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Our national team of over 25 partners work extensively across the housing sector, bringing informed and pragmatic solutions to the challenges and opportunities that our clients face.
We have clients across the spectrum of organisations engaged in housing and regeneration:
- Registered providers
- Local authorities
- Private sector developers
- Funders
- Contractors
We offer a complete service; able to support all clients on all legal issues relating to: governance and corporate; funding and treasury; property and development; procurement and commercial; and tenant and leaseholder management.
But importantly, we offer more than just legal expertise. We offer an in-depth understanding of the housing market accumulated over decades of specialising in the sector.
Knowledge of market positions; what works and what doesn't; how technology could improve and reduce costs of legal services; what opportunities there could be in the market; what partnerships and introductions could add value to our clients.
As well as understanding this across the different client groups in the sector, we have expertise in key related fields such as health & social care and energy markets, providing us with a unique perspective and position as a law firm to bring more than just the law to our clients.
Read our latest Housing & Regeneration news and articles in our Insight Information Hub
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Building safety
Building safety remains a sector priority with providers investing significantly in remediation, resident engagement and long-term compliance.
The Building Safety Act 2022, Fire Safety Act 2021 and secondary legislation have introduced new duties for accountable persons, higher-risk buildings and the "golden thread" of information.
We advise on compliance strategies, remediation projects, procurement, funding, contractual risk allocation, resident engagement and regulatory investigations.
Read more about our building safety expertise.
Get in touch with Louise Mansfield
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Care regulatory
Integration between housing, health and social care is creating new opportunities for supported housing and place-based services.
CQC regulation, safeguarding duties, commissioning frameworks and integrated care arrangements continue to evolve.
We advise on partnerships, supported housing schemes, regulatory compliance, governance, funding arrangements and contracts with health and care providers.
Get in touch with Julia Jones
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Commercial and IT
Digital transformation, cyber security and technology procurement remain strategic priorities across the sector.
Data protection, cyber resilience and AI governance are becoming increasingly important in commercial arrangements.
We advise on technology procurement, software licensing, outsourcing, cloud services, AI governance, commercial contracts and digital transformation projects.
Get in touch with Richard Lane
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Development
We support clients throughout the development lifecycle, including land acquisition, planning, construction contracts, grant funding applications, infrastructure agreements, funding and delivery.
Planning reforms, environmental obligations, procurement requirements and building safety legislation continue to affect development programmes.
Read more about our housing development expertise.
Get in touch with Andrew Shaw and Richard Stirk
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Disrepair and compliance
Housing disrepair claims continue to increase significantly, placing financial and operational pressure on providers while attracting heightened scrutiny from regulators and the Housing Ombudsman.
Consumer Standards, Awaab's Law, the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code and housing health and safety requirements have raised expectations around repairs and complaint resolution.
We provide strategic support across high-volume disrepair claims, compliance reviews, litigation, Ombudsman investigations, policy development and proactive risk management to reduce future claims.
Get in touch with John Cox and Neil Brand
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Employment, pensions and immigration
Workforce challenges continue to affect recruitment, retention and organisational change across the housing sector.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 is the biggest shake-up of employment law in a generation, with far-reaching changes affecting organisations at every level. Registered providers also have additional expectations in terms of the competence and conduct of staff.
We advise on workforce restructuring, employment disputes, executive matters, pensions, immigration compliance and HR policies.
Read more about our employment, pensions and immigration expertise.
Get in touch with Sarah Lamont
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Energy solutions and decarbonisation
Providers are balancing ambitious decarbonisation targets against funding constraints, ageing housing stock and increasing tenant expectations around energy efficiency.
Net zero policy, evolving EPC requirements, heat network regulation and environmental legislation continue to shape investment decisions.
We advise on retrofit programmes, funding agreements, procurement, construction contracts, heat network projects and environmental compliance.
Get in touch with Nathan Bradberry and David Moore
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Finance
Housing providers face increasing pressure to balance investment in existing homes, development ambitions and financial resilience.
