Our Housing Legal Team:

Our team has multiple decades of collective experience in immigration law. All of our solicitors have worked on a multitude of cases over the years. Our Welfare Benefits team comprises the following people:

• Rafique Ahmed (Principal) – Admitted in 2012.
• Shelim Haque – Caseworker
• Shamim Chowdhury – Caseworker
• Abdul Momit – Caseworker

Our Services and Fees:

We provide legal advice and assistance in housing matters, including possession and eviction proceedings, housing disrepair claims, and homelessness matters.

We aim to provide clear information about our services, fees and the likely costs of your matter from the outset. The precise cost will depend on the nature of your case, its complexity and the work required. Before we begin work, we will explain the proposed charging arrangements and provide you with a costs estimate appropriate to your circumstances.

All fees set out below are exclusive of VAT. VAT will be charged at the applicable rate where payable.

1. Possession and Eviction Applications:

We advise and assist clients with applications for possession of residential property, including matters involving landlords seeking possession from tenants or other occupiers.

Our fees for issuing possession proceedings

£1,500 plus VAT for a straightforward possession application.

Our usual starting fee of £1,500 plus VAT covers the work associated with issuing possession proceedings. The final fee may vary depending on the complexity of the matter and the work required.

Factors that may affect the cost include:

• The type of tenancy or occupation agreement.
• The legal grounds relied upon for possession.
• Whether the relevant notices have been correctly served and are legally valid.
• Whether there are rent arrears or other alleged breaches of the tenancy.
• The volume and complexity of the documents and evidence.
• Whether the tenant or occupier disputes the claim or raises a defence or counterclaim.
• Whether additional applications, amended documents or further procedural steps become necessary.

What the application fee covers:

Depending on the agreed scope of our instructions, the fee may cover:

• Taking your instructions and reviewing the relevant documents.
• Advising on the legal basis for seeking possession.
• Reviewing the tenancy agreement, relevant notices and supporting evidence.
• Preparing the possession claim and associated documents.
• Issuing the possession proceedings and advising on the relevant procedural steps.

The precise scope of work included in the quoted fee will be confirmed in your client care letter. The fee does not include court representation, enforcement proceedings or other work outside the agreed scope.

Court hearings and representation:

Court representation is charged separately from the fee for issuing possession proceedings.

For a standard possession hearing, our usual fee for counsel’s representation is approximately £1,000 plus VAT per hearing, subject to the complexity of the matter and the seniority and experience of the barrister instructed.

The fee for representation may vary depending on:

• The seniority and experience of counsel.
• The nature and complexity of the issues to be considered.
• The amount of preparation required.
• The anticipated length and type of hearing.

The above indicative fee applies to a standard hearing and does not include a trial. Trial fees will be assessed separately, taking account of the preparation required, the anticipated duration and the complexity of the proceedings.

Where appropriate, we will discuss the proposed representation arrangements and confirm counsel’s fees before making an instruction. Additional hearings will normally attract separate fees.

2. Housing Disrepair Claims:

We advise and assist clients in housing disrepair matters, including claims concerning a landlord’s failure to address relevant repair obligations and the impact of disrepair on the tenant or occupier.

The work required will depend on the condition of the property, the nature of the defects, the landlord’s response and the evidence available.

Our fees:

Hourly rates: £140–£300 per hour plus VAT.

Our hourly rates depend on the seniority of the lawyer dealing with your matter and the complexity of the work required.

The total cost will depend on the time reasonably required to investigate and progress the claim. Before accepting instructions, we will discuss the likely work involved and provide an estimate of the overall cost where reasonably possible.

Work we may undertake:

Depending on the circumstances and the agreed scope of instructions, our work may include:

• Taking your instructions and reviewing the tenancy agreement and relevant correspondence.
• Considering evidence of the disrepair, including photographs, inspection reports and repair records.
• Advising on the landlord’s potential legal obligations and your available options.
• Corresponding with the landlord or managing agent.
• Preparing a formal letter of claim and advising on the response received.
• Reviewing evidence relating to the effect of the disrepair and any alleged loss.
• Advising on settlement and, where appropriate, court proceedings.

