Property Newsletter: Spring 2025
Introduction
A New (Editing) Chapter
On this sunny day, it’s time to say,
I’m handing the editing pen away.
It’s been a joy — a brilliant run,
But now my editing days are done.
Through changing times in property law,
We’ve covered updates that left us in awe:
Leasehold reform has reshaped the land,
Ground rents gone — a long-time demand.
The Building Safety Act still stands tall,
Complicated, with new cases for all.
The Renters’ Reform Bill lit the flame,
No-fault evictions shortly out of the game.
Assured shortholds soon out of sight,
But pets in lets — a welcomed new right!
In Legal 500 and Chambers Bar Guide,
Gatehouse’s property team stands with pride.
Recognised for our strategy, our knowledge, our drive,
With our progressive attitude we will always thrive.
In Property Litigation, we’re a trusted name,
We know how to play the litigation game!
We’re incredibly grateful for the time you solicitors take,
To provide references that help our rankings make.
We deeply appreciate the effort you extend,
It fills our hearts as we continue to ascend.
Though I’m stepping back from the editing game,
I’m still your barrister — that stays the same.
And yes, I’ll still bang my mediator drum loud,
Guiding peaceful resolutions, strong and proud.
While I leave the edits behind with flair,
The work-life integration — I’ll still declare!
Thanks for reading, typos and all,
And if you need a mediator — just give me a call!
Editor – Laura Tweedy
News
Emma Zeb takes silk
We are delighted to celebrate the appointment of Emma Zeb KC who has been sworn in as King’s Counsel by the Lord Chancellor at a ceremony at Westminster Hall.
Consistently ranked by both Chambers UK and The Legal 500 for personal injury, clinical negligence, inquests and inquiries work, Emma is known for her user friendly yet no-nonsense approach and is a fearless advocate who is always meticulously prepared.
Many congratulations to Emma!
Learn more about Emma’s expertise here.
Women and Diversity in Law Awards 2025
Many congratulations to Brie Stevens-Hoare KC for being Highly Commended in the Mentor of the Year category at the Women and Diversity in Law Awards 2025.
It was a pleasure to celebrate with our 4 finalists: Brie Stevens-Hoare KC, Ebony Alleyne, Amy McClean and Nadia Carby. Congratulations team!
Pro Bono Recognition list
We’re pleased to announce that several of our members have been included on the Pro Bono Recognition List 2025, which recognises barristers who have given 25 or more hours pro bono legal assistance in the previous calendar year.
The initiative is supported by The Law Society, The Bar Council of England and Wales and all the major pro bono organisations.
Brie Stevens-Hoare KC
Charles Bagot KC
Andrew Skelly
James Hall
Jamal Demachkie
Laura Tweedy
Lauren Godfrey
Cameron Stocks
Joshua Griffin
Philip Marriott
Callum Reid-Hutchings
Well done to all!
What have we been up to?
Acting pro bono, Peter Petts, David Lipson, Mark Erridge, and Eversheds Sutherland combined resources in defending the Mary Ward Legal Centre in a complex and long-running professional negligence claim relating to advice given in forfeiture proceedings, which culminated in a six-day trial in the King’s Bench Division.
Dismissing the claim in its entirety, with the Centre and its advisers being fully exonerated, His Honour Judge Tindal concluded his judgment by paying tribute to Peter, David and Mark,
“who represented the Mary Ward Legal Centre pro bono in the finest of all legal traditions, as indeed having dismissed the allegations against it, I can now say that Centre reflects”.
The Mary Ward Legal Centre plays a vital role in helping those facing housing, debt, and welfare issues in London. Without the work of Gatehouse Chambers and Eversheds Sutherland the Centre would have faced the real threat of closure, leaving vulnerable individuals without access to free legal advice and support.
Philip Marriott has been kept busy with a three-day trial involving issues of ownership of personal property, gifts, and conversion. He has also been looking at purported transactions of the family home to avoid a charging order, breach of HMO licensing conditions, and claims for use and occupation charges where payment terms were not agreed.
John de Waal KC has been instructed to represent a barrister in a claim for professional negligence – the first time he has acted for a member of the Bar.
After a busy start to the month including preparing for a two-day trial concerning a high value holiday letting, Victoria Dacie-Lombardo is currently thinking about all things real property and in particular, the enforcement of restrictive covenants.
This month Jamal Demachkie has been concluding his involvement in a lengthy Upper Tribunal appeal on the valuation of care homes for tax accounting (judgment awaited) and has been advising on a mix of cases involving forfeiture, overage and deeds of priority.
