Ann Bevington
Ann Bevington is a solicitor and a director of Hopkin Murray Beskine and specialises in housing and public law.
Ann specialises in housing and public law. She qualified as a solicitor in 2004 and has many years of experience acting for tenants, with particular expertise in defending possession proceedings, unlawful eviction and claims relating to disrepair and housing conditions. She also represents homelessness applicants in a range of cases. She often acts in public law cases, including complex judicial review claims relating to allocation of social housing.
Ann is a co-author of the current edition of ‘Defending Possession Proceedings’ (Legal Action Group), the leading guide to law and practice for those facing possession claims. She frequently acts as a duty solicitor on the county court housing possession duty scheme.
Ann also has experience of acting for tenants and leaseholders in a range of residential tenancy and leasehold disputes. She has considerable experience of advising on tenancy deposit issues and Rent Act tenancy disputes, and also advises private landlords in connection with residential landlord and tenant disputes. She also acts in claims for damages under the Human Rights Act 1998.
Ann is thorough, determined and creative, ensuring that clients are properly advised about all aspects of their case. She is tenacious and doesn’t give up.
Ann trained as a solicitor in north-east London and later worked as a housing solicitor in private practice in south London before joining Hopkin Murray Beskine in 2013.
Ann is recommended in the Legal 500 Guide and in the Chambers UK Guide. The 2023 Chambers UK Guide says she is ‘absolutely excellent, a leader in the field’. In the Legal 500 UK Solicitors 2023 rankings she is described as ‘clearly a brilliant solicitor’.
Recently reported cases:
TX v Adur District Council [2022] EWHC 3340 (Admin) – High Court – acting for the successful claimant in a judicial review claim concerning unlawful discrimination in a local authority’s housing allocations scheme, which operated to preclude women fleeing domestic violence in a different area from being placed in the highest priority bands on the housing register.
Norton v Haringey LBC [2022] EWCA Civ 1340 – Court of Appeal – acting for the appellant in a significant case concerning the requirements for a local authority when making a ‘Private Rented Sector Offer’ to an accepted homeless applicant under provisions in the Housing Act 1996. The Court of Appeal found that the requirements had not been met and that the council’s housing duty continued.
H & Others v Ealing London Borough Council [2017] EWCA Civ 1127– Court of Appeal – whether provisions in Ealing Council’s housing allocations policy ringfencing 20% of lettings for working household and model council tenants were unlawful.
London Borough of Lambeth v Loveridge [2014] UKSC 65 – Supreme Court – establishing that statutory damages are available to an unlawfully evicted secure tenant.
See also
Legal 500 testimonial, 2024 edition:
‘Ann Bevington is one of the best solicitors I have worked with. She is knowledgeable, intelligent, dedicated and thorough, as well as being a pleasure to work with.’
Ann has been recognised as a Next Generation Partner by the prestigious Legal 500 publication, 2024 edition.
Ann is recommended in the Legal 500 Guide and in the Chambers UK Guide. The 2023 Chambers UK Guide says she is ‘absolutely excellent, a leader in the field’. In the Legal 500 UK Solicitors 2023 rankings she is described as ‘clearly a brilliant solicitor’.
Client feedback
“My solicitor was the best I’ve had, she managed to make sure all my disrepair issues were dealt with”
“Ann was very professional, organised and made the process very clear”
“Very helpful and fought for our case – we felt valued”
“Ann listened and understood my needs and instructions and worked with me to achieve the desired outcome. Excellent service, highly recommended”
