-focused” barristers and “100% reliable” clerks.

We advise and represent local authorities and registered providers of social housing including housing associations, fully mutual housing co-operatives and private-sector housing providers.

What sets us apart from other sets is the range of our multidisciplinary expertise. Our business and property department includes a number of specialist property litigators who have extensive experience in acting for housing providers. They are adept at dealing with landlord & tenant, property and related issues that social landlords frequently encounter:

• Anti-social behaviour;
• Building and fire safety;
• Development;
• Discrimination and equalities;
• Disrepair and housing conditions;
• Homelessness and housing allocations;
• Housing governance, policy and strategy;
• Housing licensing including HMO and selective licensing schemes;
• Housing management;
• Long leases including service charges;
• Possession claims;
• Public law and human rights defences; and
• Tenancy fraud and succession.

Chambers is also home to expert counsel who can provide advice on the broad range of issues facing the social housing sector including:

• Commercial and contract law disputes;
• Board and companies law issues;
• Court of Protection and mental capacity law;
• Criminal law;
• Employment law;
• Environmental law;
• Family law;
• Personal injury law;
• Planning law;
• Local government and judicial review;
• Regulatory law.

Our specialist barristers often work together on cases that cross multiple disciplines. This ensures that our social housing clients receive expert advice and the highest levels of client care.

We have seventeen barristers appointed to the Attorney General’s Panels of Counsel for central government work. We also have two silks on the GLD’s list of King’s Counsel. We are members of all local government and social housing panel counsel schemes which operate in the North.

We maintain a close relationship with specialist housing solicitors and major housing providers. Our barristers regularly attend the Law and Governance Forum. We provide in house training both for solicitors and for lay clients. We provide our own annual housing conference. Our barristers often speak at housing conference organised by our clients.

Our housing specialists have helped support the Social Housing Law Association in the establishment of its Northern branch.