Blog
Building resilience in an uncertain market: An Interview with Rebecca Minnich
Rebecca Minnich is an audit director for RSM, a leading global network of audit, tax, and consulting firms with a presence in over 120 countries. She has spent a large part of her career working with real estate and property businesses. 1. What is your background and experience in the property industry? I’m an Audit…
Read MoreWhen the landlord says no: Managing transaction risk after Mulberry Homes v Scoto
The sale of leasehold property can become significantly more complicated where completion depends upon a landlord consenting to the sale. In Mulberry Homes (Hazel Grove) Ltd v Scoto Ltd, the High Court considered how that requirement interacts with the contractual provisions governing completion and rescission contained in the Standard Commercial Property Conditions. The court was…
Read MoreCIS and development finance: Why the recent guidance changes matter
The Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) has long been a feature of the tax landscape for those working in and around the built environment, but it has rarely troubled conventional real estate finance arrangements. That position was tested sharply in May 2026. A change to HMRC’s internal guidance, followed swiftly by a further revision in June,…
Read MoreContractor insolvency: Protecting your development when the supply chain fails
When a contractor fails, the consequences seldom stop at the contractor itself. For a developer, the insolvency of a main contractor can freeze a construction programme overnight, place funding arrangements under immediate strain, push practical completion beyond the dates promised to purchasers and tenants, and set off disputes running the length of the supply chain. …
Read MoreThe Future of Property Finance: An Interview with Roopal Voora
This month we interview Roopal Vora, who has over 30 years’ experience in financial services. Roopal has recently established Noble Financial Solutions Limited, a property finance brokerage specialising in tailored lending solutions. 1. What is your background and experience in the property industry? I have worked in Financial Services for over 30 years, with a…
Read MoreA day in my legal life: Susan Henning
This month, we speak to Real estate consultant, Susan Henning. Where did you start your legal career Having completed a law degree at Leeds, followed by Solicitors’ finals in London, I started as a trainee (or articled clerk as we were known in the mid ‘80s) in a small busy west end firm just off…
Read MoreWhat commercial landlords need to understand about reinstatement clauses in lease renewals
When a commercial lease approaches its end, the question of what a tenant leaves behind and what they take with them can become one of the most contested and financially significant issues in the entire landlord-tenant relationship. Reinstatement clauses sit at the heart of this question, yet they are frequently misunderstood, poorly drafted, or treated as an…
Read MorePayment notices, pay less notices and the risk of contamination: Lessons from Laing O’Rourke v Shepperton Studios
Construction payment disputes are governed by strict statutory notice requirements. Under the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (as amended), both employers and contractors must serve notices within defined timeframes and with prescribed content if they wish to preserve their position on payment. A question that had not been authoritatively resolved, until now, is what happens when a payment notice is defective. Does…
Read MoreStartups as future anchor tenants
The commercial property market is facing a genuine reckoning. Office demand has fragmented in the wake of hybrid working. Retailers have restructured, surrendered space and in some cases disappeared entirely. Household names that once anchored buildings and business parks have downsized, entered CVAs or vacated without warning. The lesson of recent years is that covenant strength, that long-cherished proxy…
Read MoreThe £33 Billion Question: What Property Owners Need to Know About Refinancing in 2026
New lending for UK commercial real estate reached £52.7 billion in 2025, its highest level in a decade. The research, published by Bayes Business School, generated broadly positive headlines, and with good reason. A 29% year-on-year increase in new lending is a meaningful signal of returning confidence in the market after a difficult few years. But for many property…
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