20.1.2023
High Court finds Westminster Council’s Housing Scheme...
Westminster City Council’s housing allocation scheme found to be unlawful The High Court has today handed down judgment finding...
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“Will Ford is a leading figure in the social housing field. He is highly committed to his clients and leaves no stone unturned in seeking to assist them with their problems.”
“William Ford is truly extraordinary – he helps everyone and knows the law better than anyone.“
William Ford
William is an experienced housing and public law solicitor who is committed to achieving great results for his clients. He often acts in cases where clients are extremely vulnerable and require action to be taken at very short notice. He takes a practical approach to cases from the outset and believes in the importance of providing clear and concise advice to his clients at all stages of litigation.
- Specialist in housing, community care, welfare benefits and public law
- Named as a leading individual in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners directories
- A finalist in 2016 for Legal Aid Lawyer of the year in the category of Children’s rights
William undertakes all types of housing work. He specialises in landlord and tenant cases, as well as having knowledge of trust of land disputes. He has particular expertise in assisting those facing homelessness or eviction from their home, as well as housing disrepair (acting for tenants, leaseholders, and landlords) and Judicial Review claims involving housing law.
William is also a community care specialist, with expertise in cases involving the rights of children and care leavers under the Children Act 1989. He also deals with cases involving adult social services to ensure that clients with disabilities receive the care and support to which they are legally entitled.
Additionally William specialises in public law as well as having considerable experience and knowledge of cases concerning welfare benefits. He has experience in bringing judicial review claims against local authorities and other public bodies and is committed to acting for extremely vulnerable children or adult clients with specialist needs. He has a particular interest in cases with an EU law or immigration element, often where these issues overlap in cases concerning housing, community care or welfare benefits entitlement.
William also works to identify strategic litigation challenges with a view to positively changing the law in appropriate cases.
William is a member of the executive of the Housing Lawyers Practitioners Association (HLPA). He also represents client on the duty advocate scheme at the County Court at Clerkenwell and Shoreditch.
William joined Osbornes as a trainee in 2004, qualified as a solicitor in 2006, and was made a partner at the firm in 2016.
William Ford is experienced in representing tenants in disrepair and possession claims, as well as homelessness appeals and judicial reviews concerning allocation of housing.
"He has a really good eye for detail, able to untangle and trace complicated matters. He has real expertise in welfare public law issues."
"Will is very technically competent and smart and he's very generous with his time."
"William is truly extraordinary. He is wonderful, clever, bright, and helps everyone in understanding the law."
"He is absolutely brilliant and is a very effective litigator for clients who don't have many options. He is very pragmatic, measured and reasonable - he appeals to common sense, which makes him an effective negotiator."
"William Ford is truly extraordinary - he helps everyone and knows the law better than anyone."
"Will Ford is a test case lawyer whose practice spans Social Housing and Welfare issues, his breadth of knowledge in both fields in invaluable to those working in his team."
"Osbornes’ team have grown in size and stature under the excellent leadership of Will Ford."
"Will Ford stands out as an exceptional and highly regarded lawyer in the field."
"The lawyer that was helping me with my case was William Ford was simply amazing – if a partner shows all these qualities, this must, I’m sure, filter down to the rest of the employees due to the example set."
"Will Ford recently took over a case from a departing colleague and was immediately on top of all the issues in a fact-heavy case; he is always available to speak to and in a case against a hard-to-manage litigant in person he was excellent."
"He is excellent - meticulous attention to detail and very knowledgeable."
Practice head William Ford takes on public law challenges involving housing rights, community care, welfare benefits and support for migrants, among other areas. His work in the field of housing law often involves challenging local authorities' refusals to honour statutory obligations.
William Ford is a very well-known and well-respected solicitor who has acted in some of the most important recent public law cases involving housing and welfare issues. He is extremely intelligent, always on top of the latest legal developments, and very committed to his clients.
Will Ford – one of a handful of specialists in social security law. Outstanding experience & knowledge of complex statutory schemes.
Will is an astute litigator, and his breadth of knowledge across the fields of housing and social welfare law allows him to take a holistic approach to clients’ situations.
Will Ford is a leading figure in the social housing field. He is highly committed to his clients and leaves no stone unturned in seeking to assist them with their problems.
Will Ford – very experienced, highly professional and with a wide and deep knowledge of social housing litigation and related social welfare areas of law.
Will Ford is a very well-regarded figure in the housing law world and leads a team of high quality and committed lawyers.
