Welcome to our Housing team, part of the Civil Department which also covers community care, education, welfare benefits, and public law.
What we can do in the housing team
This firm’s roots in housing law advice and representation in Leeds goes back about 20 years. We now have a team of specialist solicitors with a wealth of experience to draw on. We advise and represent tenants and other occupiers and homeless people. We do not represent private landlords.
We do housing cases in all Courts. We take cases through to appeals, even to the House of Lords and the European Court of Human Rights.
We were at the forefront in setting up a duty solicitor scheme at the Leeds County Court to provide legal representation when people are at court facing eviction. Where people are arrested on housing matters and brought to the Court without legal representation we are available to help in emergencies.
We have developed specialist knowledge in acting for vulnerable people who may have mental health problems, alcohol and drug addictions, domestic violence problems, young people, basically anyone who is involved in housing litigation.
We have a long track record in fighting against eviction. We defend possession proceedings but if an eviction warrant has already been issued then we will represent at Court to stop the eviction and to set the possession order aside if possible. We act in injunctions, anti-social behaviour, and nuisance cases.
We have years of experience in taking legal action to force landlords to put people’s homes into decent repair. By doing this we have wiped out rent arrears and won damages for tenants. We have claimed damages for children who have suffered asthma from mould and damp ridden homes, and carbon monoxide fumes from faulty gas fires.
We can help tenants enforce their Right to Buy option, get tenancies reinstated, and get improved priority for rehousing. We can help to stop landlords harassing tenants and we pursue damages claims for unlawful eviction.
Where people are homeless or about to be, we can challenge decisions that “it is your own fault”, and appeal your case to court.
We can help people who seek to defend their homes and communities facing clearance, demolition, and compulsory purchase orders.
We challenge unfair decisions of local authorities, taking proceedings in the High Court where necessary.
Linked with our work in welfare benefits, community care, and public law, we can advise on housing benefit, your rights in residential care, and your rights under the European Convention for respect for family and home.
