Housing and Homelessness

The Housing Team at Hopkin Murray Beskine has extensive experience. The team includes two partners, Ben Chataway and Lesley Curtis, as well as senior solicitor Sandra Yao, two trainee solicitors and paralegals.  Together we offer a breadth of expertise and client care which is second to none.

We act predominantly for tenants, leaseholders and the homeless but also act for landlords including housing co-operatives.  Our objective for whichever side we are representing is to carry out work as quickly as possible and to achieve the best results.  We have led the way in Housing and related Public Law matters and have a number of reported cases.

What we do

Housing problems:

  • Possession proceedings/applications for eviction
  • Claims based on housing disrepair. We can instruct independent surveyors to carry out inspections, compel a landlord to carry out works, and provide representation in claims for damages based on disrepair and related personal injury.
  • Nuisance, anti-social behaviour and other breaches of tenancy obligations.
  • Illegal eviction and harassment, including applications for injunctions for re-entry.
  • Assignment and succession
  • Protected/statutory tenancies under the Rent Act 1977
  • Tolerated trespassers
  • Mortgage repossession and forfeiture proceedings
  • Service charge disputes
  • Housing allocation and transfers
  • All aspects of homelessness.
  • Other access to housing help, including through social services and asylum support
General civil litigation:
  • Claims arising out of commercial leases
  • Building disputes
  • Boundary disputes and transfer to land.

What will it cost?

Depending upon your financial circumstances you may qualify for legal aid (now called public funding). We will automatically carry out an assessment when we first have contact with you to see whether or not you are eligible.

 

If you are not entitled to public funding we will discuss with you other ways of funding your case including no win no fee agreements where appropriate and fixed fees.

How to contact us?

Contact us on 020 7272 1234, or email us at newclients@hmbsolicitors.co.uk