Funding arrangements require careful navigation of regulatory requirements, lender expectations and governance obligations.
We advise on financing transactions, security, treasury matters, refinancing, loan documentation and regulatory compliance.
Get in touch with Louise Leaver and David Moore
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Governance and regulation
Strong governance continues to be a key priority for registered providers.
Our team advises on governance best practice – from managing co-terminous boards and conflicts of interest through to ‘vires’ advice for charitable providers and integration of joint ventures into governance frameworks. We also advise on the Regulator of Social Housing’s regulatory standards, including ring-fencing of risk within group structures and the development of ‘living wills’.
We are recognised as experts in this field including as members of the NHF Code of Governance 2020 advisory group.
Read more about our governance expertise.
Get in touch with Sarah Greenhalgh and Rose Klemperer
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Growth strategies including mergers
We support boards with their growth aspirations – whether through collaboration arrangements, joint ventures or merger.
We can support with all elements of this journey including assisting on the creation of growth strategies, preparing for merger, models of delivery, project planning and management, legal due diligence, stakeholder engagement, lender consents, constitutional changes and regulatory requirements linked to growth.
Read more about our housing merger expertise.
Get in touch with Sarah Greenhalgh and Rose Klemperer
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Health and safety
Health and safety remains a key area of operational and reputational risk with providers managing increasing compliance obligations across large housing portfolios.
Building safety reforms, fire safety legislation, gas and electrical safety requirements, asbestos management and landlord health and safety duties continue to evolve.
We support clients with compliance frameworks, governance, incident response, enforcement action, regulatory investigations, audits and contractor risk management.
Read more about our health and safety expertise.
Get in touch with Louise Mansfield
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Housing management
Housing Providers are balancing increasing demand, rising operational costs and heightened tenant expectations while delivering safe, sustainable and customer-focused services. Managing tenancy issues proactively and maintaining strong resident relationships remain central to organisational performance.
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 represents one of the most significant reforms to housing legislation in a generation. The Act introduces wide-ranging changes designed to strengthen tenant protections, increase security of tenure and raise standards across the market.
We provide strategic and day-to-day advice on litigation, tenancy and leasehold management, anti-social behaviour, possession proceedings, tenancy fraud, policy development, consumer regulation, complaint handling, governance, judicial review, and responding to regulatory and Ombudsman investigations.
Read more about our housing management expertise.
Get in touch with Kate Hicks
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Information law
Housing providers manage increasing volumes of sensitive information while responding to growing numbers of data requests.
UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and Freedom of Information legislation continue to shape information governance.
We advise on STAIRS, data protection, freedom of information, subject access requests, information governance, cyber incidents and data sharing.
Get in touch with Rachael Perry
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Joint ventures
Collaboration between housing providers, developers and local authorities continues to grow as organisations seek innovative delivery models.
Governance, procurement, subsidy control and tax considerations all play a key role in structuring successful partnerships.
We advise on establishing joint ventures, governance arrangements, risk allocation, commercial agreements and ongoing partnership management.
Get in touch with Andrew Shaw and Andrew Spicer
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Planning and subsidy control
Delivering affordable housing increasingly requires innovative funding models and partnership arrangements while navigating planning delays.
Planning reforms, Biodiversity Net Gain requirements and the Subsidy Control Act continue to influence development viability.
We advise on planning agreements, subsidy control assessments, development funding, public sector partnerships and project structuring.
Get in touch with Kathryn Lawrance
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Plot sales
Mixed tenure developments continue to generate plot sales activity, requiring efficient transaction management and customer-focused delivery.
Consumer protection requirements, planning obligations and evolving property law continue to influence residential sales.
We advise on plot sales, development documentation, infrastructure agreements, shared ownership arrangements and transaction management.
Get in touch with Richard Stirk
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Policy, regulation and advisory
Housing providers are operating in an increasingly regulated environment, with greater scrutiny from the Regulator of Social Housing and the Housing Ombudsman.
The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, updated Consumer Standards and Awaab's Law are driving higher expectations around service delivery, governance, tenant engagement and complaint handling.
