Lavender & Wilson are experienced and knowledgeable housing practitioners with many years experience in a wide range of fields. They draw on this skill and experience to advise clients on future strategic direction and to prepare strategic documents. Organisations frequently benefit from independent advice – a fresh pair of eyes. Both directors have the ability to examine critically client resources (staffing and financial) and current practice against Government guidelines, statutory requirements and best practice. They then make recommendations for appropriate change and in many cases have drafted full strategic documents for clients in full consultation with relevant stakeholders.
In a former role as the Estates Director of a large, multi-site further education college, Peter Wilson drafted an accommodation strategy involving detailed appraisal of all buildings in respect of property condition and suitability for use, identification of development opportunities, appraisal of options, and then making a case statement and implementation programme for the preferred option – site acquisition, limited disposals, major remodelling and extensive refurbishment.
Because of the innovative and effective techniques used, he lectured to estate managers across Scotland and Northern Ireland at the invitation of the then Scottish Office and Northern Ireland Office. Both directors have prepared full private sector housing strategies for local authorities across the country. They both have extensive experience in regeneration work and have produced renewal strategies based on the analysis of stock condition survey data and the results of public consultation.
The knowledge of statutory housing requirements (in particular HHSRS), the decent homes standard, national guidance and condition surveying means that effective advice can be given on the preparation of asset management strategies for RSLs or local authority owning stock.
Lavender and Wilson are able to support local authorities looking to develop and implement Mandatory, Additional HMO Licensing and Selective Licensing Scheme. In addition, we can provide specialist support from undertaking detailed inspections through to undertaking works in default and debt recovery, prosecutions or civil penalties. This can be a useful resource when dealing with a particularly complex or a challenging case, where the use of an independent expert can be a practical and cost effective approach.