Court proceedings, expert evidence, contested hearings and enforcement may require substantial additional work and may increase the overall cost. Counsel’s fees, where applicable, and other disbursements are charged separately.

3. Homelessness and Housing Advice:

We advise and assist individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including matters involving local authority housing and homelessness decisions.

Each case is assessed on its own facts, including the client’s housing circumstances, the decision under challenge, the supporting evidence and any applicable statutory time limits.

Our fees:

Hourly rates: £140–£300 per hour plus VAT.

The applicable rate depends on the seniority of the lawyer handling the matter and the complexity of the case.

The overall cost will depend on the work required, the urgency of the matter and whether the matter can be resolved through advice and correspondence or requires formal legal proceedings.

Work we may undertake:

Depending on your circumstances and the agreed scope of instructions, our work may include:

• Taking your instructions and reviewing your housing circumstances.
• Considering correspondence and decisions issued by the local authority.
• Advising on the local authority’s relevant duties and your available options.
• Assisting with representations and correspondence to the local authority.
• Advising on a review or challenge to a homelessness decision.
• Advising on potential court proceedings, including judicial review where appropriate and where we agree to undertake that work.

Judicial review and other contested proceedings may involve additional preparation, specialist advice and court representation. These services are not automatically included in the cost of initial advice or correspondence.

4. VAT and Additional Costs (Disbursements):

The fees quoted above exclude VAT. VAT will be added at the applicable rate where payable.

Disbursements are not included in our legal fees and are payable separately where incurred. Depending on the nature of your case, these may include:

• Court fees and other court-related charges.
• Fees for expert reports or other specialist evidence.
• Counsel’s fees where a barrister is instructed.
• Process server fees or other third-party expenses, where required.
• Other reasonable third-party costs necessary to progress the matter.

We will explain any anticipated disbursements and, where reasonably possible, provide an estimate before the relevant costs are incurred.

5. Factors affecting the overall costs:

The fees quoted are indicative and are not a guarantee of the final cost of every case. The total cost may increase where:

• The matter involves complex legal or factual issues.
• There is a substantial volume of documentation or evidence.
• The opposing party disputes the claim or raises additional issues.
• Further correspondence, applications, or hearings become necessary.
• Expert evidence or specialist advice is required.
• The matter proceeds to contested court proceedings, a trial, or an appeal.

Where the circumstances permit, we will explain the likely cost at the outset and update our estimate if the scope or complexity of the work changes.

6. Timescales:

The time required to resolve a housing matter depends on its nature, urgency, complexity and the response of other parties or the court.

For possession applications, the timescale will depend on the applicable procedure, the court’s availability and whether the claim is disputed.

For housing disrepair claims, the timescale will depend on the evidence required, the landlord’s response and whether a negotiated settlement or court proceedings are necessary.

For homelessness matters, urgency and any applicable statutory deadlines are particularly important. The timescale will depend on the decision being challenged, the relevant procedure and the response of the local authority or court.

We will discuss the anticipated timescale with you once we have reviewed the circumstances of your case. We cannot guarantee a particular outcome or completion date.

7. Funding and Legal Aid:

Depending on the type of housing matter and your circumstances, you may be eligible for legal aid or other assistance with your legal costs. Eligibility depends on the applicable scheme and individual circumstances.

Please tell us if you believe you may qualify for legal aid or have legal expenses insurance. We can discuss the available options and whether we are able to assist under the relevant funding arrangements.

8. Initial enquiries and costs information:

If you require assistance with a possession application, housing disrepair claim or homelessness matter, please contact Raiyad Solicitors to discuss your circumstances.

We will consider the information available, explain the proposed scope of work, and provide appropriate information about our fees and the likely overall cost before proceeding with your instructions.