We advise on regulatory compliance, governance frameworks, policy development, consumer standards, complaint handling, inspections, and responses to regulatory intervention and Ombudsman investigations.
Get in touch with Sarah Orchard
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Portfolio management and transactions
Providers continue to rationalise housing portfolios, acquire strategic assets and restructure holdings to improve efficiency and support investment.
Transactions require careful consideration of regulatory consents, funding arrangements and property due diligence.
We advise on acquisitions, disposals, stock transfers, due diligence, title issues, regulatory approvals and transaction management.
Get in touch with Katie Dyer and Rebecca Gibson
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Portfolio strategy and asset management
We help housing providers gain a clear understanding of their portfolios and turn insight into opportunity. From asset and liability registers, living wills and ownership reviews to funding, restructuring and growth initiatives, we provide practical advice that supports confident decision-making.
Combining specialist legal expertise, technology-enabled delivery and secure client portals, we help clients unlock capacity, manage governance and regulatory requirements, and make the most of their assets while delivering their long-term strategic objectives.
Get in touch with Katie Dyer and Rebecca Gibson
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Procurement
Providers are seeking greater value from procurement while managing increasingly complex supply chains.
The Procurement Act 2023 introduces a new procurement regime with revised procedures and transparency requirements.
We advise on procurement strategy, tender documentation, contract award, challenges, governance and supplier management.
Get in touch with Bethan Lloyd
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Property charging
Housing assets play a vital role in supporting investment, growth and the delivery of new homes.
We help clients navigate the legal, regulatory and title issues that underpin successful charging programmes, from security reviews and title remediation to the ongoing management of secured portfolios.
Combining specialist legal expertise, practical sector insight and technology-enabled delivery through secure client portals, we help clients unlock capacity, support funding requirements and plan confidently for the future.
Get in touch with Katie Dyer and Jessica Church
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Vulnerable tenants
Housing providers are increasingly supporting tenants with complex needs, requiring collaboration across housing, health and social care services.
The Mental Health Act 2025 introduces the most substantial update to mental health law in over 40 years - modernising the framework, strengthening patient rights and reshaping the responsibilities of health and social care providers.
We advise on safeguarding, tenancy management, Equality Act duties, information sharing, possession strategies, policy development and complex case management.
Get in touch with Julia Jones
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Development/Corporate
Our innovative work with local authorities and health bodies in public procurement and regulation means that we can help registered providers structure and deliver the commercial opportunities to partner with other public sector partners. For example, we are market leaders advising on the setting up of joint ventures and housing delivery vehicles (for the development and/or ownership of open market, private rented, temporary accommodation as well as social housing).
Governance/Regulatory
We are well-placed to support Compliance and Governance requirements in an environment of increasing commercialisation and de-regulation. We help registered provider and local authority clients pursue commercial opportunities for growth whilst core social housing assets are protected. For example, how social rented housing and private rented housing incorporate a commercial investment asset portfolio with different standards apply to these different asset categories and we will be able to help clients put in place appropriate systems to enable their businesses to operate as freely as they can to compete with market competitors which do not have such complexity in their operating models.
We have assisted over 30 Local Authorities in the set-up and funding of housing delivery vehicles, including a number of RSH-registered provider subsidiaries for the reinvestment of RTB receipts into social housing.
Social Housing Finance
We have an expert team of banking and charging specialists who apply their in-depth knowledge of the housing sector to support clients on all aspects of raising finance including negotiating loan agreements, advising on private placements and public bonds as well as property due diligence and charging. They act for a wide variety of clients including large national and small regional Registered Providers and several of the key funders to the sector. They use their experience and understanding of the requirements of both borrowers and lenders to advise on new and innovative funding initiatives such as off-balance sheet delivery models, funding for airspace development and unsecured loans.
Housing Management
Our clients are increasingly requiring support for effective service charge collection. This is an area where the law is complicated and heavily regulated by statute. We have provided bespoke training to clients on this area. We have also developed a bespoke, highly competitive fixed fee solution to enable recoveries to be outsourced with confidence and cost certainty.
