Housing The Law Centre offers specialist advice and representation on all aspects of landlord and tenant law. We are able to provide a range of services from information to representation at Court. What we do Our team of housing advisers/solicitors can provide advice and representation on areas of housing law including: Rent arrears Eviction/possession proceedings Homelessness Serious disrepair Illegal eviction/harassment We also co-ordinate a duty scheme at Nottingham and Mansfield County Courts to advise and represent individuals facing possession proceedings. Eviction/ possession proceedings If you receive a notice seeking possession of your property, or you get court proceedings for eviction, please seek advice as soon as possible. We can look at the ground for possession that the landlord is relying on, and consider whether they can make out their ground, and whether they have followed the correct procedure. We can also look at bringing a counter claim against the landlord. It is possible to turn up at court on the day and still see a solicitor at no cost through our duty scheme. However, it is much better if you can seek advice prior to your hearing. If you have been served with a s21 notice, you can find out more here. If you are facing mortgage possession, you can learn more here. Homelessness The local authorities have duties to assist homeless people, but they do not have to rehouse every homeless person. The Council will have a duty to provide you with suitable accommodation if you meet the below criteria: Eligible Homeless Priority Need Not intentionally homeless You can find out more about whether you meet the criteria on our information sheet. If an unfavourable decision has been made in relation to your application for suitable accommodation, we can assist you in requesting a review. The deadline for this is only 21 days, so please let us know as soon as you receive a decision. Additionally, we can advise you if you believe that the accommodation the Council has provided is unsuitable. Please ensure that you seek advice before refusing an offer of accommodation. Serious Disrepair Landlords have duties to keep their tenants safe. They must: Keep in repair the structure and exterior of the property. Keep in repair, and proper working order, installations in the property for heating and heating water, for drainage and sanitation, and the supply of water, gas and electricity. These duties are triggered when the tenant makes a complaint, and must be completed within a reasonable time. If a landlord fails to repair within a reasonable time, you can bring court proceedings against them to order that the landlord carriers out repairs, and for compensation. You may be able to obtain legal advice in relation to your case. We can advise you fully and, if appropriate, represent you in Court proceedings. You can read our information sheet on serious disrepair here. Illegal Eviction Landlords cannot evict tenants without a court order. To do so is a criminal offence and can give rise to a claim in compensation. To get a court order, landlords must follow the correct procedure and establish a ground for possession. If your landlord tries to evict you without a court order, please contact us urgently or contact the police. What we do not do We do not give advice or provide assistance to landlords. We do not give advice about conveyancing (the legal procedure for buying and selling houses) or boundary disputes. What to bring to your appointment In order for your adviser to be able to help you as much as possible, and for you to get the most out of your appointment, it is important that you bring the necessary documents. The information sheet linked below lists what to bring to your appointment, depending on what your housing concern is. Please note you may not have all of the documents listed, and you should not delay coming to an appointment if you cannot find them. What to bring to your housing appointment