Residential & Commercial Real Estate & Housing

Legal support across the property lifecycle

Real estate assets underpin business strategy, investment returns and the way people live. Disputes over leases, service charges, boundaries or development rights can quickly erode value, disrupt cash flow and stall projects. The legal framework is technical, time-sensitive and increasingly regulated, particularly in the residential and housing sectors.

We work with landlords, developers, asset managers, housing providers, institutional investors, managing agents and estate operators across the commercial and residential property spectrum.

From managing multi-let office and retail estates, to resolving complex leasehold issues in residential blocks, to unlocking contentious development sites, we provide clear, commercially-focused advice that protects asset value and supports long-term portfolio strategy.

Our real estate and housing expertise

Commercial landlord and tenant disputes

Commercial leases are central to the value of investment property. Disputes over dilapidations, rent arrears, use, alterations or renewal can affect valuation, financing and occupation stability. We act for commercial landlords, funds, real estate investment trusts, developers and corporate tenants in a wide range of landlord–tenant issues. We advise on:

Dilapidations claims, including preparation and response to terminal schedules, expert input and settlement strategies
Recovery of rent and other sums, including CRAR, High Court enforcement and possession proceedings
Forfeiture and peaceable re-entry, relief-from-forfeiture applications and contested terminations
Breach of covenant disputes, including user clauses, repair and maintenance, alterations, alienation and insurance obligations
Lease renewal disputes under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (contested and uncontested), including grounds of opposition and terms of new leases

We provide early case assessment, options analysis and structured enforcement plans designed to protect investment value while managing tenant relationships and occupational risk.

Residential block management and leasehold disputes

Residential blocks are subject to a complex mix of statutory regimes, lease terms and regulatory expectations. Poorly managed disputes can impact service-charge recovery, capital works and the overall functioning of an estate. We support freeholders, managing agents, RTM and management companies, developers and institutional landlords.

Our work includes:

Service-charge recovery, including Section 20B issues, reasonableness challenges and funding of major works
Right to Manage (RTM) processes – eligibility, notices, claims, challenges and handover of management functions
Tribunal work before the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) and Upper Tribunal, including service-charge disputes, lease variations and administration charges
Lease interpretation and enforcement issues (nuisance, disrepair, alterations, pets, subletting and other covenants)
Enfranchisement and collective freehold purchase, including valuation disputes, statutory procedures and timetable management

We focus on strict procedural compliance, clear communication with leaseholders and practical solutions that preserve the operational and financial integrity of residential developments.

Development and strategic land disputes

Contentious issues affecting development sites can delay projects, increase costs and undermine land value. We act for developers, landowners, promoters and investors in resolving disputes that sit at the intersection of property rights and development strategy.

We advise on:

Option agreement disputes – validity and exercise, conditions precedent, valuation disagreements and timing conflicts
Overage and uplift disputes, including trigger events, post-completion valuations, calculation methodology and enforcement mechanisms
Boundary and title issues, including encroachment, trespass, adverse possession and rectification of the register
Easement and right-of-way litigation, including obstruction, interference, implied easements and prescriptive rights
Restrictive covenant disputes, including enforcement, modification and discharge, including applications under section 84 Law of Property Act 1925

We combine detailed property-law analysis with a clear understanding of planning, funding and delivery timetables, ensuring that legal strategy aligns with the commercial objectives of the scheme.

How we work with real estate and housing clients

Asset-focused: We understand how legal outcomes affect yields, valuations, funding and tenant/leaseholder relationships.
Integrated approach: We combine contentious and non-contentious capability across commercial and residential sectors.
Procedurally precise: We ensure statutory requirements and tribunal or court procedures are followed meticulously.
Practical and clear: Our advice is concise, commercially grounded and designed to be used by asset managers, property managers and in-house teams.

If you are managing a real estate portfolio, operating residential blocks or progressing a development scheme, we can help you manage risk and protect value.

Discuss a live landlord–tenant, leasehold or development dispute

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