Housing & Property Disputes

Whether you're a tenant, landlord, or dealing with commercial property issues, Anthony Gold Solicitors provide expert legal advice to resolve housing and property disputes.

Housing & Property Law: Expert legal support you can rely on

Dealing with housing law issues or property disputes can be stressful and complex, whether you’re a tenant, landlord, or managing commercial property. At Anthony Gold, we understand the impact these cases can have on your life or business. Our expert solicitors are committed to providing clear, effective legal advice, ensuring your rights are protected and helping you achieve the best possible outcome.

Legal support for social housing

Finding stability and security in your home is essential, but disputes with landlords or local councils can make that difficult. Our team of expert solicitors is here to protect your rights as a tenant and help resolve any issues you might face, from housing conditions to unlawful evictions.

Group claims for social housing

When multiple tenants are affected by the same issue, we can help you bring a group claim. This may involve disrepair, rent overcharges, or other collective grievances against a landlord, housing provider or your local council. Acting together can strengthen your case and lead to quicker resolutions.

Find out more about Group Claims

Housing conditions & repairs

No one should have to live in poor housing conditions. Whether it’s a leaking roof, subsidence, damp, or a broken boiler, we can ensure your landlord fulfils their legal obligations to make repairs. We will act on your behalf to stop disrepair from affecting your health and well-being. 

Find out more about Housing Conditions & Repairs

Defending possession & eviction

Facing the threat of eviction or a possession claim can be one of the most stressful experiences for tenants. Our solicitors are skilled at intervening quickly to prevent unlawful evictions and defending possession proceedings. With our support, you may be able to keep your home and challenge your landlord’s actions.

Find out more about defending possessions & eviction

Homelessness

Securing appropriate housing can be especially challenging for vulnerable individuals. Local authorities are required by law to assist people with specific needs, including the elderly, disabled, or families with children. If you believe the council isn’t meeting its duties, we can help you pursue your right to rehousing and prevent homelessness.

Find out more about Homelessness

Legal support for leaseholders

Every leaseholder deserves a secure and hassle-free living environment, but disputes with landlords or councils can be challenging. Our skilled solicitors are here to defend your rights, offering expert guidance on issues like leasehold repairs, build defects and service charge disputes.

Group claims for leaseholders

Group claims enable leaseholders to unite, amplify their collective strength, and seek justice together. This unified approach increases the likelihood of securing fair compensation and ensuring landlords are held accountable for systemic failings.

Learn more about Group Claims for Leaseholders

Leasehold repairs

Whether it’s a leaking roof, broken heating system, blocked main drains, or broken windows, lack of repairs to the building don’t just affect the condition of your property – they can impact your health and overall well-being. If your freeholder or management company is ignoring repairs that are their obligation, you don’t have to tolerate it.

Learn more about Leasehold Repairs

Build defects

New buildings often have significant defects, which may not become apparent for some years. Whether fire safety defects, construction issues, missing insulation or inadequate heat installations, houses and blocks of flats can face real issues. Resolving those issues can be complicated. If the building was completed after June 1992, we can assist.

Learn more about Build Defects

Leasehold service charge disputes

Under the law, service charges have to be reasonable in amount for what is provided, and have to be for items that are payable under the lease. If they are not, leaseholders can dispute the charges in the First Tier Tribunal.

Learn more about Leasehold Service Charge Disputes

Legal support for residential landlords

Managing residential properties can be a challenging responsibility, particularly when navigating the ever-evolving regulations and standards. Whether you’re a landlord or a letting agent, ensuring compliance with the law is critical to avoiding costly mistakes. Our experienced solicitors are here to offer expert legal support to help you manage your properties with confidence.

Regulation for landlords & agents

Residential landlords and letting agents face a wide array of legal obligations. From health and safety standards to tenancy agreements, adhering to both national and local regulations is crucial. Our team is well-versed in landlord-tenant law and can assist you in staying compliant, avoiding enforcement actions, and resolving disputes with tenants or local authorities.

Find out more about Regulation for Landlords & Agents

Letting agents

Letting agents and property managers face constant regulatory changes and heightened scrutiny. We can assist in keeping your tenancy agreements, terms of business, and other legal documents up to date with the latest laws. If you’re dealing with disputes, whether with landlords, tenants, or local authorities, we are ready to represent your interests and resolve matters efficiently. 

