Smaller Registered Providers
(Smaller RP's)
At Devonshires, we understand the pressures and obstacles faced by Smaller Registered Providers. Our work with community based and specialist organisations is an important part of the services we provide to our housing clients, based around our wide and long term sector experience. Our working style is based on our understanding of the nuances, needs, resources and their key concerns. It is practical and accessible, backed up with access to our training programme. It is also based on a long term tailored partnership.
Real Estate & Projects
Our team provides Registered Providers with advice on development and other property and regeneration transactions. This includes advising on heads of terms and deal structure, complex title issues, development agreements, joint venture agreements, strategic land options, planning agreements (includin g nominations agreements and section 106 agreements), building contracts, utility and infrastructure agreements and residential development sales. We also have a strong track record for working with Registered Providers in stock transfers and rationalisation and other transactions between Registered Providers.
Banking, Governance and Corporate
We work alongside our clients on their loan agreements, helping them understand the key terms and how this compares to the wider market. We produce reports and attend board meetings to provide assurance to boards on the transactions. We help our clients with their strategies including on mergers. We are used to working with senior executives and boards on regulatory compliance including on regulatory disclosures, interventions and action plans. Members of our team also sit on the boards of this client group, allowing them to draw upon their direct experience of the strategic and operational challenges facing them. We also run a ‘Smaller Housing Associations’ forum’ alongside the Chartered Institute of Housing and Gatenby Sanderson and regularly host G320 meetings.
Securitisation
We recognise that the challenges faced by smaller Registered Providers will extends to their securitisation and refinancing exercises so they can draw on their loans on a timely basis; when this is not a typical part of their outputs. We have our own specialist team within the Securitisation Team, headed up by Saghar Roya. The Team has an unparalleled capacity to charge properties to tight deadlines, ensuring a streamlined and smooth transaction. We provide bespoke training aimed at helping smaller Registered Providers enhance their property portfolios and upskill their staff.
Employment, HR and Pensions
We offer the most up to date and expert advice across all aspects of employment, HR and pensions, from the application of policies and procedures in an individual case, through to how to embark upon wholesale terms and conditions changes in unionised workforces. With our sector knowledge we are able to anticipate the needs of our clients, adopting a pro-active approach and providing both legal and practical advice. We also carry out related investigations for our clients.
Construction and Engineering
Our team has extensive knowledge and experience in advising clients in relation to all of their construction needs, whether it is drafting standard amendments to JCT contracts or bespoke contracts, advising on time, money and quality disputes, or helping clients to navigate their way through the new fire eand building safety legislation. In addition, our team offers bespoke executive team and board training and advice on all areas of property compliance and health & safety, including board duties, regulatory compliance, board reporting and data assurance. We also assist clients with internal investigations and investigations by third party regulators (HSE, Local Authority, Fire & Rescue Service) in the aftermath of a health & safety incident.
Housing Management and Property Litigation
We provide tenancy and leasehold management advice and representation in disputes ranging from enforcement of tenancy obligations via possession and injunction action in the County Courts to complex leasehold property disputes. We also provide high level strategic advice including drafting of tenancies, management agreements, policies and procedures as well as one-off advice on topics as diverse as fire esafety and large scale decants.
Commercial Contracts
Our expert team has extensive knowledge and years of practical experience of matters relating to commercial contracts and procurement. This includes a complete range of IT contract services. We have developed our own “customer friendly” forms of contract and have also helped our clients to procure IT under frameworks. Our team regularly advises on a wide range of commercial contracts including property management agreements of varying scale and complexity.
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020 7628 7576