Matthew Wood
Associate
Matthew is a property litigation associate, offering strategic solutions for complex commercial and residential disputes.
Associate
Matthew is a property litigation associate, offering strategic solutions for complex commercial and residential disputes.
Language - English
Jurisdiction - England & Wales
Matthew Wood is a property litigation associate at Stephenson Harwood in our London office.
Matthew has dual expertise of commercial and residential property law and advises a diverse client base of large investment funds, real estate portfolios, transport operators, developers, commercial occupiers, Residents Management Companies and high net worth individuals.
Matthew's practice covers the full array of real property and landlord and tenant related issues. He regularly advises landlords on all aspects of asset management, including lease renewals under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (opposed and unopposed), debt recovery, forfeiture, break rights, tenant insolvency and dilapidations.
He also regularly advises on a broad range of residential property matters for Residents Management Companies and high net worth individuals of prime London real estate, including service charge disputes, asset management and debt recovery.
Matthew's clients value his commercial, pragmatic advice which cuts to the heart of the issue to ensure that disputes are navigated and resolved efficiently.
Matthew is a member of the Property Litigation Association.
Tenant insolvency (administration)
Matthew acted for a leading national Real Estate investment company in respect of a tenant insolvency relating to large factory premises with large industrial plant and machinery in-situ worth a reported £11m. Matthew agreed favourable assignment terms to a new commercial occupiers with bespoke contractual protections to ensure that the integrity and safety of the premises were protected on the decommissioning and removal of the plant and machinery.
Opposed lease renewal
Matthew successfully recovered possession of our client's property at the contractual expiry of the lease following a complex dispute concerning grounds (a), (c) and (g) which involved dual consideration of company and property law.
Service charge disputes
Matthew has acted for freeholders, RMCs and leaseholders in service charge disputes in both the First-tier Tribunal and the County Court. Matthew has recently acted for an RMC of a prime London development in Knightsbridge on a complex service charge matter in respect of the recovery of litigation costs relating to a high profile litigation.
Prime Residential Property Disputes
Matthew regularly acts for high net worth individuals in respect of disputes relating to prime and luxury real estate in London. Matthew recently recovered c. £50,000 in rental arrears and legal fees following a tenant absconding during its tenancy agreement.
Dilapidations claims
Matthew acted as the lead associate on a £9 million terminal dilapidations claim.
Portfolio asset management
Matthew acts regularly for investment funds and real estate portfolios on a wide range of property litigation matters across their portfolio. He has previously experience acting for leading landed estates with portfolios across Knightsbridge and Chelsea. This includes advice on rent arrears recovery, possession proceedings, tenant insolvency, forfeiture, assignment advice and lease renewals. This includes commencing commercial rent arrears recovery to ultimately recover c. £1 million in rent arrears.
Party wall disputes
Matthew has previously acted for a high net worth individual on complex litigation concerning a party wall dispute and subsidence damage following redevelopment work involving multiple expert witnesses in both the County Court and the Court of Appeal.
Real property disputes
Acting for high net worth individuals in respect to a disputed right of way and easement claim concerning wayleaves and the implications of the Electronic Communications Code on undocumented telecommunications apparatus.