"William Ford has an impressive track record handling a variety of possession, homelessness and unlawful eviction matters. He is also adept at community care cases where these issues intersect with housing law. Sources praise him for being 'completely on top of the law and a very good negotiator who gets the most for his clients.'"
“William acts on possession, disrepair and homelessness cases, and has particular expertise in the protection of tenancy deposits under the Housing Act 2004.”
“William Ford is impressive and devoted to the sector.”
“Associate William Ford receives effusive praise for his dedication and commitment to social housing. Interviewees highlight his technical understanding and background in housing law, and describe him as highly impressive.”
“The ‘very thorough’ and ‘incredibly committed’ William Ford is a respected practitioner acting predominantly for tenants facing possession and eviction proceedings, homeless applicants or clients who are making disrepair claims. He understands the links between different parts of the law and housing – how your immigration status might link to housing, for example, or how care provisions might link to housing.”
“William Ford is a ‘tenacious litigator with a lovely manner that, combined with intelligence, knowledge and pragmatism, makes him a pleasure to work with."
“He is brilliant – he’s really intelligent and has great strategic capabilities.”
"The team at Osbornes is inspired by its leader Will Ford, a truly first-rate, modern lawyer’s lawyer. The team have blossomed under his Will and are now packed with conscientious, dedicated and excellent lawyers who always give their clients 100%."
"William Ford - A good technical lawyer with a strong commitment to his clients"
“Osbornes has an impressive social housing team and the quality of their work that I have seen is very high. Will Ford is a very well-regarded figure in the housing law world and leads a team of high quality and committed lawyers. The existence of family and property law teams at the firm, amongst others, means that they are able to offer a holistic and expert approach to their clients.”
William Ford is "highly committed to his clients and leaves no stone unturned in seeking to assist them with their problems"
William Ford "is an astute litigator, and his breadth of knowledge allows him to take a holistic approach to clients’ situations."
"He is one of the most passionate lawyers I've ever worked with. He's a rare commodity."
"William Ford frequently represents tenants in possession proceedings, homelessness appeals and disrepair claims... and is praised for his dynamic and hard-working approach."
"The absolutely brilliant William Ford."
William Ford receives effusive praise for his dedication and commitment to social housing. Interviewees highlight his technical understanding and background in housing law, and describe him as highly impressive."
'First-class lawyer' William Ford is 'completely dedicated to making a positive difference', and is acting in cases challenging the 'bedroom tax'.
William acts on possession, disrepair and homelessness cases, and has particular expertise in the protection of tenancy deposits under the Housing Act 2004
William Ford is impressive and devoted to the sector.
William's 2023 directory quotes
William Ford is experienced in representing...
William Ford is experienced in representing tenants in disrepair and possession claims, as well as homelessness appeals and judicial reviews concerning allocation of housing.
"He has a really good eye...
"He has a really good eye for detail, able to untangle and trace complicated matters. He has real expertise in welfare public law issues."
"Will is very technically competent and...
"Will is very technically competent and smart and he's very generous with his time."
"William is truly extraordinary. He is...
"William is truly extraordinary. He is wonderful, clever, bright, and helps everyone in understanding the law."
"He is absolutely brilliant and is...
"He is absolutely brilliant and is a very effective litigator for clients who don't have many options. He is very pragmatic, measured and reasonable - he appeals to common sense, which makes him an effective negotiator."
"William Ford is truly extraordinary -...
"William Ford is truly extraordinary - he helps everyone and knows the law better than anyone."
"Will Ford is a test case...
"Will Ford is a test case lawyer whose practice spans Social Housing and Welfare issues, his breadth of knowledge in both fields in invaluable to those working in his team."
"Osbornes’ team have grown in size...
"Osbornes’ team have grown in size and stature under the excellent leadership of Will Ford."
"Will Ford stands out as an...
"Will Ford stands out as an exceptional and highly regarded lawyer in the field."
"The lawyer that was helping me...
"The lawyer that was helping me with my case was William Ford was simply amazing – if a partner shows all these qualities, this must, I’m sure, filter down to the rest of the employees due to the example set."
"Will Ford recently took over a...
"Will Ford recently took over a case from a departing colleague and was immediately on top of all the issues in a fact-heavy case; he is always available to speak to and in a case against a hard-to-manage litigant in person he was excellent."
Accreditations
William is ranked in the Chambers UK guide:
William Ford is experienced in representing...
William Ford is experienced in representing tenants in disrepair and possession claims, as well as homelessness appeals and judicial reviews concerning allocation of housing.
