Christopher Rafferty

Housing

Chris is regularly instructed on behalf of Registered Social Landlords, Local Authorities, private landlords, and tenants across the spectrum of Housing Law.

He maintains an expertise in public and private residential landlord and tenant possessions and unlawful eviction claims. Such claims involve issues of succession, rent arrears, ASB and other breaches of tenancy. Chris is often instructed to represent landlords and tenants in claims with issues relating to harassment, unlawful eviction and breaches of covenants.

Moreover Chris has extensive experience with disrepair claims, ASB and homelessness appeals, and is familiar with the impact of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and Equality Act 2010 and has appeared in claims in which possession orders are sought against travelers.

Recent cases have involved complex homelessness appeals, multi-track final hearings in disrepair and counterclaims involving set-off, final hearing ASB possession claims, and committals for breach of exclusion and injunction orders.

Areas of Practice

Chris maintains an expertise in the following areas:

• Possession claims
• Disrepair claims
• Homelessness
• Housing related Judicial Reviews
• Housing related appeals
• Public Law and Human Rights Defences

Notable Cases

• Steele -v- YCC (R) – section 204 HA 1996 homelessness appeal against refusal to provide accommodation
• R -v- Great Places (C) – multi-track disrepair claim involving issues of set-off and rechargeable repairs
• Unipol -v- Morris (R) – appeal against a final possession order pursuant to alleged procedural errors under section 21 HA 1988
• YCC -v- S 2015 (D) – final hearing for possession in respect of eviction from a traveler site subsequent to convictions for serious criminal activity.
• YCC -v- R 2015 (C) – final hearing for possession in respect of lengthy ASB.
• YCC -v- Z 2015 (C) – committal for breach of injunction.
• KHT -v- A 2014 (C) – committal hearing for breach of an exclusion order

Seminars

Chris regularly delivers CPD approved training and seminars in large and smaller groups, having spoken on the following topics:

• January 2016 – CPR and disrepair
• October 2015 – Housing law update
• April 2015 – Expert evidence of disrepair and funding
• February 2015 – Impact of new legislation relating to ASB
• December 2014 – Housing case law update
• May 2014 – Injunctions where capacity remains in issue
• October 2012 – Housing Update: Tenancy Deposit Schemes