Housing

Penningtons Manches Cooper is recognised as a top-class provider of legal advice to the housing sector. We establish dedicated, long-term relationships with our clients which result in an innovative and commercially aware service. Our housing solicitors are valued for their experience and expertise across the whole spectrum of issues faced in this evolving landscape and their commitment to the highest standards of customer care.

We provide legal support to a diverse client base encompassing housing associations with less than 1,000 homes right up to some of the largest housing providers in the country, local authorities, developers, housebuilders, building contractors, consultants and investors into the sector. This broad ambit enables us to provide detailed market insight to each of our clients and to deliver proactive solutions to the problems they encounter. Many of our lawyers are members of leading professional organisations such as the Chartered Institute of Housing, the Social Housing Law Association and Women in Social Housing.

Our comprehensive service offering is combined with a holistic approach. The team’s housing development solicitors work hand in hand with construction, planning, plot sales and securitisation specialists. Their understanding of the housing sector and extensive track record in social housing frequently benefit investor clients transacting in that arena. Our portfolio and asset management teams work seamlessly with our corporate and finance experts on funding, stock rationalisation and mergers, providing guidance for the long-term investment and management of funds and resources.

One of our greatest assets is to be able to seamlessly call on specialists throughout Penningtons Manches Cooper to contribute their expertise in more complex transactions or to deal with esoteric issues. By way of example, our tax lawyers will ensure the most efficient tax treatment and use of reliefs, our commercial lawyers provide input across all aspects of intellectual property and data protection and specialist procurement expertise is on hand to avoid potential challenges and disputes.

Consistently recognised by the main legal directories, our team is praised for the importance it places on best-quality advice for every client. Senior supervision is always provided, notably on high volume transactions, reducing sales delays and voids, and minimising funding and administrative costs. Lead partners will provide a single point of contact, project managing larger transactions to co-ordinate the variety of legal advice required from our housing lawyers and contributing their own insight and know-how. Clients appreciate the fresh thinking we provide, always presenting market-specific recommendations alongside the technical legal options.

We have also invested heavily in enhancing our housing lawyers’ capability through the intelligent use of IT and AI. Our extranet service is capable of being tailored to individual client needs, whether by automating many aspects of the property sales process, simplifying the enquiries procedure for due diligence exercises or providing transparency on transaction progress and fees. This is another important and flexible tool in maintaining a premium service.