Lina Mattsson

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Practice overview

Lina is a leading property barrister: a formidable trial advocate known for her tenacity in court and the commercial clarity she brings to complex disputes. She is recommended in both Chambers UK and Legal 500.

Her practice covers the full spectrum of property disputes — commercial and residential landlord and tenant, restrictive covenants, easements, adverse possession, land registration, and development and joint venture agreements. She is particularly sought after for her expertise in mortgages and secured lending, and her command of land registration law is widely regarded as one of her standout strengths.

She has a well-established professional negligence practice, acting for and against legal and property professionals in claims arising from property transactions, advice, and litigation — with a sharp focus on solicitors’ negligence.

Lina appears regularly in the High Court, Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber), FTT Property Chamber, and County Court. She has been instructed as junior and sole counsel in the Court of Appeal and appeared as junior in the Supreme Court. Lina is frequently engaged in mediations and other forms of ADR.

She sits on the committee of the Property Bar Association and is currently organising its annual conference.

Lina regularly writes “Did You Miss”, the monthly update on recent case law in Gatehouse Chambers’ property team newsletter.

Recent Cases

Pridewell Properties (London) Ltd v Spirit Pub Co (Managed) Ltd [2026] EWHC 953 (Ch) — Chancery Division; Landlord and tenant; LTA 1954 ground (f) opposition and a potentially groundbreaking decision for redevelopment.
Harrington Homes (Carbis Bay) Ltd v Hayman [2025] EWHC 3224 (Ch) — Chancery Division; Land registration; parcels clause construction; beneficial ownership; summary judgment.
French v Hannah [2025] UKUT 190 (LC) — Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber); Determined boundary dispute; land registration.
Changizi v Changizi [2025] EWHC 735 (Ch) —Succession; inheritance tax; disclosure; costs.
Van Zyl v Walker-Smith [2025] EWHC 136 (Ch) — Chancery Division; Boundary dispute; conveyance interpretation; leasehold; neighbour dispute.
Changizi v Mayes [2024] EWHC 6 (Ch) —Succession; administration of estates; conflict of laws; stay of proceedings; Spain.
Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd v Medley Assets Ltd (Central London County Court, 25 March 2024) — County Court; Landlord and tenant; LTA 1954 ground (f); whether tenant’s unilateral action to shrink the holding could defeat a landlord’s redevelopment ground – a potentially groundbreaking decision for commercial lease renewals.
Dorrington Residential Ltd v 56 Clifton Gardens Ltd [2022] UKUT 266 (LC) — Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber); Landlord and tenant; breach of covenant; landlord’s right of inspection; protected tenancies.
Mostyn House Estate Management Co Ltd v Youde [2022] EWCA Civ 929 —Leasehold; service charges; listed buildings; repair covenants; lease interpretation; section 106 agreements.
Mostyn House Estate Management Co Ltd v Youde [2021] EWHC 3786 (Ch); service charges; listed buildings; repair covenants; lease interpretation; section 106 agreements.
1 West India Quay (Residential) Ltd v East Tower Apartments Ltd [2016] EWHC 2438 (Ch); [2016] UKUT 553 (LC); [2018] EWCA Civ 250; [2020] UKUT 163 (LC); [2021] EWCA Civ 1119 — Chancery Division, Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) and Court of Appeal; Leasehold; service charges; forfeiture; consent to assign; utility metering; demands; time limits – long-running litigation across multiple courts.
Keech v Coleridge [2021] UKUT 282 (LC) — Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber); Restrictive covenants; discharge and modification; building extensions.
Father’s Field Developments Ltd v Namulas Pension Trustees Ltd [2021] UKUT 169 (LC); [2021] UKUT 252 (LC) — Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber); Restrictive covenants; s.84 LPA 1925; practical benefit; discharge; costs; unreasonable conduct.
Kensell v Khoury; Khoury v Kensell [2018] EWHC 217 (Ch); [2020] EWHC 567 (Ch) — Chancery Division; Restrictive covenants; Henderson v Henderson rule; abuse of process; summary judgment.
Ball v De Marzo [2019] EWHC 1587 (Ch) — Chancery Division; Constructive trusts; beneficial interests in property; proceeds of sale; costs.
Loxleigh Investments Ltd v Dartford BC [2019] EWHC 1274 (Ch) — Chancery Division; Overage; residential development; summary judgment.
Malik (Deceased) v Shiekh [2018] EWHC 973 (Ch) — Chancery Division; Undue influence; transfer of land; land registration; jurisdiction.
Pickard v Constable [2017] EWHC 2475 (Ch) — Chancery Division; Bankruptcy; possession; postponement of sale; disability.
1 West India Quay (Residential) Ltd v East Tower Apartments Ltd [2016] EWHC 2438 (Ch); [2016] UKUT 553 (LC); Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) service charges; utility metering; demands; time limits – long-running litigation across multiple courts.
Rabiu v Marlbray Ltd [2013] EWHC 3272 (Ch); [2016] EWCA Civ 476 — Chancery Division and Court of Appeal; Contracts for sale of land; authority; LP(MP)A 1989 s.2; hotel leaseholds.
Parr v Tiuta International Ltd [2016] EWHC 2 (QB) —Charging orders; secured lending; contractual interest; merger.
R (Aguilar Quila) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2011] UKSC 45 — Supreme Court; Human rights; immigration; proportionality – instructed as junior counsel.

