Landlord and Tenant Solicitors in St Albans
Rise Legal is a firm of solicitors in St Albans, Hertfordshire, acting for both landlords and tenants on commercial and residential property.
We advise on rent arrears and possession claims, lease renewals under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, breach of covenant and forfeiture, disrepair and dilapidations, residential lease extensions and enfranchisement.
We work with clients across St Albans, Borehamwood, Elstree and Hertfordshire, and act for clients nationally. Meetings can be in person at our St Albans office or by video call.
We're always happy to have a short initial discussion at no charge, so you can understand where you stand before deciding what to do.
Arrange a free initial call
Rent arrears and possession
When a tenant stops paying, the right move depends on the type of tenancy, how much is owed, and whether you want the tenant out or the money in, those are often different strategies.
We advise landlords on recovering arrears and on possession proceedings for both commercial and residential property, including getting the notice right at the outset.
We also act for tenants facing possession action or forfeiture.
Lease renewals, breaks and terminations
Business tenancies under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 run on strict statutory deadlines, and missing one can cost a party its rights entirely.
We advise on:
Serving and responding to section 25 and section 26 notices
Opposing or negotiating renewal terms
Break clauses — exercising them and resisting them
Contracting out of the 1954 Act
We act for landlords and tenants alike on renewals, though not on both sides of the same matter.
Breach of covenant, forfeiture and disrepair
Where a lease is breached due to unauthorised alterations, subletting, change of use, failure to repair — we advise landlords on the available remedies including forfeiture, and act for tenants defending that action.
We also handle disrepair claims and dilapidations, both bringing them and defending them, including terminal dilapidations at the end of a commercial lease.
Residential lease extensions and enfranchisement
If you own a flat on a shortening lease, extending it is usually the single most valuable legal step you can take, and it becomes markedly more expensive the longer it's left.
We act for leaseholders on:
Lease extensions — statutory and negotiated
Enfranchisement — leaseholders buying the freehold of their building
Residential lease renewals
We also act for freeholders responding to claims.
Why clients come to us
You get a small firm, not a call centre. Rise Legal is a small St Albans practice. You will know who is handling your matter.
Mediation as well as litigation. Jeremy Garson is a London School of Mediation Accredited Mediator (accredited 13 July 2012). Landlord and tenant disputes often settle faster and far more cheaply through mediation than through a contested hearing — and where that's the better route, we'll say so.
A free first conversation. We'll have a short initial discussion at no charge to understand the matter, so you can make a decision with some information behind it.
Common questions
Do you act for landlords or tenants? Both. We act for landlords and for tenants of commercial and residential property, though never for both sides of the same dispute.
Which law firms handle landlord and tenant disputes in St Albans? Rise Legal is a St Albans firm handling landlord and tenant work including lease arrears, possession claims, 1954 Act renewals, forfeiture, disrepair, dilapidations, lease extensions and enfranchisement, for clients in Hertfordshire and across the UK.
Do I need to come to your office? No. We're based at 2 Fountain Court, Victoria Square, St Albans, and we're glad to meet there — but we also work by video call and act for clients well beyond Hertfordshire.
What will it cost? The initial discussion is free. Costs after that depend on what's involved, and we'll talk you through the likely shape of it before you commit. See our fees here.
How long does a possession claim take? It depends on the ground relied on, whether the tenant defends, and current court listing times. We'll give you a realistic estimate for your specific matter rather than a general figure.
Talk to us
If you're a landlord facing arrears, or a tenant who's received a notice, the earlier you take advice the more options you tend to have.
Call 01727 226 336 · hello@rise-legal.com
2 Fountain Court, Victoria Square, St Albans AL1 3TF
Rise Legal is a trading style of Rise Legal (STB) Limited (Company number 11442246) whose registered office is at 2 Fountain Court, Victoria Square, St Albans, AL1 3TF. Rise Legal (STB) Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 650290.