Housing Disrepair Lawyer

Service Care Legal are working with a local authority in Essex is seeking an experienced Housing Disrepair Lawyer on an agency basis to lead the development and implementation of an in-house housing disrepair service. This is a pivotal role suited to a confident, self-sufficient legal professional with strong housing litigation experience and a proven track record of setting up end-to-end legal processes.
 
ROLE:                  Housing Disrepair Lawyer
LOCATION:         Essex / hybrid
RATE:`                  £55-£65ph LTD / £57.17ph PAYE inc. holiday / £51.02ph PAYE exc. holiday pay
CONTRACT:        3 months with possibility of extension
 
Key Responsibilities (Job Role)
 

• Develop and implement a complete end-to-end process for housing disrepair claims, including template documentation and workflows
• Manage and support the handover of approximately 70 live disrepair cases from the external firm currently instructed
• Train, mentor and support internal legal staff and legal assistants in handling housing disrepair matters
• Liaise closely with Housing, Repairs and other internal Council teams to ensure effective case progression

 
Role Overview (Job Description)
 

• Handle housing litigation matters from pre-litigation through to conclusion, with a focus on disrepair claims
• Conduct advocacy and represent the Council in County Court and Magistrates’ Court when required
• Deal with a varied caseload including high-value and routine disrepair claims, possession proceedings, injunctions, closure orders, enforcement actions, cost claims and wider litigation
• Provide clear written and verbal legal advice, policy guidance and interpretation of relevant legislation, bylaws and statutory frameworks

 
Additional Information
 

• Initially, the role will focus on process design and implementation (first 3–4 months), after which the scope will broaden to include increased advocacy, hearings and insourcing of work
• The successful candidate must demonstrate previous experience of setting up and embedding new legal processes, which must be clearly evidenced on their CV
• The role sits within a supportive team structure comprising a Principal Lawyer, Senior Lawyer, a non-UK qualified lawyer and legal assistants

If this sounds like an opportunity of interest, please contact Lloyd Stanley on 01772 208969, or email Lloyd.stanley@servicecare.org.uk. We also welcome referrals for this position, where a successful recommendation would be worth £250.