Having worked at MLA for nearly nine years, Sophie Lea has built extensive experience supporting housing disrepair claims and helping cases progress efficiently from instruction through to report delivery.
Starting her career at MLA as an Administrator, Sophie has progressed into her current role as Housing Disrepair Team Leader, where she now focuses on supporting and developing the team to deliver a high standard of service to clients.
We spoke to Sophie about her experience, the importance of communication in housing disrepair cases and what she believes sets MLA apart.
How long have you been at MLA, and how has your experience developed over that time?
I’ve been at MLA for nearly nine years. I started as an Administrator and have worked my way up to Team Leader.
Over the years, I’ve gained experience across a range of work types, particularly housing condition cases, and my focus now is developing the team to provide an excellent service.
From your perspective, what do solicitors need most when managing housing disrepair cases?
High service levels and quality experts are key.
Our role is to ensure inspections are allocated quickly and reports are delivered on time, helping solicitors support clients living with disrepair as efficiently as possible.
What makes the biggest difference when it comes to keeping cases running smoothly?
Communication. Keeping solicitors updated, confirming inspections promptly and highlighting any risks or issues early all helps cases progress more smoothly.
How does MLA ensure the right experts are instructed and reports are delivered to the required standard?
We have robust panel management, selection and vetting processes in place, alongside clear instruction procedures, performance monitoring and quality checks before reports are released.
This helps ensure reports are delivered to the required standard from the outset.
Based on your experience, what sets MLA apart from other providers supporting housing disrepair claims?
Our hands-on approach, strong communication, service standards and focus on continuous improvement all make a real difference.
We work closely with solicitors throughout the process to help keep cases moving efficiently.
Look out for next month’s ‘Experience at MLA’ feature, where we’ll be speaking to another member of the team about their role, experience and insights from across the business.
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