Sophie Bell
Hodge Jones & AllenThe housing and property department at Hodge Jones & Allen boasts wide-ranging expertise, encompassing issues of disrepair, possession, illegal eviction, and anti-social behaviour injunctions. Of particular note is the group’s strengths in the public and administrative law elements of social housing work, including homelessness reviews and appeals, judicial review claims, and discrimination. Practice head Jayesh Kunwardia has a broad housing litigation practice and frequently acts in disrepair, possession, and judicial review claims, as well as mandates regarding discrimination. Farzana Chowdhury is lauded as ‘the go-to person for longstanding disrepair issues’, in addition to defending possession claims revolving around nuisance, anti-social behaviour, and tenancy fraud. Sophie Bell ’is a fantastic solicitor who does a lot of work on behalf of clients who suffer with disabilities’, and she is notably active in homeless reviews and appeals, in addition to possession and eviction mandates. Daniel Fitzpatrick joined Capsticks LLP in March 2024 and Suzanne Bird also left the firm.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Edward Sharp and Sioned Wyn Roberts stand out. Both are competent, knowledgeable, committed, good with clients, and have astute judgement.’
‘This is one of the leading teams of solicitors in social housing law in England. They regularly take on high-profile and challenging cases in homelessness, allocation of social housing, possession, and disrepair claims.’
‘Jayesh Kunwardia is the head of the team and is an excellent, incredibly hardworking and client-focused solicitor who finds and develops novel solutions to complex cases.'
- 'Sioned Wyn Roberts is a sector leader in homelessness claims in the High Court.'
‘Hodge Jones & Allen are renowned for bringing and winning test cases, in particular involving Equality Act defenses in housing possession claims and they have a number of recent successes before the higher courts.’
'Sophie Bell is a fantastic solicitor who does a lot of work on behalf of clients who suffer with disabilities. She is very organised and efficient and is always prepared to test the boundaries if it helps her clients.'
'Farzana Chowdhury is the go-to person for longstanding disrepair issues. She is dogged and determined in sorting out injunctions and making sure the job gets done.’
‘The team work very well together and that is evidenced in the way that they work individually. They are on top of the law, involved in some of the big cases and are well respected.'
Work highlights
- Advised a client on a disrepair claim brought on the basis of unfitness to occupy.
- Represented a client in an appeal against a County Court decision to dismiss an application to suspend a warrant.
- Represented a client in the successful defence of a s.21 possession claim on the basis that the landlord had failed to serve a Gas Safety Certificate before the commencement of the tenancy.
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Jayesh Kunwardia
Hodge Jones & AllenPractice head
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Jayesh Kunwardia