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Practice Summary

Olivia’s practice encompasses all aspects of property and housing law, with a current interest in housing conditions cases. As regards housing, Olivia acts for both social and private landlords and tenants in residential and commercial matters and Olivia has experience in a range of complex property matters such as conveyancing misrepresentation, Japanese Knotweed, easements, hedges and ditches and overage clauses.

She is an experienced advocate with a matter of fact style who has appeared in the High Court, County Court and First-tier Tribunal on a range of disputes, often against counsel who are more senior in call. She also undertakes a broad range of drafting and advisory work and is available to instruct as a mediator and on a public access basis.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Olivia worked as a consultant for a construction law firm which involved assisting in the resolution of a multi-million pound dispute relating to railway signalling renewals.

Outside of work, Olivia enjoys HIIT classes, trips to Cornwall and Dubai, and running around after her two young children.

Business Crime

Olivia has undertaken a number of disclosure secondments for both the Financial Conduct Authority and solicitors firms on a wide range of financial regulation, inquiry and fraud matters. Olivia is available for further secondments on a part-time basis.

Homelessness

Olivia is building her homelessness practice and has experience acting for both landlords and tenants regarding suitability, discharge of homelessness duties and seeking possession in respect of non-secure licenses and tenancies.

Housing and Property

In terms of residential property, Olivia has experience in all manner of possession claims relating to tenancies granted by both social and private landlords, in particular those brought on the grounds of anti-social behaviour, rent arrears, succession, and landlords requiring the property back for their own purposes. Olivia is also competent in tenancy deposit claims, public law defences, matters under the Equality Act 2010 and the European Convention on Human Rights.

Olivia has previously been seconded to a local authority and as such she is familiar with the vast array of issues encountered by social landlords and gained experience in anti-social behaviour injunctions, closure orders and committal applications in the Youth Court, Magistrates’ Court and County Court.

Olivia currently has a keen interest in housing conditions cases, in particular the evolving area of fitness for human habitation, and regularly acts for both landlords and tenants. Olivia is often available to advise and draft pleadings at short notice and understands the strain that social landlords are facing in respect of these cases.

Olivia is also well versed in service charges and other leasehold matters such as the appointment of managers, the right to manage, disputes with present and past managing agents, and major works and consultation.

As regards commercial property, Olivia has experience in 1954 Act lease renewals, forfeiture, alterations and dilapidations.

Olivia is particularly interested in Japanese Knotweed cases however she has a wide understanding of all types of real property issues and loves nothing more than getting stuck into a particularly challenging case.

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Instruct Olivia

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