Find out more about Letting Agents

Repossession

Unfortunately, there are times when eviction becomes necessary due to non-payment of rent, property damage, or anti-social behaviour. The eviction process is highly regulated, and one mistake can delay repossession and lead to additional costs. Our solicitors can guide you through the process, ensuring every detail is handled correctly, so you can regain possession of your property as swiftly as possible.

Find out more about Repossession

Student accommodation providers

Renting your accommodation to students often involves its own set of legal challenges, from term-specific tenancies to issues with shared living spaces. Our solicitors have extensive experience advising universities and other educational bodies, private providers of student accommodation, including purpose-built student accommodation and private landlords with student accommodation, on the unique aspects of student lets, helping you stay compliant and avoid disputes.

Find out more about our services for Student Accommodation Providers

Property disputes & commercial lease cases

Commercial lease disputes can be complex and costly, whether you’re a landlord or a tenant. Our expert solicitors are here to guide you through every stage of the process, from breaches of covenant to lease renewals.

Property ownership disputes

Disputes over property ownership, title, and shared spaces can escalate quickly, especially when multiple parties are involved. We provide clear legal advice and representation to help resolve these conflicts, protecting your property rights and interests.

Find out more about Property Ownership Disputes

Party wall disputes

When you share a wall or structure with a neighbour, disputes over repairs, extensions, or alterations can arise. We offer expert guidance on party wall matters, helping you comply with the Party Wall Act 1996 and resolve disputes with neighbours, whether through negotiation or legal proceedings.

Find out more about Party Wall Disputes

Breach of covenant

Commercial leases include specific terms, or covenants, that must be adhered to by both landlords and tenants. When these terms are broken, it can lead to a breach of covenant claim, which often requires court involvement. We provide expert advice and representation to help you successfully navigate these disputes.

Find out more about Breach of Covenant

Forfeiture

For landlords seeking to recover possession due to serious breaches or rent arrears, forfeiture may be an option. We assist landlords in terminating leases, when necessary, while also advising tenants who may be facing wrongful eviction.

Find out more about Forfeiture

Commercial property dilapidations

Disputes over dilapidations and repairs typically arise at the end of a lease term. These cases can be time-consuming and expensive, often leading to court action. Whether you’re a landlord or tenant, our solicitors work to resolve these issues as efficiently as possible, aiming to settle disputes before they escalate.

Find out more about Commercial Property Dilapidations

For any housing or property-related legal issues, contact us today or call 020 7940 4060 to speak with one of our experienced solicitors or email your enquiry at mail@anthonygold.co.uk. We’re here to help you find the right solution.

Our Fees

We are always clear and up front about costs, so you know what to expect and won’t get any surprises. Once our solicitors understand your case and what you want to achieve, they will advise you of the best way to pay for it.

Funding for Housing & Property Disputes

At Anthony Gold we offer a range of ways to fund housing and property dispute cases. Different kinds of dispute can be funded in different ways, so not all the funding options will be available for all matters.

Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA)

For cases where you can’t get legal aid and you don’t have legal expenses insurance, we may be able to take your case under a ‘no win-no fee’ agreement.

This is possible where:

  • It is the kind of case where the other side may be ordered to pay your legal costs
  • We think you have a good chance of being successful
  • We are confident that the other side will be able to pay your legal costs. (This usually means that we can’t offer a ‘no win-no fee’ agreement in disrepair cases against private landlords, although it will depend on the finances of each landlord.)

Funding your case this way means you won’t have to pay our fees if you lose.

If your case is lost, we will not be paid for the work we have done and we may be able to obtain what’s called ‘after the event insurance’ for you to cover any risk of paying the opposing side’s fees and other costs.

If we win your case, you may have to pay some fees and any insurance premium out of your compensation.  The maximum percentage of any such deduction will always be agreed and explained to you in advance.  We don’t always take the maximum – we assess what is reasonable based on the risks of the case and the amount of work done.

We are known for taking on cases other firms would back away from and we are known for maximising compensation.

Our solicitors are extremely experienced in funding cases this way and will make sure you understand exactly how it all works before you sign any agreement to proceed.

