Tailored legal services for you and your property

Gateway Legal specialise in property management related legal issues and in particular, the recovery of outstanding service charges. Effective property management relies on sufficient cash flow. Defaulting leaseholders can negatively impact on a managing agent’s ability to provide necessary services, so a fast, efficient, and practical recovery service is key. At the outset a detailed Letter Before Action is served upon the defaulting lessee and if necessary, proceedings and/or an application to the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) is made. In addition, as set out in our transparency statement, if the Lease permits, our intention is to always seek to recover our costs contractually from the debtor.

Estate rent charges, which are commonly referred to as service charges, maintenance charges and/or an amenity charge, are charges which are due from the owner of a freehold property in connection with the upkeep and maintenance of the wider residential estate. This includes, for example, unadopted roads, open green spaces and insurances, together with other services which benefit the amenity land within the estate. Cash flow problems are caused when these charges go unpaid and impact the level of service a managing agent can provide on behalf of their client. Our fast and efficient arrears recovery service helps Management Companies recover charges due under the terms of a TP1 so they can continue to provide the fundamental management services.

For Commercial Landlords there is an additional specific method of enforcement available to recover arrears of rent. Commercial rent arrears recovery (“CRAR”) allows an enforcement agent to take control of tenant’s goods and sell them to recover arrears, but it requires notice to be given before action is taken.

Ground Rent is a valuable source of income for commercial landlords, and outstanding ground rents can, if swift action not taken, soon escalate. Gateway Legal have a dedicated and efficient ground rent collection service which assists clients in keeping on top of ground rent collections and arrears.  

If a tenant has failed to pay their rent in the agreed timescale, you will have grounds to take legal action. We will ensure that you can resolve this issue with your tenant by taking the necessary steps to help you secure the rent you are owed. Otherwise, we can help you to pursue appropriate remedial action.

We offer specialist legal advice to Landlords on statutory and voluntary lease extensions.

Our team can help guide leaseholders through this technical and complex process which ultimately allows leaseholders to purchase the freehold of their block. Following completion leaseholders will have the benefit of increasing their lease length and gaining control of the management of their building.  

We can help leaseholders take control of the management functions of their building. Through an RTM Company leaseholders can acquire the right to manage repairs, maintenance, insurance and improvements of their building. We also act on behalf of landlords who have been served with an RTM Claim Notice under the 2002 Act.

We regularly advise our clients of the remedies available to them in connection with the collection of outstanding arrears. But we are also able to offer advice in relation to the following non-monetary issues:

• Unlawful alterations 
• Parking restrictions 
• Sub-letting, including unlawful Airbnb lettings 
• Nuisance
• Other breaches of the terms of a lease
• Deeds of Variation 
• Residential lettings disputes 

The law in relation to major works and consultation can be daunting but we can lead you safely though the relevant consultation requirements and help you plan for repair and maintenance works to your building. If consultation isn’t possible, we can also assist you with an application for retrospective dispensation from consultation to the First-tier Tribunal. 

Our lawyers have experience of acting for both Applicants and Respondents before the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) in relation to the following:

• Reasonableness of service charge applications 
• Determinations for breach of lease 
• Interpretation of leases
• Lease extensions  
• Section 20 major works 

We can provide guidance to business tenants considering alterations, prepare and advise on licences for alterations.

We advise commercial landlords and tenants on dilapidations claims where repairs obligations within the commercial lease have not been met.

Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, a tenant has a statutory right to renew its tenancy at the end of the term. We can provide helpful advice to both landlords and tenants and prepare the requisite notices under the Act to request a new tenancy or terminate an existing tenancy.

The rent review process can differ from lease to lease and is often complex. We can assist with rent negotiations for your commercial property lease and prepare and serve rent review notices where necessary.

All UK companies are required by law to file a set of accounts every year. Even when a company is dormant, the directors are still responsible for submitting a set of dormant non-trading accounts. Gateway Legal will ensure your dormant accounts are prepared and filed on time, every time.

The requirement to file a Confirmation Statement applies to all companies (public and private) and includes smaller companies such, as Right to Manage (RTM) companies and Residents Management Companies (RMC). These are filed annually. Gateway Legal brings peace of mind to you and your Management Company, taking care of this promptly on your company’s behalf.

Our team of lettings specialists can draft new tenancy agreements for landlords, as well as review any existing agreements currently place, providing guidance and peace of mind. 

If a tenant has failed to pay their rent in the agreed timescale, you will have grounds to take legal action. We will ensure that you can resolve this issue with your tenant by taking the necessary steps to help you secure the rent you are owed. Otherwise, we can help you to pursue appropriate remedial action.

We can assist landlords with repossession notices of their properties. Section 8 notices are used when the tenant is in breach of the tenancy, and Section 21 notices are ‘no fault’ notices and are required when the landlord wishes to repossess the property at no fault of the tenant.

We’ll take cover of the possession process completely. We can draft, issue and serve possession claims on a landlord’s behalf, as well obtain court orders, prepare documents for court, and attend any proceedings taking place.