Everyone deserves to have a warm, safe, suitable place to live – but young people often struggle to have their housing rights upheld. As a result, young people often become homeless or have to stay in unsuitable accommodation.

Street Legal is an innovative partnership between Clan Childlaw and Shelter Scotland which combines the legal expertise of the two organisations. Together we provide free legal advice and representation to young people in Edinburgh who are between the ages of 16-24 and families with children up to the age of 18.

Through this project, we provide direct advice and legal representation for young people and families. We also assist those supporting young people or families by answering questions about housing law and providing training.

Housing problems a lawyer can help with

• You are facing eviction from your tenancy
• You have been evicted from your accommodation and are sofa surfing or sleeping rough
• You are staying in accommodation that is unsuitable for your needs
• You are having problems with disrepair (e.g. if you have a broken boiler, windows or have damp or mould that you have told your landlord about but nothing is being done)
• You have any questions about your housing or accommodation rights
• You are supporting a young person or family in one of the above situations

Help for people supporting young people or families

If you are working with someone who is experiencing or is at risk of homelessness or is otherwise living in unsuitable accommodation, we can support you by giving guidance on the law, housing & accommodation rights. We will work with you to help identify the best course of action for the person you are supporting.

Training

We offer a variety of free lawyer-led training workshops through the Street Legal project. See our Training and Events Page to find upcoming opportunities.

How to get in touch

You can get email us on [email protected] or call 0808 1290522 for help or advice. Our lawyers are here to help.