Areas of expertise

Property
- Commercial landlord & tenant
  Commercial landlord & tenant
  Lina’s practice encompasses commercial, residential and agricultural property.
  
  Recent Work:
  
  Rabiu v Marlbray Ltd [2016] EWCA Civ 476; [2016] 1 W.L.R. 5147; [2016] 2 P. & C.R. DG21 (Court of Appeal), 24 May 2016; dispute concerning the enforceability of a contract for the purchase of leases of individual hotel rooms in the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel by joint tenants where only one proposed joint tenant participates. Lina led by Brie Stevens-Hoare KC.
  
  Rabiu v Marlbray Ltd [2013] EWHC 3272 (Ch) (Chancery Division), 29 October 2013; disputed concerning the enforceability of a number of contract for the purchase of leases of individual hotel rooms in the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel. Lina led by Brie Stevens-Hoare KC.
- Development & planning
  Development & planning
  Lina advises on development issues such as restrictive covenants and easements, adverse possession, trespass, TLATA claims, Party Wall Act disputes, boundary disputes, and fixtures.
- Housing (social & privately rented)
  Housing (social & privately rented)
  Lina handles short term tenancy disputes such as refusal to consent, breach of tenancy etc.
  
  Recent Work:
  
  1 West India Quay (Residential) Ltd v East Tower Apartments Ltd [2016] EWHC 2438 (Ch); [2017] 1 P. & C.R. 8 (Chancery Division), 06 October 2016; dispute regarding a landlord’s unreasonable refusal to grant consent for assignments of residential leases in a prestigious development in Canary Wharf. Appeal to the Court of Appeal outstanding; Lina led by Jonathan Seitler KC.
- Leasehold & leasehold management
  Leasehold & leasehold management
  Lina is experienced in dealing with the issues that arise with long leases such as enfranchisement, forfeiture and breach of covenant.
  
  Recent Work:
  
  East Tower Apartments Ltd v No.1 West India Quay (Residential) Ltd (Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber)), 19 December 2016; service charge dispute relating to a landlord’s overcharge by several hundreds of thousands by double charging VAT and CCL to the lessees.
  
  Patel v Patel unreported Westlaw; County Court (Southend), 04 April 2016; acting for the landlord in an opposed lease renewal pursuant s 30(1)(g) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 Act.
- Real property & mortgages
  Real property & mortgages
  Lina has experience in all types of real property cases including disputes over the creation, ownership, transfer and protection of property interests or rights over property and the impact of relationship breakdowns and death.
  
  Recent Work:
  
  Pickard v Constable [2017] EWHC 2475 (Ch), (Chancery Division), 6 October 2017; possession of matrimonial home sought by Trustees in Bankruptcy against non-bankrupt spouse.
  
  De Le Cuona v Big Apple Marketing Ltd, (Chancery Division), unreported (on Westlaw), 12 April 2017; dispute regarding an easement to park. Lina led by John de Waal KC.
  
  Parr v Tiuta International Ltd [2016] EWHC 2 (QB) (Queen’s Bench Division), 12 January 2016; acting for a lender in relation to a challenge to a charging order on ground of the doctrine of merger upon judgment.
  
  (on the application of Aguilar Quila) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2011] UKSC 45; [2012] 1 A.C. 621; [2011] 3 W.L.R. 836; [2012] 1 All E.R. 1011 (Supreme Court); challenge by way of judicial review.
Banking & finance
Banking & finance
Lina has a particular expertise in banking litigation regarding securities that are challenged on the basis of fraud or threatened by forfeiture.

