Housing

A dedicated, professional team of experts

"While Garden Court's focus extends beyond housing law, it boasts an impressive number of extremely talented and highly qualified barristers who concentrate on this sector. Specialising in representing the disadvantaged in housing matters, the chambers is involved in a great many of the major cases, and the general market consensus is that it "can give anyone a run for their money." It accordingly ascends to the top band this year" Chambers UK 2010

Garden Court Chambers has one of the largest specialist housing law teams in the country (over 20 barristers) and has a reputation for excellence in this area. We cover all aspects of housing law including security of tenure, unlawful eviction, homelessness, allocation of social housing, disrepair and housing benefit. We are particularly committed to representing tenants, other occupiers and homeless people.

We also advise on other issues related to housing: Gypsies and travellers; disability issues; welfare benefits; ASBOs and ASBIs; community care; unfair terms in tenancy agreements; general town and country planning matters; grants; licensing of houses in multiple occupation; housing standards; and the housing health and safety rating system. We represent squatters. The team advises on the full range of accommodation and support issues concerning migrant welfare and asylum support. We are able to offer a complete service in social services, homelessness and connected Children Act matters.

A housing case can include aspects of immigration, family law, welfare benefits, disability, and criminal law. Thanks to our multidisciplinary approach, we can draw on the wisdom and experience of our colleagues in chambers who specialise in these areas. The Housing Team provides a full service, covering cases from the lowest to the highest courts, as well as undertaking advisory work.

Our work isn't confined to the courtroom. We also spend time training, advising and writing on housing issues. We were the first chambers to serve as a Legal Services Commission Specialist Support Service provider in housing law, and from 2004-2008 we offered specialist support and training under contract direct from the LSC.

We produce a free weekly Housing Law Bulletin and regularly contribute articles and case reports to professional publications such as Legal Action, All England Legal Opinion, Solicitors Journal, Landlord and Tenant Review and New Law Journal.

We have also written or co-written the authoritative books: Defending Possession Proceedings (LAG); Repairs: Tenants' Rights (LAG); Remedies for Disrepair and Other Building Defects (Sweet & Maxwell), Support for Asylum Seekers (LAG) , and Using the Housing Act 2004(Jordans). We have also written Housing Allocation and Homelessness (Jordans), and the Housing Law Handbook (Law Society). The Homelessness Act 2002: A Special Bulletin (Jordans) and Housing and the Human Rights Act: A Special Bulletin (Jordans).

Over many years, we have supported the Housing Law Practitioners' Association (HLPA)as both ordinary and executive members, and by giving talks and attending meetings. We have also taken part in numerous training courses provided by or in association with the Legal Action Group, the Law Society, Liberty and others. We are proud of the professional, approachable and up-to-date Housing law service that we provide.

Notable cases

We have taken part in many of the leading housing cases of recent years. A selection of just the recent House of Lords and Supreme Court cases in which members of the team have appeared includes:

DEFRA v Meier [2009] UKSC 11
R (Ali) v Birmingham CC; Moran v Manchester CC [2009] UKHL 36
R (Ahmad) v Newham LBC [2009] UKHL 14
Holmes-Moorhouse v Richmond LBC [2009] UKHL 7
Knowsley Housing Trust v White [2008] UKHL 70
Doherty v Birmingham CC [2008] UKHL 57
R(M) v Slough BC [2008] UKHL 52
London Borough of Lewisham v Malcolm [2008] UKHL 43
R (M) v London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham [2008] UKHL 14
Birmingham City Council v Walker [2007] UKHL 22.
Riverside Housing Association Ltd v. White & Anor [2007] UKHL 20
Kay v Lambeth LBC and London & Quadrant Housing Trust [2006] UKHL 10
South Buckinghamshire District Council v Porter [2004] UKHL 33
Qazi v Harrow LBC [2003] UKHL 43

Housing Clerks

If you would like more information about the Housing Team, please email the clerks civilclerks@gclaw.co.uk or call us on 020 7993 7600.

Urgent and Out of Hours Work

Chambers' housing team operates an urgent work and out of hours rota. The housing clerks can be contacted on 07920 497 962 and will be pleased to arrange for members of the team to assist with urgent work.

Please note that this number is for the legal profession only. Calls that are not related to urgent housing work will not be dealt with on this number. Lay client enquiries can not be dealt with on this number. Lay clients may find the website of Community Legal Advice helpful.

The team

Members of the Housing team are listed below - click on their names to go to their profiles.

Barrister Year of Call Email Address David Watkinson 1972 Send Email James Bowen 1979 Send Email Jan Luba QC 1980 Send Email Stephen Cottle 1984 Send Email Beatrice Prevatt 1985 Send Email Marc Willers 1987 Send Email Bethan Harris 1990 Send Email Edward Fitzpatrick 1990 Send Email Stephen Knafler QC 1993 Send Email Liz Davies 1994 Send Email Michael Paget 1995 Send Email Adrian Marshall Williams 1998 Send Email Adrian Berry 1998 Send Email Catherine O'Donnell 2000 Send Email Marina Sergides 2000 Send Email Desmond Rutledge 2001 Send Email Tim Baldwin 2001 Send Email Maya Naidoo 2002 Send Email Irena Sabic 2002 Send Email John Beckley 2003 Send Email Stephen Marsh 2005 Send Email Shu Shin Luh 2006 Send Email Alex Grigg 2007 Send Email