I joined Hodge Jones & Allen in 2008 as a trainee solicitor and qualified as a solicitor in 2010.

My main areas of work are defending possession proceedings based on rent arrears and anti-social behaviour, homelessness reviews and appeals and bringing disrepair claims. I have particular experience helping clients with complex needs including mental health and alcohol issues, including cases where clients lack mental capacity. I am always determined to achieve the best possible results for my clients, whether that is securing suitable accommodation, preventing eviction or getting repairs done.

Education

• Politics BA (Hons), University of Nottingham 2:1
• Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course, College of Law London

Career

For several years during and after university I worked in various community mental health teams in South London. After completing my legal studies and before joining Hodge Jones & Allen I worked as a paralegal in Mental Health Law, where I advocated for clients in hospital managers’ hearings and tribunals. I also volunteered on the legal advice helpline for the charity Mind.

• Qualified as a solicitor Hodge Jones & Allen, Sept 2010
• Joined Hodge Jones & Allen, Sept 2007
• Archers Solicitors, 2006 – 2007
• MIND, 2005 – 2006
• Toynbee Hall Legal Advice Sessions

Client comments

• “Hannah Britz, housing solicitor at Hodge, Jones & Allen is an outstanding and remarkable legal professional with a simply exceptional talent in Housing Law. Hannah, not only has one of the best legal brains that I’ve seen in action, but she has fought “tooth & nail” for me over the last year every single step of the way. Hannah picked up on every small detail that added to the strength of my case and I can imagine, from the other side’s point of view, she is a force to be reckoned with. Finding myself faced with homelessness later in life has been one of the most frightening, difficult and challenging situations that I’ve found myself in and I can honestly say that it almost destroyed me and I do not believe that I would have made it through the other side without Hannah Britz – because in addition to Hannah’s brilliant mastery of the actual legal process, she is also, from my point of view, one of most compassionate, kind and patient professionals that I have ever met in my entire life who also explained everything to me in simple understandable language. If you have a housing crisis of any kind then I highly recommend, without a single exception, Hannah Britz at Hodge Jones & Allen.”
• “Thank you so much for all your help over the last 2 years. What would I have done without you”
• “When I think back to this time last year… the general hellishness of my situation, I can honestly say you were a tower of strength and intelligence and support and kindness… you changed my life”

Notable cases

• I secured £29,000 in compensation and got the landlord to carry out repairs for a client who had suffered years of severe damp and leaks in her basement home.
• I acted for a client in a homelessness review and appeal concerning the suitability of accommodation offered by the Council. The client had refused an offer of a 13th floor flat because she suffered from claustrophobia following traumatic experiences during wartime in her homeland. As her claustrophobia was undiagnosed the Council believed the accommodation was suitable. I obtained expert medical evidence diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder and claustrophobia and won the appeal at the county court.
• I represented a client in a possession claim based on rent arrears. I identified that the client’s home suffered from serious disrepair including damp and brought a counterclaim for disrepair. The client spoke poor English and was having significant problems with her welfare benefits. I assisted the client in obtaining backdated housing benefit which wiped out her rent arrears. I settled the possession claim with an agreement to carry out repairs and pay compensation.

Membership & Appointments

• Housing Law Practitioners Association