'Fast, accurate and affordable', Batchelors fields a team of seven social housing specialists, headed up by Andrew Harmer. Clients rate Daniel Skinner's 'supportive and accessible approach'. The Legal 500 UK, 2009

"Daniel Skinner is a particular authority on anti-social behaviour work, with market sources describing him as "immersed in social housing law and policy."" Chambers UK 2010

Batchelors' Housing Management Department has been acting for Housing Associations for over twenty five years. At present, we act for approximately forty Housing Association and are recognised by Chambers & Partners, A Client's Guide To The UK Legal Profession 2009 which states:-

'This dedicated specialist housing management firm "is always willing to go the extra mile to get the job done," enthuse clients. Andrew Harmer leads the five-strong team, which focuses on representing clients in housing management litigation and possesses the resources necessary to adhere to tight timescales and provide good value for money. Commentators also praised the group's "accessible partners, who make us feel like we are their first priority."

Our Housing Management Department offers a comprehensive and expert service to Registered Social Landlords and other social housing providers in all aspects of housing management litigation.

The Department regularly deals with very high profile cases of national importance.

Recent Examples

Batchelors represented Russet Homes in a ground breaking case in Tunbridge Wells County Court. The advocacy at the hearing was done by our Daniel Skinner who had been given less than an hour's notice of the application by the tenant's solicitors. The case involved disputes over the effect of a bankruptcy order on a possession case and, uniquely, the judge's role when fixing a date for possession following a postponed possession order.

The case was entirely successful and resulted in the possession order being safeguarded and the client subsequently recovering all outstanding monies

Batchelors represented Richmond Housing Partnership regarding a series of incidents of anti-social behaviour that led to a tenant kicking in the door of a neighbour, Batchelors were instructed to obtain an appropriate remedy. The work was done at short notice and involved obtaining urgent evidence from witnesses who had fled to different parts of the country. A without notice injunction was obtained at very short notice under which the tenant was excluded from his own home and the block of flats in which he lived. The order allowed the neighbours to return to their own home over the Christmas period.

Batchelors represented Russet Homes in another leading case, this time in Maidstone County Court. The tenant had been arguing that as a result of a technical argument relying on a new case under the Disability Discrimination Act he could not be made subject to a possession order, and evicted, despite extremely high levels of arrears. The case had been adjourned on numerous occasions by the court. Following Batchelors' involvement the arguments put forward by the tenant's lawyers were successfully defeated and an outright order for possession was obtained.

Batchelors represented Hyde in a contested case where it was alleged the tenant, who was an enforcement officer working for a local authority had been subletting her property for many years. The case which was conducted by Gavinder Ryait under the supervision of Andrew Harmer was defended right up to trial. The case was entirely successful resulting in an outright Possession Order, recovery of the property and payment in full, the following day, of the Claimant's costs.

Batchelors represented SPH in a contested trial over a plot of land in North London subject to statutory notices and with development potential. The Claim had been issued by SPH following a high profile incident where the Defendant had barricaded himself on the land and sought a declaration that he had "squatters' rights". The law involved was complex including issues of estoppel. The case which was conducted by Andrew Harmer assisted by Thaine Wilson was defended right up to the end of the 4 day trial. The case was successful.

Batchelors represented Orbit's specialist leasehold division in recovering possession of a shared ownership property through the issue of court proceedings. Following a successful outcome to the case Batchelors dealt with the Land Registry's requirements and arranged for the property to be transferred into the name of the client.