Andrew Fairman

Andrew has developed his practice over the years, having transferred to specialise in Social Housing from a prior strong civil litigation background. Since then, Andrew has become a key member of the team and turned his hand to start and develop the Compliance, Building Safety and Decarbonisation Team for Social Housing at MSB. Andrew became a partner in 2023.

Andrew has developed novel ways of achieving results for clients, particularly in areas that are emerging. Andrew has achieved without notice breach of tenancy injunctions specifically relating to access and urgent works within a property, various orders including forced entry clauses in default of compliance guaranteeing that his clients can get into the property and further developed a method for forced decant where property conditions are such that it warrants further action. Andrew has received instructions for a range of breach of tenancy matters, including access for gas and electrical safety checks, access for remedial works, property condition issues, hoarding matters and access for retrofit works, specifically where time is sensitive owing to funding terms from Decarbonisation Funds. This has led to over 500 instructions in the last three years and his progress and development of this team from scratch has seen him listed as a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500 for 2023 and 2024.

Andrew is also looking to pioneer approaches taken utilising the Building Safety Act and without notice process for breach of tenancy matters, including positive actions taken by social housing landlords as well as assisting in guiding them through the issues with resident engagement, tenant voice and Building Remediation actions.

In addition, Andrew has led talks on Tenant Engagement strategies at the CIH Conference, and is co-chairing a new a focus group on Building Safety and Decarbonisation to give a voice for social housing providers.