Dean is marked out by the legal directories as a leading junior in landlord and tenant, property, public and administrative law, and has a particular expertise in housing and related administrative law.
He also has expertise in local government, regulation and the licensing of private sector accommodation. He advises and represents local authorities and landlords nationwide, as well as individuals.
Dean specialises in landlord and tenant, property, public and administrative law and has particular expertise in housing and related administrative law. He also has expertise in local government, regulation and the licensing of private sector accommodation.
Dean advises and represents local authorities and landlords nationwide, as well as individuals. He has experience in all courts, from County Court to Supreme Court and appears regularly before the First Tier Tribunal and the Upper Tribunal’s Administrative and Property Chambers.
Dean is widely regarded as a leader in his field. He is consistently ranked as a leading junior in housing, property and administrative law in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500. Clients say of him:
“A specialist in his area, with exceptional knowledge and understanding of housing law. He always prepares meticulously and proactively finds solutions”, “knows housing law through and through” and is “calm on his feet.” Legal 500 2024
“Knowledgeable and seasoned practitioner who is incredibly hard-working.” “A favourite with clients.” “Very prompt at providing advice and an excellent advocate in court.” Chambers and Partners 2019
He is praised for his “methodical advocacy and adept representation of local authorities and social landlords at all levels of court and tribunal.” Chambers and Partners 2018
“He is wedded to the sector; a social housing machine.” Legal 500 2017
“He gets results, and his friendly and down-to-earth manner makes him a client favourite.” Legal 500 2017
“He’s an excellent advocate … understands the sector very, very well and is easy to deal with – someone you can rely on.” Chambers and Partners 2016
“He is outstanding …produces clear paperwork, writes well and has an excellent grip on all the legal issues.” Chambers and Partners 2015
“He keeps his ear to the ground and is always informed on developments in the sector.” Legal 500 2015
Expertise
- Housing
Dean has particular expertise in the law governing public sector landlords and tenants and is ranked by Chambers UK and the Legal 500 as a Leading Junior in housing and administrative law. He advises and represents local authorities and housing providers nationwide in:
- judicial reviews of homelessness and housing allocation decisions
- statutory homelessness appeals
- repossession and demotion claims
- human rights, discrimination and Equality Act challenges
- statutory succession and right to buy proceedings
- claims for anti-social behaviour injunctions
- applications to commit for breach of injunctions and undertakings
- disrepair, nuisance and statutory nuisance claims
- mandatory, additional and selective licensing under the Housing Act 2004
- unlawful eviction and harassment cases
- service charge disputes
- welfare benefit proceedings
- issues concerning the HCA’s Regulatory Framework
- policy challenges.
Dean is the current Chair of the Social Housing Law Association and delivers training nationwide on all housing law issues.
- Banning Order upheld by Upper Tribunal12 Dec 2023
- Strict liability for operators of unlicensed HMOs07 May 2020
- A matter of respect: Upper Tribunal reinstates ‘generous’ penalties for Housing Act 2004 licensing offences06 Feb 2020
- Court of Appeal: No home for discrimination claims in section 204 appeals03 Aug 2019
- Sims v Dacorum Borough Council [2013] EWCA Civ 12; [2013] All ER (D) 172 (Jan); (2013) 157(4) SJLB 4301 Jan 2018
- London Borough of Waltham Forest v Tuitt: When is a house not a house?01 Jan 2018
- West Kent Housing Association V Grant, Tunbridge Wells County Court, July 201101 Jan 2018
- Sheppard V Community Housing Association [2008] EWHC (QB)01 Jan 2018
- Sanctuary Housing Association V Darnel [2006] EWHC (QB)01 Jan 2018
- Unlawful sub-letting & the abuse of social housing01 Jan 2018
- No second bite at the cherry – High Court rejects back door challenge to capacity decision01 Jan 2018
- R (George) V Hammersmith & Fulham LBC [2012] EWHC 210 (Admin); [2012] All ER (D) 124 (Apr); [2012] June LAG 3601 Jan 2018
- Norton your nelly!01 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Barristers retains top ranking in legal directories for Social Housing25 Oct 2023
- Accommodating Asylum Seekers: Legal Issues Arising from the Use of Hotel Accommodation12 Dec 2022
- Secretary of State confirms city-wide licensing designations18 May 2022
- Litigation in lockdown: the housing cases receiving pandemic priority07 Apr 2020
- Charging for Housing Act licences: the far-reaching consequences of Gaskin17 Aug 2018
- A new deal for housing? Long-awaited Social Housing Green Paper published today14 Aug 2018
- Cornerstone Housing Newsletter – August 201601 Jan 2018
- Dean Underwood and Clarke Willmott consider future housing law and policy at House of Lords01 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Barristers Special Edition Housing Newsletter: Housing and Planning Act 201601 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Housing Newsletter – February 201601 Jan 2018
- Dean Underwood of Cornerstone Barristers to be next Chair of SHLA01 Jan 2018
- Thomson Reuters: LLG Housing Seminar blog01 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Barristers Housing Newsletter August 201701 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Housing Newsletter – May 201601 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Housing Day 2015 – Presentations01 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Housing Newsletter – October 201501 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Barristers Housing Newsletter – July 201501 Jan 2018
- Property
Dean is recognised in the latest edition of The Legal 500 as a Leading Junior in property litigation.
