Leading housing set to run three-month free mediation pilot for ASB disputes

All mediations conducted under the pilot will be completely free to all parties regardless of means, it said.

Tobias Eaton, one of the seven barristers behind the initiative, said: “We are hoping that the pilot will be flexible enough to accommodate a number of areas of study and welcome any particular topics or focus which participants wish to pursue.

“Areas of interest that have already been suggested to us include: reducing litigation costs; long-term sustainability of resolutions; pre-litigation mediation; bulk mediations for minor matters; and, mediations involving third parties.”

Eaton added that those members of chambers who are also mediators believed that mediation was under-utilised in this area, even though the courts had held that it needed to be considered and that a refusal to engage needed to be justified.

“We hope that our pilot scheme will not only help to demonstrate how useful it can be but will also provide practical experience for people involved in social housing, whether landlords, tenants or any of the numerous other parties affected by social housing issues,” he said.

Arden Chambers recently announced that it was opening premises in Birmingham.

Anyone interested in participating in the pilot should contact Eaton This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or call him directly on 0207 242 9459. Alternatively they should speak to the set’s clerks, Mike Alexander or Neil Goodwright, on 020 7242 4244.