Social Housing Management

Penningtons Manches provides proactive and pragmatic advice to social landlords on all aspects of housing management. They turn to us for technical excellence combined with a full understanding of the landscape in which they operate.

Our housing management specialists regularly advise members of the G15 and g320 as well as regional housing associations, both large and small. We recognise that each housing association is unique and so we tailor our service to reflect both the needs of our clients and the varied nature of their portfolios.

Our team has many years' experience in dealing with issues relating to tenants. While we act for clients in all courts and tribunals, much of our work involves advising on ways to manage or avoid problems so that they can be resolved without the need to issue proceedings.

One of our key strengths is how closely we collaborate with our clients’ own teams through our bespoke legal training courses, which ensure that an effective and workable strategy is in place at the earliest opportunity. It is our firm belief that the vast majority of housing management issues can be avoided with the right process maps in place at client level.

As a multi-disciplinary firm, we are able to draw on expertise across a range of practice areas to include sales, finance, development and construction, allowing our clients to benefit from a truly sector focused and holistic service.

We are consistently acknowledged by landlords for our commitment to high standards of customer care and transparency of pricing.

We offer expert advice on:

ASB injunctions
disrepair
enforcement of tenancy agreements
unlawful subletting / succession
gas access injunctions
possession proceedings
general landlord and tenant advice

Recent work highlights

Strong line of defence

Successfully defending disrepair proceedings brought by a tenant where the pleaded claim was in excess of £14 million. The case involved a complex chronology of events over a five year period and issues of causation were key.

Proceedings against freeloading relative

Recovering possession of a house from a deceased tenant’s niece who only took up occupation after the death of her elderly uncle but claimed to have been living at the property prior to his death and to be entitled to succeed.

Vacant possession strategy

Acting for a client to deliver vacant possession of five housing estates due for regeneration as part of a £250 million scheme. This involved the issue of hundreds of possession claims against residents to protect the client’s position if offers of alternative accommodation were refused.