Principal Housing Lawyer

To provide high-quality, professional legal advice and representation on all aspects of housing law to the Council, its Members, officers, and partner organisations. The role supports the authority’s statutory functions, ensuring compliance with legislation while managing legal risk and delivering effective outcomes for the community. The role holder will be required to ensure that all casework is well managed and dealt with in an efficient and cost-effective manner, ensuring that the organisations regulatory, statutory and common law obligations are met. Additionally, to raise awareness of developments within the sector, identify risk and provide training as required to the organisation, be an effective business partner to key internal stakeholders within the organisation who require support and advice in respect of their housing management operations and housing litigation. This role is specific to supporting our Housing & Property Directorate; however, subject to business need, there may be a requirement to assist with other areas and conduct work not set out under ‘accountabilities’ below, such as building compliance, compensation requests, complaints.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert legal advice on a wide range of housing matters, including:
• Homelessness duties (Housing Act 1996, Homelessness Reduction Act 2017)
• Allocations and housing registers
• Tenancy management, possession proceedings, and evictions
• Anti-social behaviour (ASB legislation and injunctions)
• Disrepair claims and housing conditions
• Equality and human rights considerations in housing decisions
• Advise on policy development, ensuring compliance with statutory obligations and best practice.
• Manage a varied caseload of housing law matters from instruction through to conclusion.
• Conduct or instruct advocacy in courts and tribunals, including:
• County Court possession claims
• Judicial review proceedings
• Appeals and homelessness reviews
• Draft legal documents including pleadings, witness statements, and settlement agreements.
• Liaise with external counsel where required.

About You

The successful candidate would need to be/have:

• a qualified Solicitor, Barrister, Legal Executive or equivalent
• an experienced advocate in the Magistrates and County Court
• experience of advising on whether there is sufficient evidence to issue proceedings or defend a case.
• Strong technical experience in dealing with a wide range of non-contentious housing management matters and contentious landlord and tenant matters (including tenancy management issues, anti-social behaviour, possession, Injunctions and contempt of Court applications), either on the Claimant or Defendant side.
• Experience of successfully managing a large caseload, achieving excellent outcomes.
• Knowledge of the pre-action protocols and Civil Procedure Rules.
• Knowledge of the relevant statutory, regulatory and common law applicable to the housing management functions of a social landlord, and the provision of regulated social and affordable housing.
• Practical awareness and/or experience of the Data Protection Act 2018.

Working Arrangements

This role is offered on a Hybrid basis with an expectation of at least 3 days per week in the office or in attendance at court.

Why Join Us?

Epping Forest District Council – Legal Services We are looking to recruit to a vacant role in our Legal Services team. We take pride in our supportive and collaborative team culture and our focus on delivering the Council’s objectives. We aim to be solution driven, providing the highest level of professional standards within a value for money framework.

The District Epping Forest District Council takes its name from the forest which runs from its southern boundary northwards and shares boundaries with Greater London and Hertfordshire. The three main settlements of Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell and Loughton contain more than half the population of approximately 131,000 people but occupy only 5% of the district.

Working at EFDC As a Council, we’re no longer reliant on a fixed desk, in a fixed building with fixed working hours approach. Remote and new ways of working are our new normal. We have developed new ways of working and here at Epping we made this a success by quickly adapting to modern technologies and placing new levels of flexibility and trust in our employees. Epping Forest District Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.