
Tina Conlan
- Called: 2002
- tinaconlan@fivepaper.com
“She is a good advocate and is excellent with vulnerable clients.” “She is client-friendly, very calm, and her skeleton arguments and other pleadings are second to none. She is very good on her feet.”
Chambers & Partners 2021
“A personable approach to lay clients. Excellent attention to detail and pragmatic in terms of advice and outcome.”
The Legal 500 UK 2021
Profile
Tina Conlan is experienced in all areas of social housing law including possession, anti-social behaviour litigation, repairs and housing conditions, and, housing management.
Tina’s practice covers all aspects of housing and property law. She regularly appears in and/ or advises upon public law matters including homelessness appeals, litigation involving the allocation of housing under Part VI of the Housing Act 1996 and judicial review claims.
Tina has been recommended in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 UK as a leading junior in the field of social housing law.
Tina is qualified to accept direct access instructions.
Expertise
Property litigation
- Mortgages
- Service charges
- Property management
- Forfeiture
Social Housing
- Possession and demotion
- ASB litigation, including injunctions, closure orders and committal proceedings
- Unlawful eviction and harassment
- Repairs, statutory nuisance and housing conditions
- Succession
- Unlawful subletting and non-occupation
- Breaches of tenancy relating to hoarding and access
- Breach of policy and other public law defences
Public Law
- Advice and representation in relation to the Equality Act 2010 and human rights
- Homelessness
- Allocations
- Judicial review
- Public law defences in private law proceedings
Further Info
Directory Quotes
“She is a good advocate and is excellent with vulnerable clients.” “She is client-friendly, very calm, and her skeleton arguments and other pleadings are second to none. She is very good on her feet.”
Chambers & Partners 2021
“An excellent advocate who always prepares carefully and provides reassurance to nervous clients. She is reliable and rock solid.”
Chambers & Partners 2020
“Exceptionally thorough and well prepared, she has a very clear and measured manner in dealing with the client.” “She builds an excellent rapport with clients and is commended for her skeleton arguments.”
Chambers & Partners 2019
“Tenacious and realistic in her analysis.” “Tina applies a careful and methodical approach that means she is never caught out in the court room. Clients greatly appreciate her patience in explaining what is happening at court and what the options are.”
Chambers & Partners 2018
“A personable approach to lay clients. Excellent attention to detail and pragmatic in terms of advice and outcome.”
The Legal 500 UK 2021
“Sought out for advice on homelessness appeals, housing matters involving anti-social behaviour and disrepair claims.”
The Legal 500 UK 2020
“Merges imaginative solutions with calm and measured advocacy.”
The Legal 500 UK 2019
“Clients appreciate her clear explanations and pragmatic advice.”
The Legal 500 UK 2017
“She represents both landlords and tenants in antisocial behaviour cases.”
The Legal 500 UK 2016
“She is recommended for acting for tenants and landlords.”
The Legal 500 UK 2015
“An excellent persuasive advocate, who is extremely thorough. Exceptional client care.”
The Legal 500 UK 2014
Reported Cases
Tina is currently involved in an important appeal which will provide guidance on the reopening of appeals in the County Court.
R (Kuznetsov) v Camden LBC [2019] EWHC 3910 (Admin)
Tina represented the authority and successfully defended a costs order made against the Claimant. Mostyn J held that the authority were entitled to their in-house solicitor’s costs at hourly rate of an independent solicitor in private practice (£317ph), notwithstanding that a FOI request revealed that the actual maximum hourly pay of a lawyer working for the authority was a fraction of such sum (£41ph).
The court also considered the principles to be applied when considering an application to set aside or vary or stay an order made pursuant to rule 3.3(4). The judgment may be found here.
Kannan v Newham LBC [2019] EWCA Civ 57
Tina Conlan represented the London Borough of Newham in the Court of Appeal in relation to their decision that accommodation provided under the main homelessness duty was suitable. The Court of Appeal considered the extent to which the authority was required to consider the actual and likely future duration of such accommodation. The judgment can be found here.
Harris v Hounslow LBC [2017] EWCA Civ 1476
Tina successfully represented the authority in this appeal on statutory review requirements and public law defences to claims brought on the absolute ground for possession. A digest of the case can be read here. The full text of the judgment can be found here.
Ahern v Southern Housing Group[2017] EWCA Civ 1934
Tina acted as junior in this appeal which addressed the nature of public law defences to possession claims. Click here for
Webb v Wandsworth LBC [2008] EWCA 1643
Successful appeal against a suspended order in a nuisance possession case. View the court decision here.
Arabhalvaei v Rezaeipoor (Central London County Court) December 2007 Legal Action 30 and January 2008 Legal Action 36
Tina represented Mr Rezaeipoor, a protected tenant who was awarded some £188,000 in damages as against his landlord for disrepair and harassment.
Arabhalvaei v Rezaeipoor (Central London County Court) December 2007 Legal Action 30 and January 2008 Legal Action 36
Tina represented Mr Rezaeipoor, a protected tenant who was awarded some £188,000 in damages as against his landlord for disrepair and harassment.
Recent experience
Tina has recently appeared in the Court of Appeal on two separate appeals concerning public law defences to private law proceedings (Harris v Hounslow LBC and Ahern v Southern Housing Group).
She was recently instructed by a London local housing authority on a judicial review of their allocations policy concerning the relationship between the statutory duty to give reasonable preference to certain individuals and the application of a local connection requirement.
She regularly advises local authorities on policy matters relating to homelessness, allocations and housing provision/ management.
Qualifications
- University of Bristol – Bachelor of Laws Honours Degree LLB
- Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (the Netherlands) – ERASMUS year
- Charles University Prague – Master of Laws in European Law LLM
- Inns of Court School of Law – Bar Vocational Course
Professional Memberships
Article and Publications
Assistant Editor of the Encyclopaedia of Housing Law and Practice (January 2005 to November 2008)
Member of the editorial team for the weekly on-line publications Housing view and Local view (January 2004 to January 2005)
Seminars and Training
Tina Conlan regularly gives seminars to legal professionals and to undergraduate law students on a wide range of subjects.