"He has a really good eye...
"He has a really good eye for detail, able to untangle and trace complicated matters. He has real expertise in welfare public law issues."
"Will is very technically competent and...
"Will is very technically competent and smart and he's very generous with his time."
"William is truly extraordinary. He is...
"William is truly extraordinary. He is wonderful, clever, bright, and helps everyone in understanding the law."
"He is absolutely brilliant and is...
"He is absolutely brilliant and is a very effective litigator for clients who don't have many options. He is very pragmatic, measured and reasonable - he appeals to common sense, which makes him an effective negotiator."
"William Ford is truly extraordinary -...
"William Ford is truly extraordinary - he helps everyone and knows the law better than anyone."
"He is excellent - meticulous attention...
"He is excellent - meticulous attention to detail and very knowledgeable."
“He is brilliant – he’s really...
“He is brilliant – he’s really intelligent and has great strategic capabilities.”
William Ford is "highly committed to...
William Ford is "highly committed to his clients and leaves no stone unturned in seeking to assist them with their problems"
William Ford "is an astute litigator,...
William Ford "is an astute litigator, and his breadth of knowledge allows him to take a holistic approach to clients’ situations."
"He is one of the most...
"He is one of the most passionate lawyers I've ever worked with. He's a rare commodity."
"William Ford frequently represents tenants in...
"William Ford frequently represents tenants in possession proceedings, homelessness appeals and disrepair claims... and is praised for his dynamic and hard-working approach."
William’s reported cases
Ward, Gullu and others v London Borough of Hillingdon [2019] EWCA Civ 692
Successful appeal in the Court of Appeal which established that the London Borough of Hillingdon’s social housing allocation scheme unlawfully discriminated on the basis of race.
Barrow v Kazim [2018] EWCA Civ 2414
First authority from Court of Appeal confirming that a section 21 notice cannot be served by a superior landlord directly on subtenants during the term of a mesne tenancy in relation to an assured shorthold tenancy.
Bagum v Hafiz and Hai [2015] EWCA Civ 801
A landmark Court of Appeal decision concerning powers of the Court under s14 of the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 in relation to orders for sale.
SSWP v SFF and others [2015] UKUT 502 (AAC)
Successful test case before the Upper Tribunal (Administrative Appeals Chamber) concerning the maternity rights of EEA nationals exercising their rights to freedom of movement and the domestic scope of the decision by the Court of Justice of the EU in Saint Prix C-507/12.
Gladehurst Properties Ltd v Hashemi [2011] EWCA Civ
A leading Court of Appeal decision concerning the interpretation of the Housing Act 2004 in relation to tenancy deposits, which was credited as bringing about a change in the law in this area.
William is a Leading Individual in Legal 500:
Practice head William Ford takes on...
Practice head William Ford takes on public law challenges involving housing rights, community care, welfare benefits and support for migrants, among other areas. His work in the field of housing law often involves challenging local authorities' refusals to honour statutory obligations.
William Ford is a very well-known...
William Ford is a very well-known and well-respected solicitor who has acted in some of the most important recent public law cases involving housing and welfare issues. He is extremely intelligent, always on top of the latest legal developments, and very committed to his clients.
Will Ford – one of a handful...
Will Ford – one of a handful of specialists in social security law. Outstanding experience & knowledge of complex statutory schemes.
Will is an astute litigator, and...
Will is an astute litigator, and his breadth of knowledge across the fields of housing and social welfare law allows him to take a holistic approach to clients’ situations.
Will Ford is a leading figure...
Will Ford is a leading figure in the social housing field. He is highly committed to his clients and leaves no stone unturned in seeking to assist them with their problems.
Will Ford – very experienced, highly professional...
Will Ford – very experienced, highly professional and with a wide and deep knowledge of social housing litigation and related social welfare areas of law.
Will Ford is a very well-regarded...
Will Ford is a very well-regarded figure in the housing law world and leads a team of high quality and committed lawyers.
"The team at Osbornes is inspired...
"The team at Osbornes is inspired by its leader Will Ford, a truly first-rate, modern lawyer’s lawyer. The team have blossomed under his Will and are now packed with conscientious, dedicated and excellent lawyers who always give their clients 100%."
"William Ford - A good technical...
"William Ford - A good technical lawyer with a strong commitment to his clients"
“Osbornes has an impressive social housing...
“Osbornes has an impressive social housing team and the quality of their work that I have seen is very high. Will Ford is a very well-regarded figure in the housing law world and leads a team of high quality and committed lawyers. The existence of family and property law teams at the firm, amongst others, means that they are able to offer a holistic and expert approach to their clients.”
