I am a barrister at Nexus, The Chambers of Michael Mansfield QC.
I have a great deal of experience in this field, having worked for 15 years prior to becoming a barrister in a in a firm of property management consultants and chartered surveyors. Between 2004 and 2008 I also worked as a duty advocate at Willesden County Court representing tenants (both private and council/housing association) in possession and disrepair claims.
Since practising as a barrister after 2009, I have represented both landlords and tenants in all types of proceedings, including winning at trial and then successfully opposing an appeal by a local authority on an unusual point of law concerning the surrender of tenancies where there was a sub-tenant in occupation.
In addition to my practice I recently also spent 4 months consulting for a firm of solicitors, helping them to set up a new department dealing with housing disrepair and possession cases.
Therefore, I am probably the only barrister practising in England and Wales who has this range of experience, and it enables me to view and deal with the dispute from both a practical and legal perspective.
The types of cases I can help either landlords or tenants with include:
- Possession actions
- Disrepair claims
- Statutory nuisance prosecutions
- Breach of HMO licensing etc
- Applications to set aside orders for possession
My approach
i pride myself on being down to earth, friendly and practical. I will use all my real world experience and legal knowledge to get the best result for you whilst doing my absolute best to minimise costs and delays.
I offer a free initial 30 minute telephone consultation, after which I operate a fixed fee service and will only charge for the work I do on your behalf. This can be paid for at each stage in order to minimise up front outlay and unexpected costs.
I recognise that it is often difficult to find spare time during the day, so I am more than willing to meet in the evenings or at the weekend if this is more convenient for you.
About me
I am a barrister at Nexus, The Chambers of Michael Mansfield QC.
I was called to the Bar in 2008 after a 15-year career in the property lettings and management business during which time I also spent four years as a part-time County Court Advocate representing defendants in housing and mortgage possession proceedings.
After initially practising solely as a criminal barrister I then used my pre-Bar experience to build a diverse, mixed practice which gives me a wide range of experience across a number of areas which compliment one another. I primarily practise in the following areas:
- Landlord & tenant/housing (possesssion claims, injunctions, disrepair, unlawful eviction, s.21 and s.8 cases).
- Commercial (breach of contract, debt claims, business disputes, partnership and company law).
- Crime (jury and magistrates court trials, motoring, fraud, planning enforcement, business crime, violence, sex offences, drug dealing)
- Regulatory/licensing law (professional discipline, fitness to practice, taxi/alcohol licensing)
In addition to my day to day practice from Nexus Chambers I offer legal compliance training to property professionals and small businesses.
I also operate an online legal advice service for landords and agents and small/medium businesses generally: www.thelegallifeline.co.uk
I am a passionate motorcyclist and I enjoy watching motorsport and occasionally participating in trackdays. I also box and train regularly. My more sedate pursuits include socialising, reading and watching documentaries, particularly history and cosmology.
What my clients say
"I have instructed Andy in a great many housing/landlord and tenant cases and I can say without any hesitation that his work is first class. He has an in depth knowledge of the law and displays genuine enthusiasm for both legal argument and appearing in court. Having seen him in action “on his feet” on numerous occasions I can attest to his thorough preparation, his forceful advocacy, his tenacity and his powers of persuasiion. Apart from these qualities as a barrister, he takes a practical and realistic approach to the cases and has well developed "soft skills”, meaning that he is also very good at dealing with often worried and distressed clients. This combination of being a good advocate and being an easy going and approachable person to deal with is a rare combination and for this reason he is my first choice of counsel when it comes to this work."
Mr M
Professional & academic
Qualifications:
LL.B (Hons) (London) – 1st class BVC – Very Competent
Prizes & Scholarships
Pearson Education Prize in Contract Law (2001) Inner Temple Scholarship (2006) Inner Temple Exhibition (2006)