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
“I was assisted in my Housing Disrepair case by HJA. They were very supportive ,most works have been completed and we settled before the court date. I would recommend HJA .”
“Hanna Britz, really help me with my disrepair case. The best and most professional solicitor I’ve come across. Would recommend her highly.”
“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.
The purpose of the government’s flagship policy of Universal Credit is to combine a range of working-age benefits into a single payment. The theory was that it would simplify the benefits system by merging means tested benefits, including housing benefit, into a single payment. One significant feature is that the payment of rent is directly to the claimant rather than direct to the landlord, as housing benefit was in many cases. However, the rollout of Universal Credit has been more problematic than anticipated. Recent stories have highlighted that Universal Credit is pushing tenants deeper into rent arrears and increasing food bank referrals.
A new report on Poverty and Child Health from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the Child Poverty Action Group makes for disturbing reading (May 2017). The report gathers evidence from the members of the RCPCH about their experiences of helping children living in deprived areas and gives a picture of what is happening on the frontline for child health in such areas across the UK.
I joined Hodge Jones & Allen in 2008 as a trainee solicitor and qualified as a solicitor in 2010.