"The absolutely brilliant William Ford."
"The absolutely brilliant William Ford."
'First-class lawyer' William Ford is 'completely...
'First-class lawyer' William Ford is 'completely dedicated to making a positive difference', and is acting in cases challenging the 'bedroom tax'.
William's InsightsVIEW ALL
14.11.2022Housing allocation case questions lawfulness of council’s...
Until February 2022, the social housing allocation scheme for the London Borough of Newham allowed people who lived outside the borough...
Read more- 5.8.2022
Legacy benefits uplift: appeal granted by Court of...
On 18 February 2022 the High Court dismissed the case brought by Osbornes on behalf of 4 claimants challenging the governments failure to...
Read more 
5.11.2021Council overturns unlawful housing policy
Homeless teenager claims victory for more than 1,200 homeless people after forcing council to overturn unlawful housing policy A homeless teenager...
Read more- 3.9.2021
Homeless Teenager takes London Council to High Court
A homeless teenager is taking a London council to the High Court for ‘unlawfully’ banning hundreds of homeless people from...
Read more - 19.8.2021
Housing Disrepair Scandal in South London
Following an investigation by ITV nearly 500 homes in the Eastfields Estate in Mitcham, south London, owned by the housing association...
Read more - 29.4.2021
High Court challenge the denial of benefit increases...
The High Court is to decide whether it was lawful of the Government not to give nearly 2million people on...
Read more - 8.4.2021
Council to amend unlawful housing allocation banding process
For the last 8 years Brent Council has stopped the majority of homeless applicants from bidding for rehousing, treating them as ‘...
Read more - 29.1.2021
What does the national lockdown mean for possession...
The coronavirus pandemic has caused disruption to all elements of life, and possession proceedings are no exception. The number of...
Read more - 23.12.2020
EU Nationals with Pre-Settled Status entitled to benefits...
Court Judgment means EU Nationals with Pre-Settled Status can access benefits and housing On 18 December 2020 the Court of Appeal handed...
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22.12.2020Young mother secures accommodation after illegal evictions during...
Here at Osbornes we have seen illegal evictions on the increase during this global pandemic. Osbornes have been advising many...
Read more- 22.12.2020
Osbornes applying to Supreme Court in housing possession...
In the case of Gateway Housing Association –v- Begum (2) the Court of Appeal recently decided that a tenant must leave...
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22.12.2020Eviction from home of vulnerable man during lockdown...
Osbornes were instructed just before the lockdown to prevent the eviction of a vulnerable man with capacity issues. He had...
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22.12.2020Housing disrepair issues resolved after three years
Osbornes were instructed on behalf of a disabled tenant who had been decanted from her temporary accommodation for some three...
Read more- 24.11.2020
Is the delay in the Renters Reform Bill...
There have been issues tenants have faced for a long time before pandemic; namely no fault evictions and the other...
Read more - 20.11.2020
Up Up and away to the First Tier...
This year we assisted in written representations for a welfare benefit case in the Upper Tribunal. This is a Housing...
Read more - 20.11.2020
You are homeless because you are in shared...
It is well established that shared facilities are not suitable for families with children as long term accommodation. The client...
Read more - 9.11.2020
Case Summary: Private Tenant affected by leaks settles...
Our client had a private sector tenancy for a flat located in a block owned by a local authority. Our...
Read more - 27.5.2020
I am vulnerable and homeless but the Council...
Homelessness law and procedure can be very complicated. We hope this blog gives you some helpful pointers but it is...
Read more - 4.5.2020
No recourse to public funds in the time...
Anyone working in the field of social welfare law will be familiar with the term “no recourse to public funds”....
Read more - 29.4.2020
Case news: Housing benefit decision addresses issue of...
The background You might be forgiven for thinking that the question of whether a course is full time or part...
Read more - 17.4.2020
Harassment and Unlawful Evictions of Tenants during COVID-19...
At these hugely challenging times, I thought it would be helpful to provide some insight for tenants facing harassment and...
Read more - 31.3.2020
The Coronavirus Act 2020 and Social Care
The Coronavirus Act 2020 (“the Act”) came into law on 25 March 2020 and passed sweeping emergency legislation that is unprecedented in peacetime....
Read more - 30.3.2020
I have a disrepair issue can I withhold...
Withholding rent is not your best course of action. I see the logic in using the non-payment of rent as...
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