Practice / Real estate
Real estate
We act on commercial property for owners, occupiers, developers and lenders. We read the lease before you sign it, and we read it again when you want to leave.
Scope of work
Acquisitions and sales
Offices, retail, industrial and mixed-use property, with searches, title and reports on one page.
Leases
Granting, taking, renewing and ending leases, including break clauses and dilapidations.
Development
Site assembly, option agreements, planning obligations and construction documents.
Real estate finance
Security for lenders and borrowers, refinancing and portfolio facilities.
Recent matters
- 2025 Pre-let of a 60,000 sq ft office building for a regional developer Lease signed before practical completion 15 years
- 2024 Refinancing of a mixed-use portfolio of nine properties Completed on timetable £31m
Partner responsible
Questions clients ask
How long does a commercial purchase take?
Usually six to ten weeks from agreed terms. We give you a timetable at the start and update it every week.
Will you review a lease before we sign heads of terms?
Please do send heads of terms first. Most expensive lease problems are agreed at that stage, not in the lease.
Do you handle residential property?
Only as part of a commercial portfolio or a development. We do not act on private house purchases.
In witness whereof, let's talk.
A first meeting is forty-five minutes, costs nothing and ends with a straight answer: whether you need a lawyer, and if you do, what it should cost.
Signed for and on behalf of Ashby & Thorne LLP
Helena Ashby
Helena Ashby, Managing partner
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