The Firm Dewar Hogan is an established property disputes firm delivering high quality commercial and residential legal services to real estate owners, occupiers, investors, and developers, based in the UK and overseas. The firm’s current matters include development work such as opposed lease renewals, rights of light, party wall, and access issues; asset management; disputes…

As we anticipate the demise of the s.21 process, probably within the next few months, many landlords in the residential sector may be reassuring themselves that it will still be straightforward to end a tenancy where the tenant falls into rent arrears. Unfortunately, the Renters Rights Bill looks set to make it harder and costlier…

The legal services market, fee agreements between solicitors and their clients, and getting it right! To protect their interests many clients decide to be represented by solicitors in relation to transactions and disputes. Their counterparties, or opponents, are probably represented and naturally enough a client wants, at the very least, a level playing field. But…

Light is taken for granted until it is lost. Whether at home, or at work light that has always been enjoyed can be taken away by a neighbouring development – anything from an extension to a tower block. In many cases there will be a legal right to receive light, and development of a neighbouring…

Just because a property is held in the name of a particular person does not mean that he or she is the real owner of the property. Real ownership (in legal language often referred to as beneficial ownership) may differ from formal or nominal ownership. A property may be held in someone’s name but be…

Whilst we continue to await details of the Renters’ Reform Bill, which is expected to abolish the “no fault” eviction procedure under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, in practice some landlords may have already lost the ability to end an Assured Shorthold Tenancy by simply giving two months’ notice. Where the tenancy in…

Many residential blocks in London are plagued by management issues. The common ones are service charges, alterations, and sub-letting. Lessees are usually concerned about service charges, whereas landlords are concerned about the other issues. In many cases neither the landlord nor the tenant wants to incur legal fees, so they do their best to try…