Social housing update seminar

Collette Miller is a Partner within Harper Macleod LLP's Public Sector and Social Housing team. She is ranked in Legal 500 as a 'Next Generation Lawyer' for Social Housing in Scotland.

Collette provides advice and assistance to Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), local authorities and other public bodies in Scotland, particularly in relation to governance, regulatory and constitutional issues. Collette regularly advises clients on the application of legislative developments and the development and implementation of policy, as well as general advisory work. Collette undertakes a range of property, finance and contract work for the firm's housing and public sector clients on a day-to-day basis. She is also the lead adviser to the firm's housing and public sector clients on consumer credit-related issues and compliance with applicable requirements of the Financial Conduct Authority.

Harper Macleod is recognised as one of Scotland's top law firms for housing providers. Its housing team prides itself on its "can do" attitude, recognising that traditional legal problems should not necessarily be addressed with traditional solutions. Harper Macleod acts for 87 RSLs, ranging from the biggest to smaller community-based organisations, spread across the country (which collectively own or manage over 75% of RSL housing stock in Scotland). Harper Macleod has been a top ranked firm in the UK's leading legal directories in the area of social housing for over 15 years and is the largest Scottish legal firm which has a dedicated social housing practice.

Lyndsay McMahon is a Senior Solicitor and Notary Public within the Debt & Asset Recovery team at Harper Macleod. She specialises in Housing litigation and has experience in actions for recovery of possession on behalf of a number of Registered Social Landlords. Lyndsay's experience has seen her deal with cases covering a whole range of circumstances including short Scottish secure tenancies, applications for Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and factoring disputes. Lyndsay also has a wealth of debt recovery litigation experience and regularly appears in Sheriff Courts across Scotland in respect of defended action for a wide client base.

Shirley is a Senior Associate in the Property Litigation Team at Anderson Strathern and provides specialist advice on litigation for public and private sector clients, focusing particularly on property, housing, landlord and tenant law, and commercial issues. She has a wealth of experience in the housing and property sector, from the law of repairs and anti-social behaviour, to servitude and title disputes. Shirley frequently acts for housing associations and local authorities as well as private and commercial clients such as letting agents and landowners.

Recognised as a leader in her field for social housing by legal directory Chambers & Partners, Shirley is also recommended in the Legal 500 in this area. This widely acknowledged expertise and commitment to housing is further consolidated through her position on the board of the East Lothian Housing Association. She also sits as a Legal Member in the First –tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber).

Nicola joined the SPSO in November 2018 building on over 9 years of experience of working in ombudsman organisations.  She previously worked in various roles at the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman in England, investigating and reviewing complaints, acting as liaison between local authorities and the LGSCO, delivering training, and managing the organisation’s external training and conferences programme.  During this time she regularly worked with the Housing Ombudsman Service and provided complaints handling training to local authorities about housing complaints.

Nicola now works as a Learning, Improvement and Standards Officer within the Complaints Standards Authority team at the SPSO, ensuring organisations are compliant with the Scottish Model Complaints Handling Procedures and providing training, information and guidance about them.  She also investigates complaints and manages the SPSO’s relationship with the various public services complaints handling networks.  She recently led a project to review and update the Model Complaints Handling Procedures, facilitated the relaunch of the housing complaints handlers network and regularly delivers training to housing associations on good complaints handling and investigation skills.