His property practice comprises both real property and residential and commercial landlord and tenant work.
He has particular expertise in residential and commercial leasehold disputes, including forfeiture and the recovery of estate and service charges, and advises public sector landlords about complex property issues, including interference with easements. He also advises and represents local authorities in the compulsory purchase of property, including claims before the Upper Tribunal for compensation.
- Banning Order upheld by Upper Tribunal12 Dec 2023
- Strict liability for operators of unlicensed HMOs07 May 2020
- A matter of respect: Upper Tribunal reinstates ‘generous’ penalties for Housing Act 2004 licensing offences06 Feb 2020
- Golds V Henson [2013] EWHC (QB)01 Jan 2018
- Henson V Blackwood & Blackwood [2012] August LAG 2601 Jan 2018
- Aiyedogbon V Best Move Estate Agent Ltd [2012] June LAG 3501 Jan 2018
- Howard V Stanton [2011] EWCA Civ 1481; [2012] All ER (D) 201 (May); [2012] March LAG 2301 Jan 2018
- Bruce v Woods [2007] February LAG p3001 Jan 2018
- Dovetail Estates Ltd V Mazrekaj [2006] March LAG P2801 Jan 2018
- Public Law and Judicial Review
Dean is ranked by the Legal 500 as a Leading Junior in public and administrative law and has particular expertise in the judicial review of decisions concerning the:
- allocation and management of social housing
- provision of accommodation for the homeless pending review and appeal
- allocation of discretionary housing payments and disabled facilities grants
- designation of areas for additional and selective licensing under the Housing Act 2004
- assessment of- and provision for care and support needs under the Care Act 2014
- provision of accommodation under the National Assistance Act 1948 and the Care Act 2014
- assessment of a child’s age for the purposes of the Children Act 1989.
Dean also specialises in defending human right and public and administrative law challenges to public authority possession actions. He represented the respondent housing provider in Southern Housing Group v Ahern [2016] EWCA Civ (tbc), in which a Starter tenant claimed unsuccessfully that his landlord’s decision to recover possession of his home was void in public law.
He also has expertise in the disability discrimination provisions of the Equality Act 2010 and has extensive experience defending the discrimination claims of social housing tenants.
Dean drafts and advises local authorities about their housing policies and procedures.
- Court of Appeal: No home for discrimination claims in section 204 appeals03 Aug 2019
- Oxford City Council V Basey [2012] EWCA Civ 115; [2012] 3 All ER 71; [2012] HLR 22; (2012) 109(9) LSG 16; [2012] All ER (D) 94 (Feb)01 Jan 2018
- Brough V (1) Law (2) Child Support Enforcement Commission [2011] EWCA Civ 1932; [2012] 1 WLR 1021; [2012] PTSR 897; [2012] 1 FLR 375; [2012] Fam.Law. 11; The Times 07.11.1101 Jan 2018
- JB V (1) Oxford City Council V (2) Secretary Of State For Work And Pensions [2011] UKUT 136 (AAC) Upper Tribunal01 Jan 2018
- CH 0609-200401 Jan 2018
- Norton your nelly!01 Jan 2018
- Accommodating Asylum Seekers: Legal Issues Arising from the Use of Hotel Accommodation12 Dec 2022
- Cornerstone Housing Newsletter – August 201601 Jan 2018
- Dean Underwood and Clarke Willmott consider future housing law and policy at House of Lords01 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Barristers Special Edition Housing Newsletter: Housing and Planning Act 201601 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Housing Newsletter – February 201601 Jan 2018
- Dean Underwood of Cornerstone Barristers to be next Chair of SHLA01 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Housing Newsletter – May 201601 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Housing Day 2015 – Presentations01 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Housing Newsletter – October 201501 Jan 2018
- Cornerstone Barristers Housing Newsletter – July 201501 Jan 2018
- Licensing
Dean specialises in the licensing of houses in multiple occupation and other residential accommodation under Parts 2 and 3 of the Housing Act 2004 and advises local authorities across the country about the requirements of additional and selective licensing schemes, both pre- and post-designation, approval and/or confirmation. He represents local authorities and individuals before the courts and tribunals in licensing litigation under the 2004 Act.
- Health and Social Care
Dean advises and represents local authorities in complex community care cases and offers expertise in age assessments, care assessments and in the provision of accommodation by local authority social services departments under both the National Assistance Act 1948 and the Care Act 2014.
He has particular experience acting against parties with significant mental health problems and is well placed to handle cases involving the Official Solicitor and other litigation friends.
Dean successfully represented the respondent housing provider in Evesham & Pershore HA Ltd v Werrett [2015] EWHC 1060 (QB): an appeal before the High Court in which the litigation capacity of a brain-injured tenant was brought starkly into issue.
- Commercial and Regulatory
Dean offers wide experience of housing regulation and the requirements of the Homes and Communities Agency’s Regulatory Framework. He offers informed and practical advice about compliance with the HCA’s consumer and economic standards and the consequences of default.