We advise both Housing Associations and Local Authorities on issues, including the introduction of fixed term tenancies, "pay to stay" arrangements, voluntary RTB, anti-social behaviour enforcement and rent repossession proceedings, as well as disrepair, service charge and succession disputes.
There is a good range of knowledge and experience within the team; they have been able to provide practical and meaningful advice on complicated activities undertaken. They are able to communicate well with our staff and board and provide suitable advice to meet our circumstances.
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Regenerating the iconic Dagenham Stamping Plant
We have been assisting the Peabody Trust in a multi-service Corporate, Property and Planning role on its acquisition of a company which owns the iconic Dagenham Stamping Plant car works site at Dagenham Dock in Barking & Dagenham. Once developed, this c.45 acre brownfield site will become a vibrant new placemaking-led neighbourhood called “Dagenham Green” and will provide in excess of 3,500 mixed tenure new homes, extensive landscape, land for a new school, community space and commercial properties.
The high-profile transaction was structured as a 100% share acquisition from Europa Capital, and held significant complexity owing to multiple adjoining land interests and ongoing demolition/remediation works. We are now advising on the planning agreements and various corporate structures to enable the development to be brought forward.
Images courtesy of Peabody
Lewisham Gateway - one of largest regeneration projects in south east London
We are currently advising GLA Land & Property on its collaboration with Lewisham Council, Transport for London, London Bus Services and Muse Developments for delivery of Phase 2 of their £350m mixed-use Lewisham Gateway development - one of the largest regeneration projects in south east London. The scheme has involved structuring a joint venture between the public sector partners, along with Muse Developments/Morgan Sindall, to enable this innovative development. Upon completion the development will provide 900 homes and an array of new shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, leisure facilities including a multi-screen cinema, a riverside park (Confluence Place) and is set to create over 200 jobs.
Images courtesy of Muse Developments
Redevelopment in the heart of Hounslow
We have been working with the London Borough of Hounslow, assisting with the phased disposal of their former Lampton Road Civic Offices. Phase 1 was a consortium including Bouygues Developments and Notting Hill Genesis. The development delivered 160 affordable homes and created a new, state-of-the-art civic office (Hounslow House) at Bath Road. Notting Hill Genesis are in the process of obtaining detailed planning for Phase 2 of Lampton Rd, which will provide 780 new homes comprising affordable, intermediate and private tenures. There will be a mix of studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, and houses.
Images L-R: Courtesy of Notting Hill Genesis; Sheppard Robson (copyright Assembly)
New communities
We are working on the project team with Peabody Group to create a new waterside district in Thamesmead. The project is a critical part of a wider development programme and will transform 2km of previously undeveloped waterfront along with existing derelict stock, to deliver a new community, a revitalised town centre, and new leisure and commercial facilities.
Image courtesy of Peabody Trust
Re-energising urban spaces
We are supporting Birmingham City Council on its project to redevelop Smithfield - creating a dynamic area in the heart of Birmingham. This innovative regeneration scheme is a key element of the Council's ground-breaking 'Big City Plan', launched in 2010, containing their 20 year vision for the creation of 5,000 homes. The plan involves transforming Smithfield into a 'distinctive place', expanding the City's existing housing offering with 2,000 new homes and a wide variety of unique cultural attractions, as well as state-of-the-art leisure and retail facilities.
Image courtesy of Birmingham City Council
Innovative corporate joint ventures
We advised Brighton & Hove City Council upon their c.£170m corporate joint venture with Hyde Housing Group to deliver 1,000 new homes, being one of the first such partnerships of its kind and scale in the country, and expected to be a model followed by others.
Registered providers understand the importance of decarbonisation
While registered providers have developed net zero strategies and identified the investment needed to improve housing stock, turning those ambitions into reality requires balancing affordability, resident outcomes, regulatory obligations and long-term asset performance.
Visit our Housing Decarbonisation hub to explore the latest sector insights and discover how our specialists can help your organisation successfully deliver retrofit and net zero programmes.
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