Principal Housing Lawyer – Epping Forest District Council

Principal Housing Lawyer Epping Forest District Council

Epping Essex

37.82 PAYE / 48.50 Umbrella

Full-Time Temporary

36 Hours per Week

Closing Date: 12^th August 2026

Essex County Council (ECC) are delighted to be supporting Epping Forest District Council in recruiting a Principal Housing Lawyer on a full-time temporary basis.

About the Role

To provide high-quality professional legal advice and representation on all aspects of housing law to the Council its Members officers and partner organisations. The role supports the authoritys statutory functions ensuring compliance with legislation while managing legal risk and delivering effective outcomes for the community.

The role holder will be required to ensure that all casework is well managed and dealt with in an efficient and cost-effective manner ensure that the organisations regulatory statutory and common law obligations are met. Additionally to raise awareness of developments within the sector identify risk and provide training as required to the organisation be an effective business partner to key internal stakeholders within the organisation who require support and advice in respect of their housing management operations and housing litigation.

This role is specific to supporting our Housing & Property Directorate however subject to business need there may be a requirement to assist with other areas and conduct work not set out under accountabilities below such as building compliance compensation requests complaints.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert legal advice on a wide range of housing matters including:
• Homelessness duties (Housing Act 1996 Homelessness Reduction Act 2017)
• Allocations and housing registers
• Tenancy management possession proceedings and evictions
• Anti-social behaviour (ASB legislation and injunctions)
• Disrepair claims and housing conditions
• Equality and human rights considerations in housing decisions
• Advise on policy development ensuring compliance with statutory obligations and best practice.
• Manage a varied caseload of housing law matters from instruction through to conclusion.
• Conduct or instruct advocacy in courts and tribunals including:
• County Court possession claims
• Judicial review proceedings
• Appeals and homelessness reviews
• Draft legal documents including pleadings witness statements and settlement agreements.
• Liaise with external counsel where required.

About You

The successful candidate would need to be/have:

• a qualified Solicitor Barrister Legal Executive or equivalent
• an experienced advocate in the Magistrates and County Court
• experience of advising on whether there is sufficient evidence to issue proceedings or defend a case.
• Strong technical experience in dealing with a wide range of non-contentious housing management matters and contentious landlord and tenant matters (including tenancy management issues anti-social behaviour possession Injunctions and contempt of Court applications) either on the Claimant or Defendant side.
• Experience of successfully managing a large caseload successfully achieving excellent outcomes.
• Knowledge of the pre-action protocols and Civil Procedure Rules.
• Knowledge of the relevant statutory regulatory and common law applicable to the housing management functions of a social landlord and the provision of regulated social and affordable housing.
• Practical awareness and/or experience of the Data Protection Act 2018.

Working ArrangementsThis role is offered on a Hybrid basis with an expectation of at least 3 days per week in the office or in attendance at court.

What you should do next

If you are interested in finding out more about this role we would love to hear from you. Please apply via Working for Essex website.

If you have queries on this role or require anything else please email

Required Experience:

Staff IC