Commercial Property Disputes
Commercial landlords, freeholders and business property owners
Lease covenant breaches, arrears, dilapidations, break clauses and renewal or termination of commercial leases.
Landlords, property owners, investors and property professionals
Property litigation solicitors
Clear, commercially-minded advice on disputes about land, premises and leasehold rights — from a first letter to a final hearing.
Property disputes rarely arrive at a convenient moment. A tenant stops paying, a neighbour builds over the line, a service charge demand is rejected, or a lease is approaching the point where its value falls away. Each of those problems has a legal answer and a commercial answer, and they are not always the same.
We advise on the law of England & Wales and act for the owner's side of the table: landlords, freeholders, investors, developers and the professionals who advise them, as well as leaseholders pursuing statutory rights. Our starting point is always what the documents actually say and what outcome is worth having.
Who we act for
- Commercial landlords and freeholders dealing with lease breaches, arrears and dilapidations
- Residential and mixed-use property owners facing disputes with occupiers or neighbours
- Investors and developers whose site or scheme is held up by a property right
- Leaseholders exercising statutory rights to extend a lease or buy a freehold
- Managing agents, surveyors and accountants seeking litigation support for a client
Matters we handle
- Commercial lease and premises disputes
- Rent and service charge arrears, breach of covenant, dilapidations, break notices, assignment and subletting, renewal and termination.
- Boundaries, access and neighbour disputes
- Disputed boundary lines, rights of way and access, nuisance and interference, trees, fences and shared drives.
- Leasehold disputes
- Service and administration charges, consultation on major works, breach of covenant determinations and disputes about lease terms.
- Lease extensions and enfranchisement
- Statutory and negotiated lease extensions, and collective claims by leaseholders to acquire the freehold of their building.
- Possession, forfeiture and enforcement
- Recovery of premises where the right arises, and enforcement of orders once they are obtained.
How Resolve can help
- Read the title, lease and correspondence first, and give you a position on liability before costs are committed
- Set out the realistic outcomes, the likely cost of reaching each one and the risk attached
- Handle pre-action correspondence, protocols and negotiation with the aim of resolving without proceedings
- Issue and conduct proceedings in the county court, High Court or First-tier Tribunal where that is the right route
- Instruct and manage surveyors and other experts so their evidence answers the question the tribunal will ask
How a property dispute usually runs
1. Review and strategy
We read the documents, identify the legal basis of the claim or defence and agree the objective with you in writing.
2. Pre-action stage
Letters of claim or response, disclosure of key documents, expert input where needed and an assessment of settlement options.
3. Proceedings
Issue or defence, statements of case, directions, evidence and disclosure, managed to the court's timetable.
4. Resolution
Negotiated settlement, mediation, or a hearing with representation. Then enforcement or implementation of the outcome.
Why clients instruct Resolve
- Property litigation and landlord work is our principal focus, not a sideline
- We give a candid view on proportionality — including when a dispute is not worth running
- Direct contact with the solicitor handling your matter
- Based in Watford, acting for clients across London, Hertfordshire and England & Wales
Where we act
Our office is in Watford. We act on property disputes throughout London, Hertfordshire and the wider England & Wales jurisdiction, attending the county court, High Court or tribunal with conduct of the matter.
Property Litigation — how we can help
Each area below sets out the issues we handle, the steps involved and what to send us first.
Boundary & Neighbour Disputes
Property owners and landlords in dispute with a neighbour
Disputed boundary lines, rights of way, party wall issues, nuisance, trees, fences and shared access.
Leasehold Disputes
Freeholders, landlords, managing agents and leaseholders
Service and administration charges, major works consultation, breach of covenant and disputes about lease terms.
Lease Extensions
Leaseholders of flats and the freeholders who receive their claims
Statutory and negotiated lease extensions for flat owners, and freeholder responses to claims.
Collective Enfranchisement
Groups of leaseholders and the freeholders who receive their claims
Qualifying leaseholders acting together to buy the freehold of their building, and freeholder responses.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a property litigation matter?
Property litigation covers disputes about rights in, or the use of, land and buildings: commercial lease disputes, possession and forfeiture, boundaries and access, leasehold service charges, lease extensions and collective enfranchisement.
It is distinct from conveyancing. We do not act on the purchase, sale or remortgage of property.
Will my property dispute have to go to court?
Most property disputes settle before a final hearing. The courts expect parties to exchange information and consider negotiation, mediation or expert determination before issuing proceedings.
We prepare every matter on the basis that it may be litigated, because a well-evidenced position is usually what produces a sensible settlement.
What documents should I gather before instructing you?
Usually the title documents or lease, any plans, the tenancy or contract paperwork, correspondence between the parties, a schedule of payments or arrears, and any photographs or expert reports.
Wait for our instructions before sending anything, so that documents are transferred securely and in a usable order.
Start Your Enquiry
Tell us briefly what has happened and what you need. Email and telephone are both required so we can respond in the way that suits you.