We’ll let you know what any deduction for our costs is likely to be, what you might have to pay for after-the-event insurance, the maximum overall percentage deduction and how much you could get in compensation at the outset, so you can make an informed choice about going forward.  No hidden extras, no pressure, just expert advice.

Legal Aid

For defending possession and eviction cases, for homelessness cases, and for housing conditions claims where the only aim is to have serious hazards put right, not a claim for compensation, you may be able to get legal aid to fund your case.

Legal Aid is means-tested so there are eligibility limits on your income, savings and capital. Depending on your income, you may have to pay a contribution.

You can check your eligibility for legal aid here: https://legal-aid-checker.justice.gov.uk/

Legal expenses insurance

You may have an insurance policy that includes Legal Expenses insurance. If the policy covers housing or property disputes, the insurer may fund your case. The insurer would need to agree that you can instruct us, as a specialist law firm, on your case.

Private fees

If there are no other funding options, we can work on a private fees basis.  We will always give you an up-front fee estimate and details of our rates, and in some cases a fixed fee may be possible.  We will ensure that you are always kept up to date with work on your case and informed and consulted immediately about any unexpected costs.

In some circumstances we may be able to offer a ‘no win-lower fee’ agreement, so you would pay reduced fees as the case progressed, and we would seek higher fees from the other side if the case is successful.

Speak to us about your case today

020 7940 4060

Or

We will call you back as soon as possible.

Awards & accreditations

Speak to a member of the Housing & Property Disputes team

Housing & Property Disputes

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Missed Opportunity for Social Housing Reform

Andrew Brookes, Partner at Anthony Gold Solicitors, discusses the findings of the Phase 2 Grenfell Tower Inquiry Report, which was published on 4th September 2024.

Housing & Property Disputes

Will Purpose-Built Student Accommodation be Exempt from the Renters' Rights Bill?

Are you curious about how the new Renters' Rights Bill might reshape the purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) sector? Join Robin Stewart, Partner at Anthony Gold Solicitors, as he dives deep into this pressing topic.

Housing & Property Disputes

Can the Mould in Your House Cause Asthma?

Samantha Lewis, an expert solicitor in the Housing Department at Anthony Gold Solicitors, explores the critical connection between mould in your house and asthma.

Housing & Property Disputes:
Frequently Asked Questions

Can a commercial tenant challenge a dilapidations claim?

Yes, a commercial tenant can challenge a dilapidations claim, particularly if the costs are overstated or if the repairs demanded go beyond what is required by the lease. Landlords sometimes include unnecessary repairs or inflated costs in their claims. Our solicitors can review the schedule of dilapidations, assess whether the claim is reasonable, and help you negotiate a fair settlement. Challenging a claim early can prevent the issue from escalating to court, saving you time and money.

Can a dilapidations dispute be settled without going to court?

Yes, dilapidations disputes can often be settled without going to court. In fact, most landlords and tenants prefer to resolve these disputes through negotiation or mediation to avoid the time and costs associated with litigation. Our solicitors specialise in negotiating fair settlements that benefit both parties. We’ll work to resolve your case swiftly and cost-effectively, allowing you to move on without the burden of a drawn-out legal battle.

How can a landlord resolve a dispute with their tenant over repairs?

Disputes over repairs can be stressful, but they can often be resolved through negotiation. As a landlord, it’s important to respond to tenant concerns promptly and to ensure all repairs are made according to your legal obligations. At Anthony Gold, we assist landlords in reaching agreements with tenants, offering mediation services or negotiating settlements that avoid lengthy disputes or court proceedings.

Can a landlord claim for loss of rental income during repairs?

Yes, in some cases, a landlord can claim for loss of rental income if the tenant’s failure to repair the property means the landlord cannot rent it out while repairs are being completed. However, this depends on the terms of the lease and the nature of the dilapidations. We can help you understand if this is an option for your specific situation and guide you through the process of claiming compensation.

Can I appeal a repossession?

Yes, you can appeal a repossession by completing an N244 form. Typically, your lender will notify you of mortgage arrears before seeking repossession and give you at least two weeks’ notice before applying to the court. It’s important to respond to these notices to discuss repayment options.



A word from our client

Anthony Gold were so professional and thorough and really seemed to care about getting us a good outcome – which they did. They made what could have been a difficult and stressful process so much easier and achieved a great outcome for us.

Katy Holiday

Housing Group Claim Client