Leanne is a specialist practitioner in both Housing and Planning Law.
In her housing practice, Leanne is a busy and experienced junior frequently instructed to act across a spectrum of housing and land law matters. She advises and represents tenants, landlords, businesses and occupiers through solicitors and agents as well as on a direct public access basis.
Housing
Leanne acts in a range of social and residential housing matters regarding all manner of security of tenure, with a focus on social housing. In particular Leanne routinely deals with:
- Possession proceedings and related appeals
- Equality Act 2010 arguments
- Disrepair
- Tenancy deposits
- ASB
- Anti-social behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 injunctions (and injunctive proceedings more generally)
- Committals
- Unlawful eviction and harassment (including damages)
- Trespass and nuisance
- Demotion
- Succession (including only or principal home arguments and minors)
- Stay applications (warrants for eviction including Sheffield v Hopkins and Manchester v Finn arguments)
- Interpretation of tenancy and license agreements
Leanne has a particular interest in advising and representing clients in respect of homelessness appeals under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996. She is regularly instructed by both applicants and authorities to advise in this area both in respect of statutory appeals pursuant to section 204 and interim accommodation appeals pursuant to section 204A of the Act, and judicial review claims concerning other local authority decisions such as the refusal to accept a homelessness application.
Leanne is able to act in matters before all tribunals, including appellate work. She was most recently instructed to act in the matter of Rother D.C. v. Freeman-Roach [2018] EWCA Civ 368 an appeal concerning vulnerability in light of Hotak and Panayiotou.
General Property
Leanne has experience acting in a range of general property matters including:
- Disputes concerning service charges and business rates
- Advising on appeal from the LVT to the Upper Tribunal
- Adverse possession
- Boundary disputes including the interpretation of boundaries
- Charging Orders
- Injunctive proceedings
- The operation of leases and contractual documents
- General building disputes including contract and negligence claims in the County Court
In addition to court and advisory work, as a qualified trainer Leanne delivers seminars and more bespoke packages of training for charities, local authorities, businesses and other organisations.
Recommendations
“Her cross-examination gets results.” “She is thorough and meticulous, shows good attention to detail and is a good advocate.”
Chambers UK 2020
Appointments
Past chair of the RTPI South Coast Young Planners Network Steering Group
Memberships
RTPI
NAPE
Qualifications
LLB (Hons) Bristol
MSc FPC (Open)
BVC, Bristol Institute of Legal Practice
Civil and Commercial Mediator, ADR Group
