Commercial real estate
Whether you are a landowner, developer, landlord or tenant, you need lawyers who not only understand the complexity of real estate law but who are immersed in the changing real estate landscape.
At Cripps, we have built a reputation as specialist lawyers to the real estate sector, providing legal advice to institutional investors, landowners and developers, private property companies, landed estates, local authorities and real estate lenders.
At every stage of the property lifecycle, from acquisition to sale, you can benefit from our deep knowledge of the sector and our specialist teams focused on asset management, planning, construction, development, leasehold enfranchisement and property disputes.
Our extensive industry network means we can make introductions, spot opportunities and take a proactive approach to achieving your ambitions.
Landed estates
Our landed estates team has advised some of the London estates for more than a century. These include The Cadogan Estate, The Portman Estate, The Crown Estate, The Eyre Estate, The John Lyon’s Charity Estate, The Ilchester Estate, The Sloane Stanley Estate, The Dulwich Estate and The Day Estate. We also have significant experience acting for rural estates, advising on agricultural matters and dealing with all aspects of landlord and tenant issues. We have built a formidable reputation for leasehold enfranchisement work, having fought many cases in the Court of Appeal, House of Lords and Supreme Court.
Find out more about our services for urban and rural landed estates.
Institutional property investment companies
We manage retail, office and mixed use portfolios for pension funds, private equity investors and REITs. Always with your best interests at heart, we advise on sales and disposals, development schemes and long-term property asset management and have recently been advising investors wishing to repurpose property for alternative uses as demand rises for residential and flexible office space.
Occupiers
We act for a number of high-end retail, hotel and leisure brands and businesses looking for office space, particularly those coming from overseas wishing to expand into the UK. We can advise you on leases, refurbishments, commercial contracts and employment matters. As we act for landlords and tenants, we understand matters from the landlord perspective and can help to identify potential issues before they arise.
Landowners and developers
From land acquisition, site assembly, set-up, planning and construction through to marketing and sales, we can help you to realise the value of your project. We advise some of the UK’s largest housebuilders, commercial developers and housing associations and understand how best to avoid the pitfalls in development while always protecting your best interests.
Local authorities
We are working with a number of local authorities on substantial regeneration schemes, including Slough Borough Council, Eastbourne Borough Council and Runnymede Borough Council, providing planning, construction and dispute resolution advice.
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Meet the team
Our commercial real estate experience
Advising on the sale of a multi-let property for a global real estate investor. The complex, which had redevelopment potential, comprised of a 149-bed Travelodge, 40,228 sq. ft. of offices, and 60,444 sq. ft. of retail, let to tenants including McDonalds, Clydesdale Bank and Greggs.
Advised Leisuregrow Products Limited on the expansion into their new premises. Facilitating immediate access with a short-term lease of part of the site for storage purposes, while the complex legal negotiations were concluded on the lease of the whole.
Assisted specialist SME finance provider, The FSE Group, on its recent relocation of its HQ offices to Linea House, Fleet, which with added space allows the Group to strengthen their central support team to facilitate the launch of new regional funds.
Acting for a national house builder consortium to provide a 2,200 unit urban extension to market town Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire including complex framework and consortium agreements, options overage and land swap.
We act as the sole advisor for a large regional shopping centre comprising 240 outlets, dealing with asset management, construction and planning work ongoing redevelopment and refurbishment projects, retailer administrations and CVAs and rent arrears recovery.
Advising a US REIT on investment acquisitions of multi-let retail parks and other industrial assets including all aspects of asset management, property litigation and construction work, in relation to a 75 property portfolio.
Acquisition of a site in Essex comprising 3 former office blocks for conversion to residential pursuant to permitted development rights with development finance and negotiation of suite of construction documents including drawing down warranties.
A major London landlord asked our advice on re-purposing a landmark building. We advised on scope under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 for residential rights of way; easements; and rights of first refusal.
Advising on associated leasehold structure to meet nitrate mitigation obligations required under a planning permission, to align with Natural England’s nitrate mitigation requirements
Advised on a joint venture collaboration to provide over 1,000 new homes, retail units and substantial infrastructure and public realm works in East Kent.
Our client successes
Navigating a successful outcome for a holiday park
When a family-owned UK holiday park required expert advice to undergo a group reorganisation and ultimate sale, it turned to Cripps to help navigate and advise on the complexities involved.
Landing a positive exit for a self-storage business
Learn more about how we advised Easistore on its corporate reorganisation and subsequent sale to Nuveen Real Estate.
Cementing a solid future for J Clubb
Discover how we restructured the assets of J Clubb to allow its sale and future growth.
Defending leaseholder rights to acquire ‘common parts’
3 min
Read about an important victory secured for our leaseholder clients concerning the definition of common parts.
Reinventing the construction industry
4 min
Discover how Cripps worked with Modulous to achieve its aim of producing the first globally scalable model for the design and delivery of homes.
Sale of boutique hotels
3 min
We supported the sellers of a boutique hotel chain on their exit from the market, including complex and integrated banking and M&A advice.
How we made a difference
Related thinking
Foundations for growth: real estate insights from the Autumn Budget
A shift on RTM procedural compliance – Supreme Court’s landmark decision
Places and spaces webinar: Unveiling the future of urban planning – what you need to know
Back to basics: endeavours clauses – how hard do I have to try?
The Building Safety Act: In conversation with our construction team – part 2
An update on the register of overseas entities regime – ECTEA, ECCTA, ETC.!
What is the law of unintended consequences?
Is it all change for prescribed information requirements under the Housing Act 2004?
Impressive rankings for Cripps in Chambers 2025
Renter’s rights
Contact us
If you have a question or need advice, please let us know how we can help.
