Social housing providers (and others in the sector) face an ever-changing list of challenges driven by Government demands, new legislation and the economy.
Our highly regarded Social Housing Team acts for a broad range of national and regional RPs, local authorities, private house-builders and funders on a wide range of issues affecting the sector.
Some of the team are or have been RSL/RP Board members while others were previously lawyers in public sector organisations. We are a multi-disciplinary team, used to working together on major projects. The breadth of our expertise means that we provide you with a fully comprehensive service which covers all the legal needs of RPs and other bodies within the affordable housing sector including:
Currently, these range from targets for more and improved social housing to providing housing management services which meet rising customer expectations. Our team of lawyers have a true understanding of those challenges and will provide you with practical and clear advice, to overcome them.
We have particular strengths in development (including stock transfer) and its related discipline sectors: construction, planning and projects. Allied to this, we can call on our well-established plot sales function to support RP development teams – this is particularly important as the range of home ownership products increases and for those RPs who employ private sales to cross-subsidise schemes. We have a wealth of experience in housing and management issues, particularly in relation to anti-social behaviour, building safety, disrepair and service charge disputes. In addition, we have skilled advisers covering your core business needs such as employment law and funding.
Accreditations
Our expertise
- Development
- Stock transfer and rationalisation
- Planning and s.106 Agreements
- Construction
- Projects (PFI, PPP and Key Worker Schemes)
- Housing and asset management litigation including defending disrepair claims, county court litigation, including injunction and possession proceedings and handling leasehold disputes in the First Tier Tribunal
- Regulation
- Homelessness legislation
- Health and safety, including building and fire safety
- Employment
- Plot sales, including Right to Buy/Acquire and Shared Ownership Schemes
- Funding and related drawdown work
- Corporate structures
- Charity and not for profit
- Commercial agreements, data protection and freedom of information.
Key contacts
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Partner – Head of Social Housing
Birketts are particularly good with social housing issues and provide a brilliant service. I can’t speak highly enough of them.
Chambers [UK 2025]
