Due to unprecedented demand, the Housing Team at Suffolk Law Centre is currently operating at full capacity and are unable to assist with any new enquiries.
If you would like assistance related to a housing enquiry, we would like to suggest that you contact one of the following organisations listed on the page linked below:
Click HERE for sources of housing support from other organisations.
Our Housing Law Advice and Casework service offers free legal advice, assistance, and casework support across a range of housing and homelessness legal issues under a legal aid contract funded by the Legal Aid Agency, and we offer a limited free advice service for other housing related issues.
If the services we provide do not cover your particular circumstance, please see the following page where we list other organisations who may be able to help you: Other Services
How can we help?
Housing help funded by Legal Aid:
The following categories for housing legal advice, assistance and representation are in scope:
- Possession and eviction claims – help for tenants of local authority or other social housing, private rental sector tenants and in mortgage repossession cases if notice has been served.
- Homeless or threatened with homelessness – help to challenge decisions of a local authority in relation to their statutory duties to those who are homeless, including advice on suitability of accommodation and refusals of help.
- Unlawful eviction – claims for threatened unlawful eviction and to secure reinstatement in a property e.g. if your landlord is trying to make you leave without following the proper process, threatening you or has prevented re-entry.
No legal aid is available for compensation only claims for housing conditions.
- Harassment – help for victims of harassment to bring an application for an order under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. Help also available to defend against or vary an anti-social behaviour injunction related to housing.
- Housing disrepair / poor housing conditions – help for tenants in removal or reduction of a serious risk of harm. Help also for disrepair counterclaims in rent arrears possession cases.
- Provision of accommodation via community care services – advice and representation may also be available to challenge refusal of accommodation under certain community care provisions relating to care, mental health or children.
Your financial means (income and savings) and the strength of your case (merits) will be assessed to determine whether you can receive legal aid advice and assistance.
Other FREE Housing Advice:
We can also offer initial legal advice on housing issues outside the scope of legal aid, for example when the relationship between landlord and tenant has broken down or to prevent the threat of eviction for particularly vulnerable clients.
Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme:
We run the Legal Aid funded Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme at the County Court in Bury St. Edmunds, which provides advice and representation to any defendant who is under the threat of homelessness, regardless of their financial situation.
Contact Us
Our Housing Law casework and Legal Advice Clinic (LAC) services are currently unavailable.
We deeply regret any inconvenience this situation may cause and genuinely appreciate your understanding and patience during this period.
For information about other possible sources of help for housing issues, please refer to this page on our website: Other Organisations for Housing Enquiries
If you have any questions in regard to our Housing Law services, please send us an email or leave a message on the number below. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
Email: office@suffolklawcentre.org.uk
Tel: 01473 408111
