North-East housing provider Isos has awarded a three-year contract for its anti-social behaviour legal services to commercial law firm, Muckle LLP.
Muckle LLP was one of a number of firms invited to tender for the ASB legal services contract with Isos and following a competitive tendering process was appointed by Isos as sole provider of legal services for the contract.
Partners Russell Hall and Charlotte McMurchie will be responsible for the delivery of services under the contract, which involves advising Isos on a wide range of contentious housing management issues, across their regional housing portfolio of around 17,000 homes.
Charlotte, who leads Muckle’s real estate disputes team said: “We will be advising Isos on the best methods to curtail anti-social behaviour, working with them and members of the communities affected. Our role will include helping to empower the team to be more self-sufficient in this area and to maximise the value they get from their legal advice.”
Russell who heads up the firms’ social housing team added: “It’s great to work in partnership with Isos again. In the feedback we received from Isos following the appointment it was clear they like the fact that, as well as being able to provide them with the sector specific advice they need, we will do so in a way which delivers additional value for them.
Another area where Isos and Muckle will work in partnership is in relation to their respective community engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility programmes.
Russell commented that: “Isos place investment in their communities, and the people who live in them, at the heart of their organisation and we at Muckle believe that as a business with its roots firmly in this region we have a significant role in helping to strengthen our communities too. We are looking forward to working with Isos on projects which will make a real difference.”
As a charitable, not-for-profit housing association group, Isos now provides nearly 17,000 homes including 4,300 owned and managed by Cestria Community Housing based in Chester-le-Street.
Isos Community Investment manager, Richard Mitchell, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Muckle LLP, which is widely recognised for its experience within the social housing sector.
“Muckle LLP has a strong appreciation of the importance we place on investing in our communities and the people who live in them and this will be particularly evident as we move forward together tackling the issue of anti-social behaviour.
“The anti-social behaviour of the few can end up blighting the lives of the many and it is vital for our residents that, as a housing association group, we can move rapidly and effectively to bring perpetrators before the courts.
“With Muckle’s support we are looking to streamline the process of obtaining injunctions through staff training and further strengthen the effectiveness of the action we take.
“Muckle’s own sense of corporate social responsibility mirrors our own and we also look forward to the possibility of working with them on initiatives to help improve the lives of our tenants.”