Property Management Advice
We provide hands on legal support for management companies, managing agents and landlords
Good property management is in the eye of the beholder. For management companies it means delivering on your obligations to leaseholders. For landlords it means achieving the best possible commercial value. For managing agents it can mean either of those things depending on who your client is. But in all cases, it means managing the competing interests in the building while maintaining strict regulatory and lease compliance. This careful balancing act is much easier to achieve with the right legal advice and support.
Longmores’ Property Litigation team works closely with property management companies, managing agents and freeholders, providing exceptional depth and breadth of expertise across this specialist area of landlord and tenant law. With a strong commercial edge and a pragmatic mindset, we can help you find real world solutions to the full range of property management issues.
We believe in avoiding costly, time-consuming disputes through providing sensible early advice. But where property management disputes do arise, we can work intelligently to find a positive solution as well as taking robust action through the courts and First-tier Tribunal if needed.
Access our market leading legal advice for property management
Block management is our particular speciality. Whether your issue concerns commercial or residential, leasehold or freehold property, our team having the expert technical knowledge of landlord and tenant and property law to be able to help.
Our property management advice services include:
- Advice for management companies and managing agents
- Breach of covenant disputes
- Service charge arrears recovery
- First-tier tribunal applications
Based in Hertford, we work with clients all over the country, including London and the South East. Typical clients include management companies, managing agents and commercial landlords.
Independently recognised for our property services
We are ranked by leading client guide the Legal 500 for our Commercial Property and Commercial Litigation expertise.
Head of Property Litigation John Wagstaffe has been recommended by the Legal 500 for his property litigation expertise and is a member of the Property Litigation Association and the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners.
Speak to our property management solicitors
To discuss your requirements with our pragmatic, commercially focused and approachable property management experts, please get in touch.
Our property management advice services
Advice for management companies and managing agents
Being a management company director involves a lot of challenges, as does acting as a managing agent. Getting the right legal advice can help you to operate effectively, while remaining in full regulatory compliance and maintaining positive relationships with leaseholders.
Our property management solicitors having been advising management companies and managing agents for many years, so can provide seasoned expertise on all of the issues you need to deal with to effectively manage any property.
We can advise management companies and managing agents on issues including:
- Breach of covenant disputes
- Service charge disputes
- First-tier tribunal applications
- Interpretation of leases
- Section 20 consultation
- Right to manage and leasehold enfranchisement
Breach of covenant disputes
Where a leaseholder is believed to have breached the terms of their lease, it is important to take swift action. Not only does this help to prevent any loss to the landlord or management company, but it can also avoid any risk of those parties being held in breach of their duty to other leaseholders in the building.
Our property litigation experts can advise you on whether a breach has occurred and your legal options to achieve a positive resolution. Where possible, we will seek an amicable solution, but can take decisive action where a stronger approach is needed.
Our breach of covenant solicitors can advise on issues including:
- Unauthorised alterations
- Unlawful subletting
- Disrepairs
- Pets
- Nuisance tenants
Service charge arrears recovery
Service charge arrears can be very time consuming and frustrating to deal with, having the potential to cause serious cashflow problems if not addressed promptly and effectively.
We take a proactive, efficient approach to recovering outstanding service charges, with a proven track record of securing payment under even the most challenging circumstances.
Our service charge arrears recovery solicitors can assist with:
- Pre-action demands for payment
- Court action to recover service charge arrears
- First-tier Tribunal applications to determine reasonableness
- Ground rent recovery
First-tier Tribunal applications
Where a residential lease dispute cannot be resolved amicably, the matter may need to be referred to the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) for a determination. Taking a case to the FTT can be concerning, with the need to present your case as strongly as possible to give you the best chance of securing the outcome you need.
Our Property Litigation team has extensive experience in First-tier Tribunal cases, having supported a wide range of clients through these proceedings. We can advise you on the likely outcomes you can hope to achieve, help to prepare your case and provide representation for First-tier Tribunal hearings.
Out First-tier Tribunal expertise includes disputes related to:
- The reasonableness of service charges
- Determination of lease breaches
- Variations of leases
- The appointment of managers
- Lease extensions and enfranchisement
- Right to manage claims
- Section 20 consultation
Our property management legal advice fees
Cost is a key consideration when dealing with any legal matter. By keeping our overheads low and maintaining a keen focus on efficiency, we are able to offer our high-level property law expertise at a competitive rate.
Where appropriate, we are able to assist with some property management matters on a fixed fee or capped fee basis, making it easier for you to budget with confidence.
For more complex property management matters where ongoing support is required, we will work to an agreed hourly rate dependent on the level of expertise needed. We will provide a clear cost estimate at the outset and any additional expenditure will be agreed in advance, so you always stay in control.
To find out more about our property management legal advice fees and to request a cost estimate, please get in touch.
Speak to our property management solicitors
To discuss your requirements with our pragmatic, commercially focused and approachable property management experts, please get in touch.
