Expert Commercial Property Services - MLP Law

Expert Commercial Property Services

Welcome to mlplaw, where exceptional service is our commitment.

The commercial property market is dynamic and complex and offers businesses a range of challenges and opportunities.  Our experienced team of solicitors will work in partnership with you, giving you expert, practical and straight-talking advice to guide you through every stage of your property challenges so that you can get on with running your business.

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Commercial Property Team

Call Us

0161 926 9969

Our expertise in the following areas

Acquisitions and disposals

We have all the tools required to make the buying or selling of commercial property for investors and owner-occupied businesses as hassle free as possible.

We can assist you with a full range of legal issues, including:

  • Buying and selling of business premises
  • Transactional advice
  • Heads of terms
  • Property searches
  • Title investigations
  • Contractual issues
  • Legal documents
  • Conditional contracts
  • Option agreements
  • Promotion agreements
  • Consents
  • Auctions
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Asset and estate management and Investments

Management of an asset after the acquisition is as fundamental as the acquisition itself. The successful management of a property portfolio can be time consuming and a complicated process and the larger the portfolio grows, the more complex it will become.

Investors must act quickly to take advantage of changes in the industry since, regardless of the state of the investment market, new opportunities and problems arise every day.

We advise all types of property owners, investors and funders to help protect and grow their portfolio, realise returns and achieve strategic aims.

We offer full-service legal support throughout the life cycle of an asset and we will assist you to meet the challenges and demands of asset ownership throughout the term of your investment.

We have extensive experience in assisting investors who buy properties through their Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) or Small Self-Administered Scheme (SSAS).

We deal with all aspects of the following:

  • Acquisition and/or disposals of a single property or a group of properties
  • New leases, lease renewals pursuant to the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 and assignment of leases
  • Applications and consents for subletting, lease assignments and alterations
  • Financing
  • Rent reviews and service charge issues
  • Dilapidations
  • Recovery of rent arrears
  • Breach of covenant claims
  • Forfeiture
  • Overage agreements
  • Acquisition of a single property via a SIPP or SSAS, preparing a lease for the occupying company and dealing with funders and pension providers
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Construction

We have experience in a wide range of construction activities and offer focused, specialist and commercial advice.

We can help and advise on project finance, funding and development agreements as well as all forms of building contracts, appointment documents, warranties and ancillary contracts.

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Property Development

We provide comprehensive legal services for developers and housebuilders in relation site acquisitions and disposals, including plot sales and lettings, and will work with you to achieve your objectives, whatever the size of the project and your level of experience.

We can help you with:

  • Land acquisition
  • Planning process
  • Joint ventures
  • Property finance
  • Construction issues
  • Sale of property
  • Lease agreements
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Property litigation

Whenever property litigation and disputes occur, a win does not necessarily look the same for each case but the needs of all parties are always the same – to achieve a speedy resolution at minimum cost and disruption to normal business activities.

We are highly experienced, proactive and commercial with expertise in negotiating outcomes best suitable to the client’s needs and budget.

We advise on all aspects of the following:

  • Contested lease renewals and break options/surrenders/forfeitures
  • Dilapidation claims
  • Service charge disputes
  • Rent review arbitrations and expert determinations
  • Recovery of rent arrears
  • Repossessions
  • Evictions of squatters and travellers
  • Boundary disputes
  • Injunctive relief
  • Professional negligence claims
  • Property ownership disputes
  • Construction issues
  • Option, overage and other property agreement disputes
  • Enforcing/avoiding restrictive covenants and easements
Contact Us

Leases

At mlplaw, you will find seasoned dealmakers and creative problem solvers specialising in drafting and negotiating commercial leases for landlords and tenants.  Understanding your obligations and liabilities is crucial and we will support you and simplify what may seem complex, keeping you fully informed throughout the process.

We can assist you with all aspects of the following:

  • Heads of terms
  • New leases
  • Renewal leases pursuant to the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
  • Agreements for lease
  • Licence to Assign, Authorised Guarantee Agreement, Deed of Guarantee and Rent Deposit Deed
  • Licence to Alter
  • Deed of Variation
  • Deed of Surrender
  • Rent review issues
  • Forfeiture
  • Dilapidations
  • Green lease clauses and ESG
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Property finance and secured lending

We have extensive knowledge and experience in property finance and secured lending.  We are able to navigate all potential issues that may arise throughout the funding process as we have a thorough understanding of the financing challenges from the perspective of both lender and borrower.

We can help with:

  • Loan or facility agreements
  • Debentures
  • Cross-company guarantees
  • Personal guarantees
  • Third party securities
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Corporate support

In a corporate transaction, usually the purchase or sale of a business, the premises from which the business operates must be taken into consideration.  These can include warehouses, offices and shops.

We work closely with our Corporate Team to complete deals within agreed timescales and will guide you through all of property aspects of a corporate transaction, whether you are a buyer or a seller.

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Electrical Vehicle charging infrastructure

The electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure sector is a rapidly growing industry due to the increased demand for EV charging points and related services.  More businesses are enjoying the opportunities open to them within this new industry and many providers will be looking to lease suitable sites to install charging points, including spaces on existing car parking in shopping centres, retail parks and trading estates.

There are complex legal considerations and requirements to ensure efficient installation and operation, regulatory compliance and protection of stakeholder interests.

