Extremely good on his feet and hugely robust.
Chambers and Partners
An expert and committed social housing specialist
Chambers and Partners 2024
Technically fantastic
Legal 500
Lightning fast and unflappable in the courtroom.
Legal 500
Andrew is collaborative, intelligent, knowledgeable and very good at working under pressure. He is clear-thinking and does not lose sight of the client’s goal.
Legal 500 2024
He provides clear and concise advice on difficult technical areas of law, particularly landlord and tenant matters.
Legal 500
He is extremely bright and beautifully analytical
Chambers and Partners
First-choice counsel for difficult housing law issues. A great choice for cases with technical or complex issues. He provides clear, decisive advice.
Chambers UK Bar
He’s strong and consistent on a broad range of social housing matters. He’s excellent technically, thorough and clear in his advice and very approachable.
Chambers and Partners
Experienced in representing private and public sector clients.
Legal 500
Provides clear, easy to read advice
Chambers and Partners 2024
Andrew’s practice consists of housing, local government, landlord and tenant and general property law. He has been recognised by Chambers and Partners as a leading junior in social housing law in every year since the category was first introduced and is also ranked in the Legal 500 for his social housing work. He acts for landlords, local authorities, tenants and the homeless on all aspects of housing law, including possession claims, local government finance, housing standards, HMOs, homelessness and allocations. His property work includes leasehold enfranchisement, all aspects of service charges, restrictive covenants, easements business tenancies and non-domestic rates. He is Deputy General Editor of the Housing Law Reports, an editor of Arden and Partington’s Housing Law and co-author of the Manual of Housing Law. He is part of the legal team representing the bereaved, survivors and residents in Phase 2 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
Andrew regularly acts for both applicants and local authorities in homelessness cases. He has advised many authorities on homelessness at a policy level and has provided training and seminars on homelessness law. He has also advised numerous local authorities on revisions to their allocation schemes. His cases include R. (Edwards) v Birmingham CC [2016] EWHC 173 (Admin); [2016] H.L.R. 11, in which he was part of the legal team which successfully opposed a challenge to the lawfulness of the authority’s procedures for discharging its duties under Pt 7.
Andrew has been recognised by Chambers and Partners as a leading junior in social housing law in every year since the category was first introduced and is also ranked in the Legal 500 for his social housing work. He acts for landlords, local authorities, tenants and the homeless on all aspects of housing law, including possession claims, local government finance, housing standards, HMOs, rents, homelessness and allocations. His property work includes all aspects of leasehold work, leasehold enfranchisement, service charges, restrictive covenants, easements business tenancies and non-domestic rates. He is Deputy General Editor of the Housing Law Reports, an editor of Arden and Partington’s Housing Law and co-author of the Manual of Housing Law.
Notable cases include:
Islington LBC v Unite Group Plc [2013] EWHC 508 (Admin); [2013] PTSR 1078; [2013] H.L.R. 33 (HMO licensing and student accommodation)
Rochdale MBC v Dixon [2011] EWCA Civ 1173; [2012] PTSR 1336; [2012] H.L.R. 6 (water charges and local authority powers)
Swindon BC v Redpath [2009] EWCA Civ 493; [2009] L.&T.R. 1; [2010] H.L.R. 13 (anti-social behaviour and housing management functions)
Kilby v Basildon DC [2007] EWCA Civ 479; [2007] H.L.R. 39 (variation of secure tenancies and local government powers)
Andrew is part of the legal team representing the bereaved, survivors and relatives in Phase 2 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, with particular emphasis on the following modules: the primary refurbishment (Module 1); active and passive fire safety measures internal to the building, management of building, compliance with RRO 2005, fire risk assessment, including complaints and communication with residents (Module 2); and, aftermath (Module 4).
Although Andrew’s local government practice primarily focuses on housing law, as he regularly advises authorities on policy issues, he has a wider local government practice, particularly with regard to local government powers, constitution and finance. He regularly advises authorities at a policy level in respect of proposed housing developments, property management, allocation schemes and discharge of duties to the homeless.
Considered an extremely powerful practitioner in technically complex cases. His written advice wins particular praise, as does his insight into matters concerning proposed housing schemes and statutory compliance. He also authors and edits key housing law commentary. In court, he impresses as being both authoritative and a decent opponent.