Recent Work:
- Parr v Tiuta International Ltd [2016] EWHC 2 (QB) (Queen’s Bench Division), 12 January 2016; acting for a lender in relation to a challenge to a charging order on ground of the doctrine of merger upon judgment.
Commercial dispute resolution
Commercial dispute resolution
Lina is regularly instructed on contractual disputes. She is also experienced in obtaining and resisting applications for interim injunctive relief, including freezing orders.

Recent Work:
- Pickard v Constable [2017] EWHC 2475 (Ch), (Chancery Division), 6 October 2017; Trustees in Bankruptcy claim against non-bankrupt spouse.
- 1 West India Quay (Residential) Ltd v East Tower Apartments Ltd [2016] EWHC 2438 (Ch); [2017] 1 P. & C.R. 8 (Chancery Division), 06 October 2016; dispute regarding a landlord’s unreasonable refusal to grant consent for assignments of residential leases in a prestigious development in Canary Wharf. Appeal to the Court of Appeal outstanding; Lina led by Jonathan Seitler KC.
- Rabiu v Marlbray Ltd [2016] EWCA Civ 476; [2016] 1 W.L.R. 5147; [2016] 2 P. & C.R. DG21 (Court of Appeal), 24 May 2016; disputed concerning the enforceability of a contract for the purchase of leases of individual hotel rooms in the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel by joint tenants where only one proposed joint tenant participates. Lina led by Brie Stevens-Hoare KC.
- Rabiu v Marlbray Ltd [2013] EWHC 3272 (Ch) (Chancery Division), 29 October 2013; disputed concerning the enforceability of a number of contracts for the purchase of leases of individual hotel rooms in the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel. Lina led by Brie Stevens-Hoare KC.

Directory recommendations

Lina is recommended for Property Litigation and Real Estate Litigation by both Chambers UK and The Legal 500.

“Lina is simply brilliant: a real team player, commercially astute and very bright.” (Chambers UK 2026, Real Estate)
“Her advocacy in court is nothing short of excellent; she is sharp, articulate and incredibly effective on her feet.” (Chambers UK 2026, Real Estate)
“Lina’s legal knowledge is thorough and well-applied, and she consistently delivers accurate and insightful advice.” (Chambers UK 2026, Real Estate)
“Lina is a highly effective advocate with a deep command of both procedural and substantive property law.” (The Legal 500 2026, Property Litigation)
“Lina is a fantastically confident advocate with ferocious tenacity and commitment to her clients. Lina is always very well prepared and does her very best for her clients each and every time she is instructed.” (The Legal 500 2024, Property Litigation)
“Lina is excellent with clients and is a no-nonsense advocate and strategist.” (Chambers and Partners 2024, Real Estate Litigation)
“Lina never ceases to surprise in how capable she is in a variety of areas.” (Chambers and Partners 2024, Real Estate Litigation)
“Lina is absolutely brilliant, clients love her and she is easy to work with.” (Chambers and Partners 2024, Real Estate Litigation)
“She has a tremendous love of the technical side of things and is a great advocate.” (Chambers UK, 2023)
“Her advocacy is very thorough and engaging; you can see the judges follow her and really pay attention.” (Chambers UK, 2023)
“She is well prepared and informed.” (Chambers UK, 2023)
“She is extremely commercially aware and looks laterally at not just the legal issues but the practical and commercial ones as well. Lina provides detailed and focused advice and will really delve into the heart of the case. Highly approachable, she is excellent with her clients.” (The Legal 500, 2023)
“Lina is an excellent litigator, calm under pressure and quick on her feet. She always puts the client first and the clients recognise this. Lina is always open to input which not only creates cohesive team approach to cases but makes working with her a pleasure.” (Legal 500)
“[she is] technically excellent, commercially astute and ruthless in court” (Legal 500).

Languages

Fluent Swedish and Spanish.

Publications

Contributor to Law Society’s publication “Risk and Negligence in Property Transactions”, Editor John de Waal KC, published in late September 2018.

Education

LLB (European Legal Studies) Hons, Lancaster University – First Class (2004–2008)

Erasmus – Socrates, University of Seville, Spain – First Class with special mention (2006–2007)

Master of Laws, London School of Economics – Merit (2008–2009)

Bar Vocational Course, College of Law, London – Very Competent (2009–2010)

Scholarships and Prizes

2009 – Sir Thomas More Bursary

2008 – Hardwicke Scholarship

2007–2008 – F H Lawson Prize

2006–2007 – Hart Publishing Prize

2004–2005 – Sweet and Maxwell Law Prize

Leisure

When not in court, Lina can be found hiking up hills, diving into the sea, or wild swimming in things that are arguably too cold. She rounds off the week with a Sunday lunch at the pub — the only form of ADR she enjoys unconditionally.