We can help with:

  • Strategic advice on EV commercial delivery models – including charge point operators (CPOs) and landowner owned assets
  • Procurement strategies for contracting authorities
  • Property title reviews for viability assessments
  • Advice on EV charging infrastructure leases
  • Grid connection arrangements
  • Construction and commissioning of EV charging infrastructure
  • Grant funding agreements and conditions
  • Subsidy control advice
  • Corporate support
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Our Team

Jonathan Chung

Legal Director - Real Estate

Sam Swann

Partner - Real Estate

Neil Sutcliffe

Consultant - Real Estate

Vanessa Ncube

Legal and Personal Assistant to Sam Swann

Jonathan Chung

Legal Director - Real Estate

Jonathan is a Legal Director in MLP Law’s Real Estate team with over 13 years’ experience in real estate transactions.  Prior to joining MLP Law, Jonathan was a partner in a long-established local law firm in Manchester for over a decade.

Jonathan has extensive knowledge and experience in dealing with both commercial and residential property matters.  His main expertise is in relation to commercial landlord and tenant matters (acting for both landlords and tenants), commercial property acquisitions and disposals (acting for both sellers and buyers), real estate aspects of real estate finance (acting for both borrowers and lenders) and corporate support.

Jonathan acts for a wide range of businesses and individuals including sole traders, SMEs, property investors, pension funds and property developers in the retail and wholesale, hospitality and leisure, food and beverage and industrial and office sectors.  Jonathan transacts properties in locations throughout the North West and nationwide.

Jonathan offers a friendly and pragmatic approach to commercial transactions.

Outside of work, Jonathan enjoys spending time relaxing with his family.

Phone: 0161 926 1508

Sam Swann

Partner - Real Estate

Sam has nearly 10 years’ experience of general commercial property matters with particular expertise in development and landlord and tenant work.

His recent experience includes acting for:

a commercial developer in connection with the acquisition, pre-letting and letting of sites across England to household name tenants including Starbucks, Greggs and Burger King;
an investment partnership in connection with general asset management work in London and Surrey;
a national coffee chain franchisee in connection with a pre let for a new site in Yorkshire;
a pizza chain in the taking of leases at new sites across London; and
a start-up pub company taking a lease of a site in London.

Sam feels his considerable experience in acting for both landlords and tenants gives him a balanced perspective when negotiating leases on different sides of a transaction which helps to get deals done.

Primarily a transactional lawyer, Sam has a developing practice in property disputes which he feels adds value to the service he provides to clients.

The aspects of the job Sam most enjoys are the interaction with people and problem-solving, no two days every being the same.

In his spare time Sam enjoys exercising, reading inspirational books and watching classic films

Phone: 0161 926 9969

Neil Sutcliffe

Consultant - Real Estate

Neil trained with and worked for a West End firm from 1993 to 1997, moving back to the North West in 1997, and setting up his own practice in 2003 which he merged with a Central Manchester commercial law firm in 2010. Neil joined MLP Law as a consultant solicitor in December 2014.

He specialises in residential and commercial real estate, landlord and tenant and corporate support, with particular emphasis in acting for property developers, investors and funders in London and the surrounding home counties.

Outside work, Neil enjoys spending time with his family, cooking and going to the theatre and concerts.

Phone: 0161 926 1540

Vanessa Ncube

Legal and Personal Assistant to Sam Swann

Vanessa is a legal assistant to Sam Swann, working remotely from South Africa.

She holds a BA LLB degree and became an admitted Attorney in South Africa in 2021. Vanessa has valuable experience in the legal property industry, claims assessments, and the financial services sector.

With a keen interest in commercial/corporate law and property law, Vanessa finds the diverse career options and practice areas within the legal field fascinating. She aims to acquire knowledge of the UK legal systems through her work at mlplaw.

In her spare time, Vanessa enjoys spending quality time with loved ones, watching TV, and occasionally indulging in hiking.

Why choose us

1. Expertise and Experience

Our team brings years of experience in every facet of commercial property law, catering to a diverse range of clients.

We provide bespoke expert advice aligned with your unique goals and objectives.

We are experts at finding practical, commercial solutions to the challenges faced by your business, always on schedule and within budget, whatever the nature of your commercial property or funding requirements.

2. Our Approach

We take a vested interest in the growth and success of our client’s business and we believe this sets us apart from our competitors.

We take the time to understand your business and commercial drivers to provide an objective-led, first-rate level of service and deliver cost-effective solutions that are robust, innovative and commercial.

3. Collaboration

We recognise that commercial property is a long-term investment and we forge long-term partnerships with our clients built on trust and aim to safeguard your business growth through informed decisions and transparent communication.

Testimonials

“Swift response to complex time sensitive issue. We enjoyed first class support from Jonathan Chung on a property transaction that was both time sensitive and at times complex. It was a unique experience in that we found ourselves chased by the solicitor, it is usually the other way around. Jon was extremely prompt, diligent and very commercial in his approach.”

-Mike A, Review Solicitors

“Simply The Best. Jonathan has recently helped us through the minefield of Tenancy Law. Without his knowledge, hard work and advice we could have been liable for extra costs arising from our situation, instead Jonathan and mlplaw obtained compensation at the end of our Lease.”

– Linda J Leigh, Review Solicitors

Amazing Service. I recently sold a commercial property In Sale Cheshire and contracts have now exchanged and completed. I used a local firm of solicitors MLP Law from Altrincham, who appointed Jonathan Chung Legal Director (Real Estate) to act on my behalf. The service i received from start to finish was exceptional . Words that come to mind when describing Jonathan are Proactive , Supportive, Precision. Knowledge, and very fast !!. When dealing the the purchasers solicitor he took control and moved the sale process on without any prompting from my end. If only all legal representatives had Jonathan’s ethics and standards ! Fantastic service and Amazing Service.

-Review from Lawrence Copeland FRICS FNAEA Director, Review Solicitors

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