Housing Lawyer – Legal Services Team

Local Government South East; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS

On-site day nursery

Season Ticket Loan

Lease car salary sacrifice

Flexible working

Job summary

Reading Borough Council is seeking an experienced Housing Lawyer to join their Housing & Debt/Civil Litigation Team in the Council’s Legal Services. You will manage a varied caseload in housing litigation, advise on homelessness and allocations, and represent the Council in County and Magistrates’ Courts.

The role demands strong advocacy, up-to-date knowledge of housing legislation and a proactive, collaborative approach. Hybrid working is offered, with office and homeworking balance.

Qualifications

• Experience managing a large and varied caseload in housing law.
• Strong advocacy and court appearance experience in County and Magistrates' Courts.
• Up-to-date knowledge of housing legislation and related policy.
• Professional and collaborative team player with good diary management.

Responsibilities

• Represent the Council in County and Magistrates’ Court proceedings.
• Draft documents including letters before action, pleadings and briefs to counsel.
• Advise on homelessness, allocations, and housing-related issues.
• Ensure compliance with Civil Procedure Rules and timelines.

Skills

Housing litigation

Advocacy

Court procedures

Team collaboration

Education

Qualified solicitor/barrister/CILEx

Job description

Reading Borough Council

We’re looking for an experienced, pro-active and skilled Housing Lawyer to join our long standing and highly regarded Housing & Debt/Civil Litigation Team within the Council’s Legal Services. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to play a key role in undertaking high-quality legal work on behalf of the council.

• Full Time
• Permanent
• Reading
• Posted 3 days ago
• £51,928 to £58,602 Per year £ / Year
• Closes: 21 October 2026

Website Reading Borough Council We’re looking for an experienced, pro-active and skilled Housing Lawyer to join our long standing and highly regarded Housing & Debt/Civil Litigation Team within the Council’s Legal Services. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to play a key role in undertaking high-quality legal work on behalf of the council. If you have strong legal expertise, particularly in social housing litigation, and a thorough understanding of key housing legislation, we’d love to hear from you. Join us as we work towards becoming the best place to practice local government law—where talent is valued, innovation is embraced, and professional excellence is at the heart of everything we do. We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities. We are open to flexible working patterns and can provide a hybrid working environment which utilises the best of both worlds with a mix of office working in central Reading and homeworking according to the needs of the Service.

About The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting the Council’s Housing Service by providing expert advice and assistance across all areas of Housing and Homelessness law. You’ll represent the Council in County and Magistrates’ Court proceedings, with the potential to be involved in complex cases in the High Court and appeals.

Principal Accountabilities And Responsibilities Include

• Be responsible for a varied caseload of Housing Litigation matters, to include drafting Letters Before Action, Notices, pleadings, witness statements, settlement agreements, briefs to counsel and corresponding with both Litigants in Person and legally represented opponents
• Preparing for court hearings
• Advocacy in the County Court and the Magistrates Court
• Issuing court proceedings on behalf of the Council and ensuring that instructions are lodged within timescales
• Complying with relevant Protocols and timescales, complying with the Civil Procedure Rules and ensuring that all court direction deadlines are met
• Ensuring that clients are kept up to date with the progress of cases and legal action
• Advising on all aspects of Housing law including in the areas of Homelessness, Allocations and Judicial Review and on relevant points arising from the Housing Act 1985, Housing Act 1996, Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994, Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Local Government Act 1972 and Equality Act 2010.
• Undertaking Housing Disrepair work and conducting a caseload including Housing disrepair cases
• Assisting the Principal Lawyer and Senior Lawyer in the team where required in the more complex cases held by the team.
• Providing advice to officers and members on legal matters, policies and corporate issues, ensuring the Council’s best interests are achieved within the law.

About You

We’re looking for a qualified legal professional – an admitted Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives with a current practising certificate and the right to practise in England. You’ll bring a strong interest in housing law, alongside in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience of Housing Litigation and court procedures and conducting your own advocacy. Highly organised, conscientious, and collaborative, you take pride in delivering high-quality work and working in a team-focused environment alongside team colleagues and officers of the council.

Our Ideal Candidate Will Have

• Experience of holding a large and varied caseload of housing cases, including Housing Disrepair, possession, homelessness, allocations and trespass matters
• An in depth and practical working knowledge of all housing related legal matters
• Experience of dealing with cases allocated to all tracks, including Small Claims, Fast and Multi track
• Excellent diary management skills and the ability to organise and prioritise workload to meet service needs
• Recent advocacy experience
• An excellent working knowledge of key Housing legislation
• Good interpersonal skills and be a good team player

Benefits

• Work Together as one team – work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do
• Drive Efficiency – show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential
• Be Ambitious – be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way
• Make a Difference to Reading – maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

Our Offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A Competitive Salary Alongside a Range Of Benefits Including

• Generous holiday entitlement – 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays – rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season Ticket Loan – to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

Closing Date: Wednesday 21st October 2026

Interview Date: To be confirmed

Interview Setup: In person at the Civic Centre, Bridge Street, Reading, RG1 2LU

For more information on this position please contact Ms Georgina Tully – Principal Lawyer – [e-mail]