Real Estate

Our Real Estate team acts for banks, businesses, developers, investors, private individuals and trusts from all over the world.

Real Estate

As a boutique Central London firm advising onshore and offshore companies and individuals, we have a notable depth of knowledge which is rarely found in many larger firms.

We have a wealth of tax expertise which means that we are able to consider the tax implications of property transactions and advise on more tax efficient options where possible.

We act for commercial investors and those who are looking to buy or sell a home. We are experts in dealing with leasehold property and act for many buy-to-let investors and those who hold portfolios of ground rent properties.

Our key areas of expertise are as follows:

Commercial Property

Acting for investors and owner managers
Preparing auction packs and liaising with auction houses
Preparing or advising on commercial leases
Advising on lease renewals for landlords and tenants
Advising on mixed use property and statutory notice procedures
Advising landlords and managing agents on management issues and tenants during the life cycle of a lease
Advising on dilapidations claims and end of lease negotiations
Advising on the self-storage industry
Advice on commercial development and planning issues
Acting for lenders and introducing lenders in order to facilitate finance
Working with our corporate team on the property aspects of bu siness sales and purchases

Residential Property

Advising on lock-out agreements and sealed bid acquisitions
Preparing and advising on auction packs
Tailored reporting to suit the acquisition
Particular expertise in leasehold property including short leases, lease extensions and collective freehold purchases
Advice on newly built property and buying “off-plan”
Advising freeholders and managing agents on management issues including major works and service charge debt recovery
Advice on letting residential property, tenancy agreements, deposits and HMOs
Tailored advice for those investing in UK property from offshore accredited under the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme and therefore able to act for high street lenders
CREATE – corporate, real estate and tax expertise – tailored advice for entrepreneurs and companies
Advising on retirement housing and equity release schemes

Commercial Property Disputes

We have extensive experience in advising commercial landlords on property-management issues such as:

Tenant default and breach of covenant
Forfeiture
Land Registry adjudication
Rent reviews
Lease renewals
Dilapidations
Insolvency

Many clients require a commercial approach to their property issues and, accordingly, the legal advice given also considers our clients’ commercial requirements. In addition to this, we advise tenants of commercial properties on landlord issues.

Residential Property Disputes

We work with our clients to works with clients to protect their real estate interests, providing advise on potential and existing disputes that may arise from owning or renting a property. We advise on:

Tenant default
Service-charge disputes
Possession proceedings
Actions issued in the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal (including applications for leasehold extensions and freehold purchases)
Claims relating to beneficial interests
Adverse possession
Insolvency issues

The team is frequently asked to advise on a range of matters relating to freehold land, including boundary disputes and disputes with regard to the transfer of land.

We are always mindful of the costs our clients may incur and will discuss, where appropriate, alternative approaches to litigation, by negotiation or mediation

Significant cases where we have acted include:

For a landlord client in the CVA of a well-known hotel chain on how best to protect their position and rental income.
On behalf of a commercial property landlord in relation to a rent-review decision which was challenged because of a charging structure by the valuer. We secured a successful outcome for our client in respect of the rent review and in respect of the recovery of costs relating to the challenge.
On behalf of a commercial landlord in respect of a breach of covenant to assign, and proceeding to terminate the lease successfully with the recovery of the property.
For individual leaseholders in their application for an extension of a block of 104 flats on the Eyre Estate. This involved preparation of the case at the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal for the determination of the terms of the lease extension.
On behalf of tenants, to have a new manager appointed at the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal following failure of the existing manager to manage the block satisfactorily.
On behalf of a client in respect of an adverse possession claim, which involved successfully challenging the claim and obtaining possession of the property.
For a bank in appointing Law of Property Act Receivers.