Catherine Watkins
Cwmbran NP44 1UG
Social welfare and housing Solicitor Cwmbran
30 years of experience
Does not accept legal aid
Catherine Watkins is an experienced family and property lawyer based in Cwmbran & Barry and cover South wales & Bristol, with 29 years of legal expertise. Fluent in both English and Welsh, Catherine is a key member of...
What does social welfare & housing involve?
- Homelessness assistance: Applying to local authorities for housing support, challenging unsuitable temporary accommodation, or appealing a homelessness decision.
- Housing benefit and Universal Credit: Disputing eligibility or payment amounts, and navigating appeals processes if a claim is refused or reduced.
- Social housing rights: Understanding your rights as a tenant of a council or housing association, including security of tenure and succession rights.
- Disrepair and maintenance: Holding social landlords accountable for unsafe or unhealthy living conditions, and seeking compensation where necessary.
- Evictions and possession proceedings: Addressing rent arrears, anti-social behaviour allegations, and legal defences to prevent unlawful evictions.
How can a solicitor help with social welfare & housing, and what does it cost?
A specialist solicitor or housing adviser can:
- Provide advice and representation: Explaining your entitlements, filling in forms, and challenging negative decisions from councils or benefit agencies.
- Negotiate with landlords and local authorities: Seeking repairs, preventing eviction, or improving living conditions through dialogue or mediation.
- Appeal in court or tribunals: If negotiations fail, a solicitor can present your case before a judge or tribunal, ensuring legal procedures are correctly followed.
Costs vary based on the complexity of your case and whether legal aid is available. Some individuals qualify for legal aid, which can cover part or all of a solicitor’s fees in housing matters. Otherwise, rates typically range from £100–£300 per hour, though some firms may offer fixed-fee or reduced-fee arrangements for certain cases. An initial consultation—often free or at a low cost—can help you understand your options, likely expenses, and the best steps to secure safe, stable housing.
5 Solicitors (domaine de droit rattaché pour Social welfare and housing)
Maria Guida
Guildford GU3 1YL
Social welfare and housing Solicitor Guildford
33 years of experience
Does not accept legal aid
Maria Guida is a Senior Associate in the Real Estate team, based in Guildford, with 32 years of experience in commercial property and licensing law. She specialises in landlord and tenant matters, real estate litigation, commercial conveyancing, and...
Michelle Ellis
Stowmarket IP14 1ED
Social welfare and housing Solicitor Stowmarket
24 years of experience
Does not accept legal aid
Michelle is an experienced family law solicitor and collaborative lawyer with over 30 years experience. Specialising in divorce, separation, finances, child disputes and pre-nuptial agreements. Michelle offers an initial fixed fee interview for up to an hour for...
Simon Terry
Amersham HP6 6FA
Social welfare and housing Solicitor Amersham
28 years of experience
Does not accept legal aid
Having started my career in the Commercial Litigation department of one of the larger firms in the City of London I have spent the last 20+ years working both in private practice and in-house, gaining valuable experience of...
Jennifer Owusu-Barnieh
Middlesex HA1 3RA
Social welfare and housing Solicitor Middlesex
16 years of experience
Does not accept legal aid
Jennifer Owusu-Barnieh is a senior solicitor and co-founder of Danbar Solicitors, based in Middlesex. With over 15 years of experience, she is a highly skilled lawyer specializing in employment law, civil litigation, family law, and immigration matters. As...
Rebecca Ellerbeck
Berkshire RG45 7AX
Social welfare and housing Solicitor Berkshire
19 years of experience
Does not accept legal aid
Rebecca Ellerbeck is a Senior Associate Solicitor in our Employment Team. Rebecca is highly experienced advising both individual employees and employers across all areas of employment law matters. Rebecca trained at a City firm before spending 10 years...
