Our real estate team are experts in advising on all aspects of commercial landlord and tenant law including asset management and tenant disputes.
We advise both the public sector, including central government, local authorities, registered providers and other public bodies, as well as private sector organisations, property agents and managers, charitable bodies, investors and developers. A thorough understanding and knowledge of the diverse and complex legal issues that can arise in the context of landlord and tenant legislation ensures the legal support we provide is practical and commercial and focused on the key issues of importance for our clients.
We have strong links with letting agents and other property consultants as well as close connections with barristers to ensure property disputes can be resolved swiftly and cost effectively whether through negotiation, mediation/arbitration or in court and with available options and associated risks/costs clearly identified and explained.
We offer assistance in the broad range of issues arising on the day to day management of property portfolios and across the full range of property types including office premises, industrial parks and retail units.
The range of issues our commercial property team can assist with include:-
- Agreements for Lease including conditional agreements
- Negotiation and grant of new leases and lease renewals
- Termination of leases including surrenders and the exercise of break clauses
- Licences for consent to assign, sublet or make alterations
- Rent reviews
- Rent arrears and service charge disputes
- Service occupancies
- Turnover rent provisions
- Possession claims
- Dilapidations and repairs
- Service of other Landlord/Tenant notices
- Forfeiture and tenant insolvency
- Shared equity schemes
- Help to Buy
- Estate management
Webinar: Tough Breaks – Leases and break clauses during lockdown
- Acting for London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham on the negotiation of leases and agreements for lease of accommodation in three office buildings of approx. 78,000 sq ft and valued at approx. £25m.
- Acting for Metropolitan Housing Trust in the negotiation of a lease of its new head office premises in central London at a rental value of £4.2m.
- Acting for a large London Borough in two joined appeals to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) by private landlords appealing against the imposition of financial penalties for failing to licence properties under the ‘selective licensing’ scheme.
- Acting for a Borough Council in a possession claim based on the absolute ground of possession under section 84A Housing Act 1985.
- Acting for central government in securing a 20 year lease of a central London office building which was undergoing a major refurbishment to create 53,000 sq ft of high end office space at a rent of over £3m.