Brie Stevens-Hoare KC survived the wet and cold of MIPIM and has continued the theme working on matters involving a damp basement and a flooded hotel. In addition, on her desk she has professional negligence relating to vital break clauses, a large optimistic quantum meruit claim related to a stalled development, and a group of investors who suffered losses arising out of collapsed development portfolio that was more like a ponzi scheme.
March has been a month of applications for Andrew Skelly. From obtaining an order for specific performance of the terms of a Tomlin order schedule, to setting aside a default judgment in a service charge claim, they have all come with positive costs orders. Which was nice.
A huge thanks to Laura Tweedy who has been a wonderful editor cajoling us all into action month in month out for several years, entertaining us along the way – and we very much hope entertaining you all. We understand she is handing the reins over to David Peachey who clearly does not appreciate what a hard act to follow Laura is.
Lina Mattsson has been busy settling claims in mediation this month (one with the help of John de Waal KC as the mediator – he pulled that one out of a hat!). She also obtained judgment in (yet) another ground (f) trial which raised various interesting points (click here for details). Lina is now looking forward to building sandcastles on a beach over the Easter holidays.
Lauren Godfrey has been advising freeholder companies and their managing agents seeking declaratory and injunctive relief to terminate the contract of a delinquent maintenance contractor and remove them from the high–profile London waterfront estate.
Events
MIPIM 2025
Many thanks to everyone who attended our party at MIPIM 2025!
We hope you had the chance to make some meaningful connections and enjoyed the experience as much as we did. If there’s anyone you met at the event that you’d like to follow up with or get in touch with again, feel free to reach out.
Members
John de Waal KC
Brie Stevens-Hoare KC
Daniel Gatty
Gemma de Cordova
Simon Kerry
Rory Cochrane
Staff team
Amanda Illing, Chief Executive
Elliot Langdorf, Practice Director
Patrick Sarson, Senior Practice Manager
Christian Wisskirchen, International Business Development Consultant
Jim Findley, Practice Manager
Samuel Read, Practice Manager
Thanks again for being there, and we look forward to seeing you at future events!
UKREiiF | 20 – 22 May 2025
Gatehouse Chambers’ property barristers and staff will be attending UKREiiF between 20-22 May 2025. Do get in touch if you or some of your colleagues will be there too and would like to meet up.
LIDW25 | 2–6 June 2025
We’re proud to be hosting five events over three days as part of London International Disputes Week (LIDW25).
This year’s theme – “Innovation in Dispute Resolution” – sets the stage for dynamic discussions around the evolving landscape of international commercial disputes.
Visit the Events page on our website for more information.
Did you miss? Adverse possession – Schedule 6 LRA 2002 – ‘reasonable belief’-10-year period
The respondent (B) had been the registered proprietor of an area of land since September 2002. The appellants (Rs) had been the registered proprietors of adjoining land since July 2004. A dispute arose between them over a strip of land that formed part of B’s registered title but had been used by Rs as part of their garden and, later, for the erection of a new property.
Article by Lina Mattsson
Don’t Lease Back in Anger – MVL Properties (2017) Ltd v The Leadmill Ltd [2025] EWHC 349 (Ch)
Given the consultation on reforming the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, it seems appropriate to consider a recent case in which the landlord of a business tenancy successfully obtained possession on the basis that it intended to occupy the premises for the purposes of carrying out a business therein.
MVL Properties (2017) Ltd v The Leadmill Ltd [2025] EWHC 349 (Ch) provides useful guidance as to how courts will approach s.30(1)(g) LTA 1954 (‘Ground G’), and also includes an interesting discussion on the interplay between Ground G claims and a tenant’s ECHR rights in ‘adherent goodwill’.
Article by David Lipson
Supreme Court revisits a trustee’s duty to account for unauthorised profits: Rukhadze v Recovery Partners GP Ltd [2025] UKSC 10
In Rukhadze v Recovery Partners GP Ltd, the Supreme Court recently revisited the previously settled law regarding a fiduciary’s duty to account for an unauthorised profit. The case has relevance and application in property trust litigation.
Article by Lauren Godfrey
Chalet Land, A Possession Claim, An application for summary judgement and strike out – what could go wrong?
The recent case of Abbotsley Limited v Pheasantland Limited [2025] EWHC 654 (KB) has reiterated the practical difficulty faced when seeking to obtain an ‘early determination’ of a possession case.
Article by Kort Egan
Contact us
If you would like to discuss any of the topics in this newsletter, please contact a member of our Practice Management Team:
Patrick Sarson, Senior Practice Manager
Jim Findley, Practice Manager
Adam Macdonald, Practice Manager
Samuel Read, Practice Manager
To find out more about our Property Team and their work, visit the property page on our website. To view a copy of our privacy statement, please click here.
This edition of the property newsletter was edited by Laura Tweedy. Comments or queries about this newsletter? Please get in touch with her!