Antony Hodari Solicitors was founded in Manchester in 1984. We have 40 years’ experience of helping the public with their legal claims. We have won over 100,000 cases for our clients.

We believe that no-one should have to live in sub-standard accommodation.

How big is the problem?

In 2013, research by the housing charity Shelter revealed that around 3 in 10 people live in bad housing (3.6 million children, 9.2 million working age adults and 2 million pensioners).

Is it getting better?

At Antony Hodari Solicitors our experience tells us that this is a problem that is not getting better and could even be getting worse; something borne out by official government statistics. COVID impacted the situation, and the consequence is that thousands of families in England are living in situations that can be prejudicial to both their physical and mental health.

The legal position

Under the Landlord and Tenant Act and the Environmental Protection Act 1990 landlords are required to ensure that a rented property is kept in good repair and free from statutory nuisances. At Antony Hodari, we have taken a two-pronged approach to this problem acting on behalf of tenants in both the civil and criminal courts.

Our current vacancies

We are currently looking to expand our in-house civil advocacy capacity to complement our dedicated Criminal Prosecutions Team which includes in-house advocates who conduct proceedings in the Magistrates’ Courts.

One of those is Faye. Called to the Bar in 2005, Faye joined the company after taking a short career break. Faye has taken some time out of her day to tell us about her role and why she decided to join us, rather than returning to chambers. 

‘When I first saw the advert for the role of In-house counsel at Antony Hodari, I did not know what to expect. I was looking for a more predictable role with a better work/life balance. I can honestly say that I have those elements, but I also find the role challenging at times but extremely satisfying.
‘I have much more control over my court diary and have notification of hearing dates several weeks if not months in advance. Gone are late returns or working evenings and weekends to ensure I am court ready. I can fit any court preparation into my working day and arrange those hours around my home life. On average I am in court 3 days a week and I work from home the rest of the time with occasional trips to the office to catch up with the team.
‘For such a small area of law, we are constantly coming across new points of argument which can require research and discussion. Many of our decisions can impact the way in which we run cases and ultimately our clients, so it is important we get it right. I’ve really enjoyed becoming part of a team that has such a breadth of knowledge and experience but works so well together.
‘I get great satisfaction from securing an abatement order or settlement for families who are usually on low incomes and often have small children or vulnerable members. For them it is truly life changing when we can get a landlord to complete work and make their houses a home for them, often after months or years of suffering.’

Our interest in this issue is not purely financial, but also ideological. We believe that no-one should have to live in unsuitable housing. It is simple fact that in a first-world country, families should have this basic human right. If you share this view, have a look at our current vacancies on Counsel’s Career Hub:

In House Counsel / Advocate

In House Counsel