Landlord and Tenant Team

Iain Wightwick
David Curwen
Amanda Rhodes
Toby Huggins
Robert Welch
Caroline Harvey

Chambers offers landlord and tenant specialists at all levels of seniority. Members of the team have extensive experience of practice in courts and tribunals across England and Wales. They regularly advise landlords and tenants on matters as diverse as residential lease and licence issues to major commercial leasehold disputes.

Unity Street Chambers has particular expertise in social housing law, with a number of practitioners working for social landlords and less frequently for tenants in advisory and litigation roles. Since Chambers opened they have provided advice and representation for many of the social housing providers in the West Country and Wales.

In this context, practitioners advise on housing strategy, variations of tenancy agreements, notices, subsidiary documents and a variety of policy issues. They regularly appear in court on possession, disrepair and injunction claims and in appeals on homelessness. They have wide experience of dealing with gypsies and travellers and the associated legal issues raised, particularly with Human Rights Act related defences.

In disrepair work, Chambers has an enviable record of success in defending landlords from unmeritorious claims. For many years Chambers has provided advice both about the defence of claims commenced against landlords and about developing successful systems to forestall discontent on the part of tenants and avoid giving ‘claims farmers’ the ability to operate in the area. Chambers’ unique approach to such claims has saved social landlords millions of pounds in damages and costs, leaving such savings available to the housing provider for more meritorious uses.

Chambers will undertake work for tenants, particularly in private landlord and tenant claims (see below), and again members are known for protecting aggressively the interests of tenants against unscrupulous claims and for pursuing valid disrepair claims to a successful conclusion. Social housing tenants or their advisors should check with the Clerks whether their case can be handled by Chambers or not because conflicts of interest may prevent Unity Street barristers from working against many social landlords.

In commercial disputes, members of Chambers represent landlords and tenants in shop, warehouse and factory premises disputes, on lease/licence/trespasser disputes, rent, repairs, forfeiture and renewals claims. They can assist with drafting and strategic advice, for example by the provision of advice on gathering evidence for 1954 Act possession claims to maximise the chances of successfully bringing or defending actions.

In residential disputes, members of Chambers provide assistance with lease/licence disputes, unlawful eviction, disrepair, leasehold valuation tribunal work, assured shorthold tenancy questions and older, Rent Act etc. disputes.

Please email the Clerks, or phone them on 0117 906 9789, who will help you to find a barrister of the correct level of call and expertise to address your requirements both cost and time effectively.

Direct access to specialist housing advice: In many cases social landlords who do not have a legal department are able to come to Chambers direct, without the need to instruct a Solicitor. This new opportunity is likely to be quicker and less expensive than going to a Solicitor first.

For instance Chambers will help with the preparation of an injunction or possession claim and advise on how to issue proceedings, then appear on behalf of the landlord at interim and final hearings.

Click here to read more on the Direct Access page.