“First-choice counsel for difficult housing law issues.” “A great choice for cases with technical or complex issues. He provides clear, decisive advice.” Chambers and Partners 2019
‘Lightning fast and unflappable in the courtroom.’ Legal 500 2019
“Considered an extremely powerful practitioner in technically complex cases. His written advocacy wins particular praise, as does his insight into matters concerning proposed housing schemes and their statutory compliance. He also authors and edits key housing law commentary. Strengths: ‘Extremely good on his feet and hugely robust.’ ‘He is extremely bright and beautifully analytical.’” Chambers and Partners 2018
“Respected housing specialist with an excellent reputation for handling technical disputes between landlords and tenants. He is increasingly noted for providing critical policy advice to social landlords. … Strengths: ‘He’s strong and consistent on a broad range of social housing matters.’ He’s excellent technically, thorough and clear in his advice and very approachable.’ Chambers and Partners 2017
“Technically fantastic” Legal 500 2016
“He provides clear and concise advice on difficult technical areas of law, particularly landlord and tenant matters.” Legal 500 2016
“A star individual who is lauded for his advocacy skills, the quality of his written work and his knowledge of the sector. Identified as ‘phenomenal’, he is a favourite amongst both peers and instructing solicitors”. Chambers and Partners 2016
“He’s great for technical issues and is academically one of the strongest”. Chambers and Partners 2015
“He has excellent skills in court and is fantastic at cross-examination”. Chambers and Partners 2014
“Recognised for his academic and technical strength and cross-examination skills”. Legal 500 2014
“Well known for his superb written work, and feted because ‘he loves to get his nose into something and get to the bottom of problems’. He ‘gives clear and concise advice on difficult, technical areas’.” Chambers and Partners 2013
“… ‘technically excellent’. … ‘he doesn’t sit on the fence, and is invaluable as he often uncovers things that we have missed.’” Chambers and Partners 2012
“He is renowned for having ‘a brain the size of a planet’ so it is not particularly surprising that instructing solicitors turn to him for ‘particularly thorny matters’.” Chambers and Partners 2011
” … has such a broad and detailed knowledge of housing law that ‘he’s never out of his depth’. ‘A barrister who is headed to the very top of his profession’ he offers a combination of ‘flair and professionalism’.” Chambers and Partners 2010
“… ‘excellent drafting skills’ and ‘intellectually rigorous approach to advocacy’.” Chambers and Partners 2009
R (Edwards) v Birmingham CC [2016] EWHC 173 (Admin); [2016] HLR 11 – homelessness – applications – temporary accommodation – judicial review
Elysian Fields Management Company Ltd v Nixon [2015] UKUT 427 (LC); [2016] L& TR 4 – service charges – construction of lease
Islington LBC v Unite Group Plc [2013] EWHC 508 (Admin); [2013] PTSR 1078; [2013] HLR 33 – HMO licensing – student accommodation
MacGregor v BM Samuels Finance Group Plc [2013] UKUT 471 (LC) – service charges – effect of determination on payability
Rochdale MBC v Dixon [2011] EWCA Civ 1173; [2012] PTSR 1336; [2012] HLR 6 – water charges – local authority powers
Southwark LBC v Leaseholders of Southwark LBC [2011] UKUT 438 (LC) – service charges – QLTAs – dispensation from consultation requirements
Swindon BC v Redpath [2009] EWCA Civ 493; [2009] L&TR; 1; [2010] HLR 13 – anti-social behaviour – housing management functions
Kilby v Basildon DC [2007] EWCA Civ 479; [2007] HLR 39 – variation of secure tenancies – local government powers
Lambeth LBC v Bigden [2001] 33 HLR 43, CA – adverse possession
Lambeth LBC v Archangel [2001] 33 HLR 44, CA – adverse possession
Lambeth LBC v Blackburn [2001] 33 HLR 74, CA – adverse possession
R v Islington LBC, ex p Bibi (1996) 29 HLR 498, QBD – intentional homelessness
Westminster CC v Haywood [1998] Ch 377, ChD – ombudsman’s powers
Co-author
Manual of Housing Law (8th & 9th Eds) Sweet and Maxwell (with Andrew Arden QC)
Arden & Partington’s Quiet Enjoyment (5th & 6th Eds), Legal Action Group (with Andrew Arden QC and Martin Partington QC and other members of Chambers)
Leasehold Valuation Tribunals – A Practical Guide, Sweet & Maxwell (with other members of Chambers)
Private Sector Housing – Regulating Conditions, Sweet & Maxwell (with Caroline Hunter)
Westlaw UK Insight – member of Chambers’ team providing the articles on housing topics
Author
Security of Tenure (1st & 2nd Eds), Arden’s Housing Library, Lemos & Crane
Presenting Possession Proceedings, Arden’s Housing Library, Lemos & Crane
Houses in Multiple Occupation, Arden’s Housing Library, Lemos & Crane
Annotations
Localism Act 2011 (Co-author)
Current Law Statutes on the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (Co-author)
Current Law Statutes on the Housing Act 2004 (Co-author)
Editor
Housing Law Reports (Deputy General Editor), Sweet & Maxwell
Arden & Partington’s Housing Law (an editor), Sweet & Maxwell
Journal of Housing Law (member of editorial board), Sweet & Maxwell
Articles
Andrew has had articles published in the Law Society Gazette, Solicitor’s Journal, Legal Action, Inside Housing, the Journal of Housing Law, the Journal of Local Government Law and Local Government Chronicle. His article Flexible Tenancies and Forfeiture [2014] JHL 4 was cited in Parliament during debates on the Housing and Planning Act 2016.
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