DWF’s affordable housing practice is a go-to name for high-profile national and regional mandates, acting for a client roster of registered providers, local authorities and public sector bodies. The group is highly regarded for its public sector expertise and is active in handling development agreements, grant funding issues, section 106 agreements, asset management work and contentious mandates. Lee Pickett is joint head of the firm’s national public sector real estate team, and newly promoted director Kelly Pearson heads up the national affordable housing group. Associates Marie Louise O’Hanrahan and Julie Polkey also contribute to the practice.
Social housing in North
DWF
Practice head(s):
Kelly Pearson; Lee Pickett
Other key lawyers:
Marie Louise O’Hanrahan; Julie Polkey
Key clients
The Riverside Group
Thirteen Housing Group Ltd
Joseph Rowntree Housing
Southway Housing Trust
Progress Housing Association
Work highlights
- Advising Riverside in connection with its extensive property development programme, exchanging on 35+ developments, securing the delivery of circa 750 units, advising on development agreements (golden brick and turn-key), option agreements, package deals, s106 agreements, infrastructure agreements and grant funding, including advice on the latest Strategic Partnership grant application.
- Advising Thirteen Housing Group on a complex package deal, with bare land being transferred to the client by a developer following the satisfaction of various contract pre-conditions (planning, site assembly, grant funding), and, following completion, the developer building out the approved scheme pursuant to a JCT.
- Acting for Joseph Rowntree Housing as sole provider of legal services for housing and development matters.
Swinburne Maddison LLP
Swinburne Maddison LLP’s ‘friendly practice and knowledgeable team’ draws from the expertise of practitioners in the firm’s commercial property and property litigation groups to act for a notable roster of registered provider clients; the team is also increasingly acting for local authorities. Victoria Walton and Kate Stephenson jointly lead the Durham-based practice and handle the full range of non-contentious work, while David Low is the key contact for property litigation.
Practice head(s):
Victoria Walton; Kate Stephenson
Other key lawyers:
David Low; Chris Ross
Testimonials
‘Swinburne Maddison have provided high-quality, consistent advice and services on a range of social housing related matters including land & property acquisitions, RTB/RTA disposals, shared ownership leases and other related matters.’
‘Chris Ross is an exceptional associate who has a vast knowledge of conveyancing matters.’
‘Friendly practice, fair fees, knowledgeable team, easy going manner.’
‘Always willing to help, nothing is too much trouble, go the extra mile.’
Key clients
Beyond Housing Limited
Karbon Homes Limited
Livin Housing
Leeds City Council
Believe Housing
Moving On (Durham) Ltd
My Space Housing Solutions
Work highlights
- Acting on behalf of Beyond Housing Limited in the acquisition of five sites for the residential development of 297 units.
- Continuing to act for a large local authority in connection with ongoing housing disrepair claims.
- Acting for Registered Providers across the North East and beyond in connection with a range of enforcement matters, primarily relating to possession cases based on anti-social behaviour and applications for injunctions.
Ward Hadaway LLP
With ‘excellent knowledge of the sector and the unique issues faced in social housing’, Ward Hadaway LLP’s full-service social housing team acts for registered providers on all stages of projects from planning issues and developments to regulatory work and housing litigation. Julia Thomson heads up the group and is notably adept at handling site acquisitions and security work, Kamran Hyder handles planning mandates, and John Murray recently moved from the firm’s Leeds office to establish a housing management team in the North East. The group also draws on the firm’s national network of offices for additional expertise.
Practice head(s):
Julia Thomson
Other key lawyers:
Kamran Hyder; John Murray
Testimonials
‘The team has excellent knowledge of the sector and the unique issues that we face in social housing. The experience offered by the team ensures a real understanding.’
‘John Murray’s experience in the sector is second to none.’
Key clients
Livin Housing
Thirteen Group
South Lakes Housing
Yorkshire Housing
Karbon Homes Limited
Hellens Residential Limited
Byker Community Trust
Home Group
Mosscare St Vincent’s
Home Group
Bernicia
Believe Housing Limited
Torus
Together Housing Association
Places for People Limited
Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP
Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP‘s ‘approachable and helpful’ multi-disciplinary practice counts housing associations, councils, charities, registered providers and other affordable housing providers on its client roster, which it assists with the full range of contentious and non-contentious work. On the non-contentious front, the group advises on transactional work, contractual issues, developments, finance work and governance mandates, while its contentious matters span disrepair claims, possession claims and anti-social behaviour injunctions. Nigel Emmerson leads the housing group, while national real estate sector leader John Ralph also contributes. The team also works closely with practitioners in other offices.
Practice head(s):
Nigel Emmerson; John Ralph
Testimonials
‘Technically reliable and good commercial balance.’
‘Approachable and commercially aware, and able to understand a brief and stick to it.’
‘Stands out for the range of work from routine to bespoke with all members of the larger team working and communicating well together.’
‘The team at Womble Bond Dickinson is very approachable and helpful. We have been dealing with them on a land and property acquisition and found the team very professional and proactive. The team has a great knowledge of our requirements and is able to provide advice and propose suitable solutions. The personalised approach makes working together much easier and efficient. The communication is very good and we are able to get response to queries promptly.’
Key clients
Karbon Homes Limited
Bernicia Group
Places for People Homes
Home Group Limited
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institute
Bradford City Council
Kirklees Council
Leeds City Council
Work highlights
- Advising Karbon Homes in relation to its ongoing development programme.
- Acting for the Bernicia Group on a range of tenancy management issues including claims to possession, injunctions to tackle anti-social behaviour, committals for breach and defending housing disrepair claims.
- Acting for Places for People Homes in relation to its ongoing development programme including acquisitions of sites, development agreements and the acquisition of units from house builders fulfilling section 106 obligations.