When I first started blogging in February 2006, there were only a few British legal blogs. For a while I think I was the only blogger covering housing/landlord and tenant law. However since then a few more have started up. I thought it would be nice to list them.
1. Nearly Legal
http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog
This is my top pick. Started by an anonymous paralegal seeking a training contract (hence ‘nearly’ legal), it has developed into an authoritative source of housing law. During this time we have seen Nearly obtain his training contract and qualify as a solicitor, and he is now working as a housing lawyer in a ‘good’ London firm. Dissuaded from giving up his blog (claiming lack of time) by squawks of dismay from his devoted audience, the blog is now written and run by several specialist housing barristers and solicitors (including Nearly himself) and is, we understand, now citied in court hearings by Counsel and Judges. My favorite moment was a year or so ago, when a junior government minister posted a comment and Nearly thought it was someone playing a joke (it wasn’t!).
2. The Painsmith Landlord and Tenant Blog http://painsmith.wordpress.com
This is a fairly recent housing blog, from specialist housing law solicitors PainSmith. However, it is a very welcome addition on the legal/housing blogosphere. The posts are always interesting, well written and accurate, and have often alerted me to points I had not previously been aware of. A highly recommended blog.
3. William Flack Blog
http://blog2.wflack.com
William Flack is a solicitor, and partner in Flack and Co, a small firm specialising in housing and social benefits law in London. William tends to write fairly long posts covering mostly social housing law.
4. Housed
http://rehoused.wordpress.com
A blog about housing law by a bloke doing legal aid housing law work. Posts are often fairly short and there is a lot of comment on working with the legal services commission (a thankless task, I gave it up ten years ago). There are also useful reference pages.
5. Ethan’s Snail in that legal bottle blog
http://ethans-way.blogspot.com
My fifth blog is named after that famous (to lawyers) negligence case. It is an interesting blog with some good posts, but I was distressed to see that nothing has been written since October last year. I was in two minds whether to include it, but have decided to leave it in, in the hope that he will start blogging again.
So thats the five. Six, including mine (the Landlord Law Blog, in case you have forgotten, the one you’re reading now). If you know of any other housing/landlord and tenant legal blogs let me know and I will add them to my blogroll (NB I know there are some good property law blogs out there, but this list just covers tenancy law). I will take a look at the non lawyer sites another time.
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Tessa, thank you for your kind words. I am supremely lucky in my co-bloggers who are extremely knowledgable. I must correct you, though. To my knowledge we have not been mentioned by a Judge in Court, although some county and even High Court judges apparently read us. And it was a shadow minister that commented – but you are right, I didn't believe it, which was a tad embarrassing ;-).
I bet you have been quoted at hearings, you just don't know about it. And even if you haven't been yet, you will be!
Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the plug Tessa. Do you think I should make my posts a bit shorter in future? "William tends to write fairly long posts…" makes me think that they might be a bit hard going.
Not at all. Short snappier posts are easier for people to read, but sometimes there is a lot to say.
We all go on a bit – we're lawyers!