Growing ambitions
We're proud to provide work experience and support to the tenants of social housing clients such as The Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust.
Social housing
“Friendly and approachable multi-disciplinary team has an excellent reputation among many of the most significant housing associations in the country.”
Legal 500 2019
“We receive loyalty, commitment to every cause and sheer dedication to ensure we obtain the right outcome.”
Chambers and Partners 2019
Our Social Housing team provides expert advice on all issues including development, procurement, shared ownership, Right to Buy, charging, housing management, commercial contracts, governance, data protection, care and employment.
Main areas of practice
The Social Housing team lawyers are leaders in their field and provide specialist advice in the following areas:
- Housing management
- Development, development agreements and site acquisitions
- Joint ventures
- Infrastructure, recipient and nomination agreements
- Grant funding
- Planning, including s106 agreements
- Sales, leaseholds and shared ownership sales
- Right to buy/acquire
- After sales (including flexible tenure staircasing and shared ownership resales)
- Anti-social behaviour
- Service charges & disputes
Clients
Our clients include:
- Peabody Housing Association
- Clarion Group
- Optivo
- One Housing Group
- Network Homes
- Hyde Group
- Agudas Israel Housing Association Limited
- North Hertfordshire Homes
- Vale of Aylesbury Housing
- Vivid
- Radian Group
- Aster Group
- Pobl Group
- Pennaf Group
- Melin Homes
- Coastal Group
- Wales and West Housing Limited
Significant experience
Our social housing specialists have advised on a wide variety of issues. Examples include:
- Charitable issues in connection with conversion to a housing association.
- A housing association's contractual arrangements for the provisions of accommodation and care services.
- Refinancing of portfolios for housing associations.
- Launching of a new Residential Property Management product offering fixed fees for routine tenancy advice.
- Development of a service charge recovery service for housing associations.
“Their service is fantastic; it's really customer-focused. They instil confidence and allay panic.”
Chambers and Partners 2019
“They are thorough and know what they're doing.”
Chambers and Partners 2018
“Blake Morgan's impressive group has a strong understanding of the housing sector.”
Legal 500 2017
Related expertise
Main contacts
Related Knowledge & Resources
Blake Morgan strengthens social housing credentials
Press Release
Leading law firm Blake Morgan has been appointed to Peabody Trust’s legal services framework, strengthening the firm’s already significant housing association work.
Blake Morgan development expert joins Women in Social Housing board
Press Release
Blake Morgan Development and Social Housing specialist Christine Kessler-Robinson has been appointed as a Board Member of the South West Women in Social Housing (WISH) Group.
EAT confirms voluntary overtime payable in holiday pay
News
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has now ruled that voluntary overtime should be included in holiday pay if it is paid sufficiently regularly to amount to normal pay. Our expert explains the impact this will have on employers.
"No homes for nurses", bridging the gap between social housing and the NHS
Driven by austerity, there are changes afoot in the NHS that present significant opportunities for housing associations to work more closely with the NHS in England.
Chelsea caught offside in 'rights of light' dispute with local family
Chelsea football club is one of football's powerhouses and is known for having some of the world's best talent within its ranks. It is also known for having a Russian billionaire oil tycoon as an owner who is used to getting what he wants!
Should social housing be a "permitted disposal" on which no overage is payable?
The case of Burrows Investments Ltd and Ward Homes Ltd is another case highlighting the importance of careful drafting and negotiation of overage provision. Our expert explains what happened in the case.
Do sleep-in shifts qualify for the minimum wage?
In HR Magazine, Holly Cudbill, considers the vexed question of whether employees who undertake sleep-in shifts are entitled to the national minimum wage (NMW) throughout the entire time they are asleep, or only when they are awake to carry out duties.
The Housing White Paper
Tim Miles discusses the Housing White Paper that was released in Feb 2017 and the impact that this will have on the housing market.
New alignment between DCLG and Treasury
Tim Miles discusses the impact the Autumn Statement will have on housing associations in the UK. Click here to read the full article in 24 Housing.
Newport City Homes - Mr E
We acted on a disputed service charge claim brought by Mr E, a leaseholder.