It's that simple.
property investment
Investing in property can be highly lucrative, but only if you pick your investments wisely and ensure the composition and management of your portfolio is kept under review. It is important to ensure that it remains aligned to your aims and objectives: be that income generation, capital appreciation, intergenerational wealth preservation or something else.
Our property team works closely with personal and corporate investors of all shapes and sizes, and our lawyers are on hand to offer advice on every aspect of the property investment lifecycle.
Our services
Whether you invest in commercial property, residential property or a combination of the two, our lawyers can assist with:
- property acquisitions and disposals;
- investment funding;
- property improvement;
- property management;
- portfolio review;
- portfolio restructuring;
- succession planning; and
- investor exit strategies.
Due diligence in property acquisitions
If you have seen an investment property that you would like to buy, then we can carry out the checks needed to ensure the current owner has the right to sell, and that there are no unacceptable restrictions or encumbrances which may hinder any development or improvement plans that you have.
Working in conjunction with your other professional advisors, we can also help to structure your purchase in a commercially sensible and tax efficient way, ensuring you are not paying over the odds, and that your investment has the potential to generate a good return.
Our team has the expertise to support you whether you are buying in a personal or business capacity, and whether it is a solo project, a joint venture or some other type of partnering arrangement. We can also help where you are looking to acquire a property through a self-invested personal pension (SIPP) or a small self-administered scheme (SSAS).
We have broad transactional experience, and particular knowledge of dealing with acquisitions that take the form of a sale and leaseback or which involve the acquisition of company shares or the establishment of a special purpose vehicle.
Support in getting the right funding in place
Where you require financial backing to acquire a property, we can deal with the legal side of your funding arrangements. This includes carrying out any checks required by a private or commercial lender, preparing a report on title, reviewing the content of a proposed mortgage deed and advising you on the terms of a personal guarantee where you are asked to provide one as a condition of finance being made available. Please see our banking and finance page for further details.
Help in managing your investments
Once a property has been added to your portfolio, it needs to be carefully managed to ensure that it earns its keep and that it remains in an acceptable state of repair. It may also be appropriate for a property to be improved or redeveloped, or even quickly refurbished and sold on where this makes good commercial sense.
Whatever needs to be done to preserve or enhance the value of your investments, our property team are on hand to help. The services we can offer are extensive and include:
- the drafting of lease agreements;
- the management of landlord and tenant relations;
- the legal aspects of property improvement or repurposing, including the negotiation of any supply or construction contracts;
- the legal aspects of property development, including planning permission issues;
- portfolio review and individual property appraisals;
- property disposal where streamlining is required; and
- the resolution of property related disputes, including contested rent arrear claims.
Impartial advice on exit options
The disposal of investment property needs to be handled with care, not only to minimise the potential tax bill you may face but also to ensure that you exit on terms which work in your favour and which meet any ongoing or overarching objectives.
Our property investment specialists will help you to consider your options and ensure that you have the information you need to make an informed decision. This includes providing you with advice on the attractiveness of a potential suitor, and on succession planning where your investments are tied up in a family business or where they form part of your private wealth which you wish to pass on to your relatives or other loved ones.
Why choose Geoffrey Leaver Solicitors?
Our property lawyers are recognised nationally as being leaders in their field. We are listed in the Legal 500 as a top tier law firm, with our commercial real estate team led by Darren Millis noted for their knowledge and skill in all things property – including property investment.
We act for clients throughout the South East of England and further afield in the UK, and count both small scale private investors and large scale property companies, residential and commercial property developers, housing associations and charities among those we act for.
To make an appointment to see one of our Property Solicitors, Darren Millis or Richard Willis, please call on 01908 689314 or contact us.
You may also like to sign up to receive our newsletter, visit our resource hub or read some of our most recent client testimonials to find out what others think about our property service.
What our clients say:
“You made what could have been a complicated and daunting process for us, very smooth and stress free.”
KDK Archaeology Ltd
For more information about how we can help, you can read testimonials from our commercial property clients
Accreditations
The Legal 500: “Geoffrey Leaver Solicitors LLP’s commercial property team is well versed in the areas of construction, property investments, planning and property disputes. Its clients include housing associations and occupiers (landlords and tenants). The practice is headed up by Darren Millis and Richard Willis.”
The Commercial Property Team
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Darren Millis Partner
Commercial Property 01908 689319Darren has over 25 years’ experience in dealing with commercial property work. Darren has concentrated in the last few years on the more complicated land acquisition and development work including: -
Richard Willis Consultant Solicitor
Commercial Property 01908 689315Richard specialises in Property Law, representing clients from small family businesses to large PLC’s’ He also acts for local Councils, Parish Councils, landowners, investors, developers, lenders, Housing Associations and Charities. -
David Barton Consultant
Commercial Property 01908 689395David Barton joined Geoffrey Leaver Solicitors in 2014 along with his planning and property development team from Williams & Company in Ampthill. David is widely known for his expertise in helping farmers, landowners and property developers grow houses on their land. David now assists the team as a Consultant. -
Georgina Page Solicitor
Commercial Property 01908 689361Georgina joined Geoffrey Leaver Solicitors in October 2014 from Williams & Company in Ampthill. Georgina completed the Legal Practice Course at Sheffield University after graduating from Sheffield Hallam University with a 2:1 in Law (LLB) and qualified as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives in 2020. -
Kerr Clement Consultant Solicitor
Commercial Property 01908 689371Kerr is a senior solicitor and has specialised in Commercial Property since 2000. He has a broad range of experience in most aspects of land law and Landlord & Tenant related matters ranging from High Street leases to the sale and purchase of large industrial premises. -
Simon Parrott Consultant Solicitor
Commercial Property 01908 689374Simon deals with Commercial Property and Business transactions and has many years’ experience in dealing with complex or unusual transactions. In addition, he has dealt with property and commercial disputes for over 35 years and brings that dispute resolution experience to the table when advising clients on their property or commercial transactions.
