Member Profile

With over 25 years experience in commercial and residential property, Anthony is regarded as an expert adviser within the fields of commercial real estate, leasehold enfranchisement, leasehold reform and real estate. With extensive expertise in leasehold enfranchisement, Anthony has represented both leaseholders and landlords on several large blocks of flats including, the individual lease extensions for a block of 104 flats on the Eyre Estate; advising on an application to purchase from the Crown Estate, a block of 43 flats and 10 ‘live work’ units in East London; the purchase of a block of 10 flats in East London (landlord missing); an application to purchase the freehold of a block of 16 flats in Mayfair; a freehold purchase of 7 flats in Pimlico; the purchase of a block of 16 flats from the Sloane Estate; acting for the Residents’ Association on the purchase from a Housing Association of a block of 62 flats in Wapping; and acting on the purchase of the freehold of a block of 85 flats in SW1, to mention a few.

Rooks Rider Solicitors LLP was established in 1761, and is a boutique legal firm based in the UK, with a long-standing tradition of offering high-quality legal services to businesses and individuals. As a firm, Rooks Rider Solicitors continually strives to expand our breadth of expertise and business skills, enabling us to quickly and effectively respond to the ever-changing business environment, thereby delivering successful solutions.

The firm advises on legal issues relating to:

• Corporate Affairs

• Dispute Resolution

• Employment Matters

• Leasehold Enfranchisement

• Real Estate

• Wealth Planning

The specialist Leasehold Enfranchisement team at Rooks Rider Solicitors acts for:

- Leaseholders, principally high net worth individuals, helping them to acquire their freeholds and obtain lease extensions

- Landlords, where their tenants have made such applications

- We are also regularly asked by other law firms to advise on an agency basis, with frequent referrals from law firms who don’t have enfranchisement specialists.

At Rooks Rider Solicitors we have an award winning team, who are specialists in the field of enfranchisement. We have advised on a varied caseload of claims, from complex cl aims to purchase the freehold of houses in Chelsea, to group lease extension claims for over 100 flats on the Eyre Estate. We also advise on right to manage claims, informal lease extensions and management issues for freeholders, property managers and managing agents.

Rooks Rider Solicitors acts for both landlords and tenants in collective enfranchisement claims and granting lease extensions, as well as advising on the right of first refusal under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987.

We have a wealth of tax expertise which means that we are able to consider the tax implications of all property transactions and advise on more tax efficient options where possible.

In a market where UK properties are not just homes but pensions, investment portfolios and major instruments of tax and estate planning, multifaceted bespoke advice is needed. At Rooks Rider Solicitors our enfranchisement specialists have the skills and experience to ensure that the complexity of the market, current tax rules, property investment structures and complex title matters are examined properly and explained fully and comprehensively.

Our key areas of expertise are as follows:

FOR LANDLORDS

• Providing pragmatic and practical advice on notices of claim served by tenants

• Ensuring to the extent possible under the legislation that your legal and valuation costs are recovered

• Ensuring that all necessary court and tribunal proceedings are cost effectively managed with regard to invalid and disputed claims

• Ensuring that the new lease or freehold transfer protects your interests to the extent possible under the relevant legislation

• Advising you on the pros and cons of informal versus statutory lease extensions

• Recommending expert valuers and working with them to facilitate negotiations and achieve the best possible settlement for you

• Advising you in relation to the possibility of claiming development value in relation to block enfranchisements

• Advising you on the tax treatment of the lease premium or freehold sale proceeds

• Recommending and working with specialist managing agents with regard to claims and ensuring that arrears are collected at completion

FOR TENANTS

• Advising you on your rights to enfranchise whether as an individual seeking a lease extension or freehold house or as a group of leaseholders wishing to enfranchise a block

• Advising you with regard to an offer by your landlord to sell the freehold or a head lease to the leaseholders in a block

• Ensuring that notices of claim are drafted accurately and served correctly

• Advising you in relation to challenging the costs of your landlord and all necessary court or tribunal proceedings to ensure that your claim is successful

• Recommending expert valuers and working with them closely in order to achieve the most cost effective extended lease or freehold acquisition

• Advising you in detail in relation to the format of the extended lease or freehold transfer and negotiating the best available terms

• Advising you in relation to the possibility of development potential for your flat or block and issues surrounding parking, common parts or caretaker’s flats

• Advising you on the most tax efficient method of dealing with enfranchisement including late joiners, non-participants and the on-going management of the block

• Recommending and working with specialist managing agents in order to facilitate the ongoing management of the block following enfranchisement

Rooks Rider Solicitors was named ‘Solicitors Firm of the Year 2013’ at the Enfranchisement and Right To Manage Awards, one of the most prestigious awards recognising professional excellence in leasehold enfranchisement work.