Social housing
Social and environmental impact are at the top of our business agenda. At Browne Jacobson, we’ve always worked across business and society, and this expertise sets us apart. Active in the social housing sector since the 1990s, we’re proud of our heritage acting for housing providers across the country and our work helping to deliver much-needed affordable housing.
Our clients are not only housing associations and registered providers, but also private developers, local authorities, health providers, private equity firms and government agencies such as Homes England. This cross-sector experience benefits all our clients, particularly in an era of increased partnering and joint ventures. We understand who our clients work with and can draw upon that knowledge and experience to find solutions which enable the smooth the delivery of projects.
Many of our housing provider clients are longstanding relationships, and we’ve supported them as they’ve grown and evolved. Our clients include nearly 20% of the registered providers awarded Homes England ‘strategic partner’ status under the AHP 2021-2026 - those organisations alone are tasked with delivering more than 14,000 grant-funded new homes by March 2026.
But it is not only about housing delivery. We support housing providers across a range of areas — joint ventures, securitisation, housing management, planning, environmental issues and employment advice.
Related services and sectors
Key contacts
Gabor Taller
Partner
Barry Sully
Partner
Victoria Searle
Associate
Victoria Curran
Partner
Simon Brooks
Partner
Ben Standing
Partner
Ragene Raithatha
Legal Director
What others say...
"The team are really helpful, very quick and reactive.”
"They always give sound and realistic advice.”
“The growing national practice at Browne Jacobson LLP … works with a wide range of housing associations and local authorities, as well as advising private sector entities delivering affordable housing. [Gabor] Taller has expertise in social housing development and funding, while [Barry] Sully has impressive experience of residential development, regeneration projects and major joint ventures.”
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UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson joins UKREiiF 2023
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Public matters - February 2023
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Register your interest to join our next Home Delivery Academy
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How will the Building Safety Act 2022 impact on the design and construction of buildings commenced after the Act comes into force?
Guide - Building Safety Act
How will the Building Safety Act 2022 impact on the ownership and occupation of higher-risk buildings?
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Homes England partners with local authorities to boost the levelling up agenda
Homes England, the government’s housing accelerator, has partnered with two local authorities, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Association of South Essex Local Authorities, in a new Strategic Place Partnership (SPP) which is designed to align with the government’s levelling up agenda by delivering new homes in the regions.
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Building Safety Bill – what’s coming and how will it affect you?
Opinion - Building Safety Act
Building Safety Bill receives Royal Assent
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Update: building safety repairs pledge signed by over 35 major housing developers
On 14 February 2022, Secretary of State of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, announced proposals designed to pressure building developers and materials manufacturers to fund the remediation of unsafe properties.
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Environmental Protection Act 1990 claims - the next big thing for claimant solicitors?
Over the last few years, our local authority and housing association clients have reported a significant increase in the number of claims received, usually from one of a specific group of claimant solicitors acting on behalf of tenants alleging a breach of their landlord’s repairing obligations.
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The Debt Respite Scheme and its implications for creditors
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Public bodies must understand the scope of ‘irrational’ or ‘unreasonable’ challenges so that proactive steps can be taken to reduce the likelihood of successful judicial intervention.
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Developers: disregard restrictive covenants at your peril
The Supreme Court has decided a significant appeal on the Upper Tribunal’s power to discharge or modify restrictive covenants pursuant to section 84(1) of the Law of Property Act (“1925 Act”).
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Published Article
Rent regulation for all
The Rent Standard 2020 defines rent increases, aligning regulation of all registered providers of social housing, including councils for the first time.
Published Article
Negligence in performance of statutory functions
The Supreme Court decision in Poole Borough Council v GN and another [2019] UKSC 25 addresses key legal principles in relation to duty of care connected with the performance of statutory services by public bodies.
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Stanning v Baldwin and another [2019] EWHC 1350 (Ch)
Issues about prescriptive rights of way and drainage arose on the redevelopment of dominant land.
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Reaction: Supreme Court rules no duty of care in negligence in Poole Borough Council v GN and another
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Ealing Council have signed an agreement with Peabody to deliver 500 new homes at ‘The Green’ in Southall, West London. Browne Jacobson advised the Council on the project.
Legal Update
Tenant consultation in housing regeneration
This article, the first in a series for public matters looking at housing law issues in a regeneration context, seeks to outline some of the key consultation requirements that should be in a local authorities’ contemplation when they are looking to regenerate, and additional considerations in London.
Legal Update
Court makes example of developer for breach of restrictive covenant
In a recent decision of the Court of Appeal in Alexander Devine Children’s Cancer Trust v Millgate Developments Ltd and others [2018] EWCA Civ 2679, developers were given a somewhat unwelcome reminder of the risks of ignoring restrictive covenants during development.