Leading Individuals

Social housing in East Anglia

Birketts LLP

Birketts LLP in Norwich provides 'the personal touch and always goes the extra mile to support and offer solutions to complex and difficult cases'. Its work spans housing development, contentious matters, advice on housing repair and Housing and Asset Management policy and procedure and regulatory compliance, as well as right to buy matters. Among the firm's key clients are Platform Housing Group and Cambridge Housing Society. The practice is led by Jonathan Hulley, who focuses on social housing litigation, and head of housing management Clive Adams, who work from both the Norwich and London offices. They are 'proactive and provide good advice'. Senior associates Emily Groom and Sarah Fish also play key roles in the practice.

Practice head(s):

Jonathan Hulley; Clive Adams

Other key lawyers:

Emily Groom; Sarah Fish

Testimonials

‘Good value for money. Disrepair experts.’

‘Clive Adams and Jonathan Hulley are proactive and provide good advice.’

‘They have the personal touch and always go the extra mile to support and offer solutions to complex and difficult cases.’

‘Jonathan Hulley is a very respected and committed individual who has both the interest of the client and corporate at heart. He has excellent interpersonal skills, knowledgeable and is well respected.’

Key clients

Aster Communities

Broadland Housing Group

B3 Living

Cambridge Housing Society

Chelmer Housing Partnership

Clarion

Eastlight

Flagship

L&Q

Orbit

Platform Housing Group

Sovereign Housing Group

Swan

Work highlights

  • Acted for Flagship on the acquisition of 111 affordable housing units at a scheme cost of a minimum of £13 million on a golden brick basis from a national house builder working in partnership with a regional development company.
  • Advised on £60m refinancing for Broadland Housing Group.
  • Conducting appeal to Court of Appeal in the case of client Aster Communities v Chapman and others [2021] EWCA Civ 660. The case concerned five blocks of flats, each requiring a substantial scheme of works and together totalling circa £4.7m.

Buckles Solicitors LLP

The social housing practice at Buckles Solicitors LLP in Peterborough is ‘very experienced and knowledgeable in housing management and anti-social behaviour issues, providing very prompt and comprehensive advice and services for all cases‘. The firm counts among its clients Cross Keys Homes and Freebridge Community Housing Trust. Practice head Gail Sykes senior legal executive Julie Isaacprovide very prompt advice, progressing cases within appropriate timescales to achieve successful outcomes‘. For a Bedfordshire housing provider, they recently defeated a claim by a tenant for wrongful eviction and disrepair, the tenant having moved out, but claiming that he had still been in occupation when the landlord had changed the locks.

Practice head(s):

Gail Sykes

Other key lawyers:

Julie Isaac

Testimonials

‘The team are very experienced and knowledgeable in housing management and anti-social behaviour issues, providing very prompt and comprehensive advice and services for all cases.’

‘Gail Sykes and Julie Isaac are our main points of contact, providing very prompt advice, progressing cases within appropriate timescales to achieve successful outcomes.’

Key clients

Cross Keys Homes

Freebridge Community Housing Trust

Settle

Hundred Houses Society

CHS Group

The Grand Union Group

Longhurst Group Ltd

Blue Skies Consortium

The Papworth Trust

YMCA (various branches in East Anglia)

Howes Percival LLP

'Their local knowledge and experience over a number of years and their commitment to diversity and inclusion is also appreciated', says a client of Howes Percival LLP. Another highlights the firm's 'genuine interest in our organisation, including their willingness to share experiences and knowledge of local resources that might be relevant and useful'. The firm has a four-partner team that counts Accent Housing and Chorus Homes among its clients. The practice is led by Estelle Corner in Norwich, who joined with a team from Spire Solicitors LLP and handles development, property and sales, and Cambridge-based Simon Murphy who focuses on housing management. They draw on the expertise of property partners including Michaela Henson in Cambridge, who frequently assists Hundred Houses Society with real estate matters.

Practice head(s):

Estelle Corner; Simon Murphy

Other key lawyers:

Michaela Henson

Testimonials

‘They have local knowledge and experience over a number of years. Their commitment to diversity and inclusion is also appreciated.’

‘They have genuine interest in our organisation, including their willingness to share experiences and knowledge of local resources that might be relevant and useful.’

‘Howes Percival have built a very knowledgeable team. The service we receive is second to none.’

‘Estelle Corner is responsive to our needs and our strange and complicated queries, and yet always manages to make us feel like we’re her only client… and the amazing thing is, I bet ALL her clients feel the same way!’

Key clients

Accent Homemade Limited

Accent Housing Limited

Chorus Homes Limited

Crimson Development Homes Limited

Crocus Contractors Limited

East Cambs CLT

East Cambs Trading Company

Flagship Housing Developments Limited

Flagship Housing Group Limited

Hundred Houses Society Limited

Saffron Housing Trust Limited

Work highlights

  • Completed acquisition of land for development of a 100% affordable housing scheme for a leading regional housing association and now instructed on shared ownership disposals.
  • Advised housing association on the acquisition of 27 affordable housing units with associated development agreement with value of over £6.5m.
  • Acting for a local authority trading company and a CLT on the acquisition and disposal of 15 shared ownership units within a framework of complicated lending arrangements.