We help landlords, occupiers, developers, investors, and lenders successfully resolve a wide range of commercial and residential property disputes.
Due to our strong track record of success, we are often instructed to deal with the most challenging and strategically important property issues. Often stepping in where others have struggled.
Our experienced team has a strong reputation as effective litigators, acting firmly and decisively when appropriate. Many of our clients are referred to us by satisfied former clients and/or surveyors who have seen what we can do.
Our focus is always on how we can best achieve our client’s objective. Sometimes this involves taking matters to court – we have recently secured High Court judgments for two of our clients based on new points of law (one in relation to the right to forfeit for insolvency; the other regarding redevelopment break rights in renewal leases). But we also have an excellent record of settling disputes on favourable terms for our clients. We find this is often the commercially preferable outcome, as it avoids the expense of court and allows the parties to maintain a good relationship.
An exceptional team of Property Litigators.’
The Legal 500 UK 2025
As we are confident in our abilities and our judgement, we are – in the right circumstances – prepared to act on a ‘no win no fee’ basis.
Our Services
Clear, commercial advice for landlords and tenants.
We have extensive experience of advising both landlords and tenants on the whole range of issues that can arise out of their relationship. This includes:
- Forfeiture
- Lease renewals
- Rent arrears recovery
- Tenant insolvency
- Break disputes
- Service charge disputes
- Breach of covenant
- Rent reviews
Our recent successes include:
- Defending a tenant against high profile forfeiture claims in relation to a number of its multi-million-pound assets.
- Securing a rare redevelopment break for a landlord in a lease renewal, which allowed it carry out a valuable redevelopment project.
- Protecting a landlord from its tenant’s cross-class cram down restructuring plan, securing it full payment of rent arrears and sale of the tenant’s sites with vacant possession.
- Defeating a tenant’s application for an injunction to prevent it being wound up, with the result that our client received full payment of rent arrears and obtained assignment of the tenant’s lease.
- Forcing a tenant to remedy a number of serious breaches of covenant that were severely impacting the value of our client’s reversion.
- After our client’s tenant went into administration, securing full payment of rent arrears and forcing the subsequent occupier of the premises to enter into a favourable lease with our client.
Please contact any member of our team for landlord and tenant advice.
Guiding developers and neighbours through complex development issues.
Our team frequently advises both developers and neighbours on the complex legal issues that can arise out of development projects. We have particular expertise in relation to rights of light issues, with Sophie Schultz being recognised as a leading player in the field.
Other issues we commonly advise on include:
- Construction nuisance
- Vacant possession
- Telecoms
- Easement and boundary issues
Our recent experience includes:
- Advising on a number of high-profile rights of light claims in relation to redevelopment in the Square Mile.
- Threatening an injunction based on property torts to prevent a nuisance arising from the redevelopment and corresponding change in use of a neighbour’s land.
- Getting telecoms equipment removed to enable redevelopment of a site.
- Serving hundreds of Light Obstruction Notices to de-risk a development project.
- Advising a tenant on a significant claim in respect of noisy building works carried out by its landlord.
For rights of light and other development disputes advice, please contact Sophie Schultz.
Expert handling of high-value dilapidations claims.
With recent cost increases, dilapidations liability has only grown in importance. We regularly bring and defend very substantial dilapidations claims for our clients - often for many millions of pounds and involving complex legal and technical issues. Our team is recognised for its ability to identify innovative arguments that can significantly influence the outcome of a case.
Our recent matters include:
- A dilapidations claim for tens of millions of pounds, where we acted on a damages based arrangement.
- A £3 million terminal dilapidations claim in respect of a large office in the Midlands.
- Defending a multi-million-pound dilapidations and contamination claim in relation to a large depot.
For dilapidations advice please contact any member of our team.
Expert, timely advice on building and fire safety.
Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022, building and fire safety has become a critical priority. Working with our specialist construction team, we are able to provide clear, time sensitive advice on all aspects of these matters.
We are currently acting on a very significant cladding case in the High Court, which will determine whether regulation 12(2) of the Fire Safety Order 2005 can be used to force building owners to replace Grenfell-Tower type cladding. Our case will be a test case on the Fire Safety Order and will come to trial in March 2026.
For advice regarding building/fire safety issues please contact Sophie Schultz.
Holding negligent advisors to account.
Property matters can be complex, often requiring clients to place significant trust in their professional advisors. Unfortunately, these advisors can sometimes let them down.
If this happens, we can help protect your interests. We are experienced in bringing professional negligence and related claims against professional advisors including:
- Lawyers
- Surveyors
Our recent experience includes:
- A successfully concluded claim against a major law firm that inserted a clause in a series of leases without instructions, which they thought would be helpful but which had disastrous consequences.
For advice regarding professional negligence claims please contact any member of our specialist team.
Protecting your property rights.
We help clients resolve complex issues involving property ownership, access, and use, including:
- Rights of way
- Easements
- Boundary disputes
- Adverse possession
- Restrictive covenants
For advice regarding property disputes please contact any member of our team.
Comprehensive advice on property transaction disputes.
We advise on the full spectrum of claims that can arise out of property transactions, including:
- Failure to complete
- Breach of warranty claims
- Joint venture disputes
Our recent cases include:
- Bringing claims against joint venture partners in relation to a failed high value residential redevelopment project.
- Defending a purchaser against significant claims under an indemnity in a sale and purchase agreement.
For advice regarding sale and purchase disputes please contact any member of our team.
