Important Update
Toynbee Hall’s Free Legal Advice Clinic will temporarily pause accepting new referrals from 1st – 14th October 2025 due to staff absence. Our service will resume from 15th October 2025.
All existing clinics and booked appointments are going ahead as planned during that time. On 15 October 2025 our service will resume for new enquiries. From that point onwards, our online referral form will be replaced with a free phone number which will be available 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week.
Free Legal Advice Centre: Housing
Toynbee Hall’s Free Legal Advice Centre provides advice to the public on housing matters. We partner with City law firms to offer a service delivered by volunteer trainee solicitors, whose work is supervised by Toynbee Hall staff with subject-specific expertise. We only offer appointments for cases suitable for delivery by our volunteer trainee solicitors, and these cases are prioritised accordingly. Our volunteers interview clients, carry out research, and prepare follow-up advice letters, which are reviewed and confirmed by the appropriate supervisor before being sent to clients.
Please note that we cannot provide ongoing support or urgent responses. Each session is intended to provide one-off advice rather than continuous advice. If, during an advice session, we identify that an issue is beyond our expertise or particularly complex, we will provide information about trusted organisations that can help with wider or more complex needs
We can help with a range of with non-urgent housing matters such as:
Entitlements to Social Housing
Private Sector Tenancy Matters
Service Charge Issues
Eviction
Housing Conditions
Tenancy Deposits
We cannot assist with urgent matters for example where a tenant is facing imminent homelessness or eviction or if you already have a court date for a possession hearing. However, we can advise regarding non-urgent homelessness or eviction queries. We do not advise homeowners or landlords. We are unable to provide advocacy or representation.
How to get help
Here is how the process works for getting advice on your Housing Issue
1
CALL OUR HELPLINE
In the first instance, call our Customer Care Team who will be able to direct you to the Free Legal Advice Clinic for next steps. We are open from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week.
2
WE’LL CALL YOU BACK
You will then receive a call back either offering an appointment or asking for more information to assess more fully your enquiry .Housing appointments are generally offered in person at our weekly Wednesday evening clinic or our monthly Saturday morning women-only clinic. Appointments can be offered remotely either online or by phone too.
3
ATTEND YOUR APPOINTMENT
At the appointment you will be interviewed by volunteer trainee solicitors who will then provide you with advice in writing, which is supervised and confirmed by Toynbee Hall staff with subject-specific expertise. This written advice is provided within one week of the appointment and will focus on the next steps you need to take to resolve the issue. We do not offer an ongoing casework service. If, during an advice session, we identify that your issue is beyond our expertise or particularly complex, we will provide information about trusted organisations that can help you with their wider or more complex needs
