Property

A residential mediation offers useful lessons for commercial landlords, site managers, developers and their advisers. A report of mould can look, at first, like a straightforward maintenance issue. Someone identifies a problem, the cause is investigated and the necessary work is carried out. In practice, the dispute can become much wider. The people involved may disagree about when the problem began, what caused it, who was responsible for investigating it and whether the res

Commercial service charges are intended to provide a fair and workable way of sharing the cost of maintaining and managing a building or estate. In practice, however, they can become a significant source of tension between landlords, tenants and managing agents. Unexpected increases, unclear accounts, disagreements over repair costs or concerns about the quality of services can quickly undermine an otherwise productive commercial relationship. Where questions are not addresse

For commercial landlords and tenants dilapidations disputes can be particularly disruptive. Many local businesses operate from retail units, offices, hospitality premises, workshops, clinics, professional service premises and light industrial spaces. When a lease is ending, or a tenant is preparing to move on, a dilapidations claim can create uncertainty for both sides. The landlord may be concerned about the condition of the property, the cost of repairs and the ability to r