People

Barbara Zeitler

Head of Property

Barbara came to the Bar after a career as a university lecturer in the United States.

Barbara specialises in property and employment law. She has a substantial landlord and tenant and housing law practice, appearing for both social landlords and tenants and practises in all aspects of employment and discrimination law.

A formidable advocate in Court, Barbara also has a reputation for fast and effective production of paperwork.

Barbara is qualified to accept instructions under the Bar Council Public Access Scheme. She has extensive experience in dealing with Public Access clients and is known for her approachable and practical manner.

Barbara is an experienced accredited mediator and can also assist clients as a mediation advocate.

Further Information:

 

Seminars and Training

Topics in Barbara’s recent training sessions and seminars included the Right to Buy, disrepair and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.

Qualifications

BA (London) PhD (London)
LLM, European Union Law (London)

Other awards and activities

    • JP Warner Scholarship
    • Pegasus Scholarship
    • Hardwicke Scholarship

Appointments

Barbara sits on a local authority education appeals panel.

Publications

‘Making homes fit for human habitation’, Estates Gazette, 6 April 2019, 52-53.
RICS isurv – editor of and contributor to the ‘Law for Lettings Agents’ section

Languages

French (DALF, Diplôme de français du droit) and German.

Memberships

    • Employment Lawyers’ Association
    • Housing Law Practitioners’ Association
    • Social Housing Law Association
    • Franco-British Lawyers’ Society
    • Civil Mediation Council
    • Volunteer for Consultations gratuites, an advice facility for the Francophone community of London
    • Employment Law Bar Association

Outside Interests

Travel, especially in the Mediterranean, and cinema.

Barbara has a broad property practice particularly in landlord & tenant, including residential boundary and neighbour disputes, social housing and service charges.

Key areas of practice include:

  • Service Charges
  • Tenancy Deposits
  • Disrepair
  • Boundaries, restrictive covenants and easements
  • Beneficial interests and TOLATA claims
  • Nuisance and harassment
  • Neighbour disputes
  • Rent review disputes
  • Breach of covenant
  • Termination and recovery of possession of property
  • Business tenancy renewals
  • Housing & Local Goverment
  • Social Housing
  • Homelessness
  • Anti-Social Behaviour
  • Tenancy Fraud
  • Succession
  • Right to Buy
  • Judicial Review
  • Residential Landlord and Tenant

Related Cases of Interest: 

Thomson v LB Southwark, 30 September 2015, LAG, December 2015/January 2016, p. 41. Disrepair quantum.

Nzau v Gani (23 November 2013), LAG, December 2014/January 2015, p.27. Disrepair quantum.

Price v City and Town Group (12 August 2011), LAG, December 2013/January 2014, p.14 (Republished in Housing Law Casebook, 6th edition (London, 2015) p. 650). Disrepair quantum.

Barbara has a board employment law practice, appearing on behalf of both employees and employers.

Key areas of her practice include:

• Equality and discrimination;
• Unfair, wrongful and constructive dismissal;
• Redundancy and business reorganisations;
• Holiday pay claims;
• Equal pay and the National Minimum Wage;
• TUPE transfers;
• Breach of contract and restrictive covenants;
• Confidentiality; and
• Injunctions.

Related Cases of Interest:

Weekes v 100 Clifton plc (in liquidation) and others: Case No. 2203201/2020, 19 September 2021

Nzinga v Straight Talking Peer Education Case No. 2302345/2019, 4 December 2020

Dowokpor v Ministry of Justice, Case No. 2202810/2013, 10 July 2018.

Dowokpor v Ministry of Justice UKEAT/UKEAT/0156/17/LA, 23 March 2018. Extension of time, part-time workers, occupational pensions.

Ahir v British Airways UKEAT/0014/16/RN, 15 April 2016. Unfair dismissal, victimisation, striking out.

Mr R Hussain v Jurys Inn Group UKEAT/0283/15/JOJ, 3 February 2016. Race discrimination, substitution, unfair dismissal.

Mrs Y Evbenata v South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust [2015] ICR 483. Unfair dismissal, Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006.

Dr R Mangalore v London School of Economics and Political Science, UKEAT/0233/13/RN, 1 November 2013. Victimisation discrimination, tribunal misdirecting itself.

Barbara is able to assist clients in a broad range of commercial disputes, including:

• Contractual disputes
• The Package Travel Regulations
• Consumer credit and credit hire agreements
• Debt claims and enforcement
• Sale of Goods and Services
• Building disputes

Barbara regularly deals with joint ownership disputes and TOLATA proceedings.   She advises and acts on behalf of clients in court proceedings and mediations relating to:

  • Proprietary estoppel and constructive trusts
  • Trust of Land and co-ownership
  • Undue Influence

Recent cases have included the right of an elderly relative to continue to reside at a property; resisting an order for sale; defending a claim for devastavit; and establishing the extent of client’s beneficial interest in a property.

News & Resources

*This barrister is authorised to practice in England & Wales. Click here to search on the Bar Standards Board Barristers’ Register.

Back to People

Barristers

Richard Power

Richard Power

Head of Chambers

Call: 1983

Antonio Bueno KC

Antonio Bueno KC

Call: 1964, KC 1989

Richard Clayton KC

Richard Clayton KC

Call: 1977, KC 2002

Our Expertise