The landlord-tenant relationship can be quite complex. A landlord is primarily concerned with finding a reliable tenant who will respect their property and honour their commitments while making use of it. A tenant, on the other hand, is ultimately concerned with finding and living in a property that is well-equipped for their needs, and provides a good alternative to paying the (often significant) sums of money involved in buying a property.

It is important to understand that the relationship between a landlord and their tenant is essentially one based on a contract. The respective rights and obligations of both parties will be set down in writing in a commercial lease or tenancy agreement. This will cover a variety of different things, including how a tenant is to make use of the property through to the ability of a landlord to raise the rent, and who is to bear financial responsibility for the maintenance of the property over the course of time. It is vital that both parties are fully aware that they are both parties to the relationship, and as such owe legal duties to one another and should observe the terms of the tenancy agreement.

Whilst in most cases, landlords and tenants can co-exist quite harmoniously and with little difficulty, there can be instances where disputes will arise. Difficulties can arise in relation to a multitude of things including payment of rent, ensuring adequate care and maintenance of a property, and bringing the relationship to an end if someone is not fulfilling their obligations to the other. At NA Legal we have developed specialist expertise in advising on all aspects of property litigation, and are routinely sought out to assist both landlords and tenants to resolve disputes as quickly as possible. If you are experiencing difficulties with your tenant or landlord, NA Legal may be able to help. 

Resolving Landlord & Tenant Disputes

At NA Legal, we have developed particular expertise in advising and assisting in resolving disputes relevant to landlords and tenants, particularly in the following areas:

Landlords are obliged to communicate to their tenant when and how rental payments are to be paid. After all, the payment of rent is the contribution that the tenant makes in exchange for being allowed to make use of the landlord’s property. Issues can and do arise when tenants fail to pay their rent on time. While it is true that this may be as a result of financial difficulty on the tenant’s part, it will also affect the landlord in that they are denied payments that they are entitled to by virtue of entering into the agreement. Furthermore, the law entitles landlords to take steps – according to strict guidelines - to remove tenants from their property where rental payments are not forthcoming.

Property, by its very nature, will need some attention from time-to-time. This may be as a result of age, or simply as a result of withstanding the often unpredictable British weather. Regardless however, someone will have to be held responsible for making these repairs. This is where difficulties can arise between landlords and tenants, particularly in regard to who is to have financial responsibility for dealing with these.

There are situations where landlords and tenants may find themselves unable to continue working with one another under a tenancy agreement. The relative ease by which this can be done will ultimately depend on the terms of the tenancy agreement, e.g. there may be express provisions allowing for the parties to go their separate ways after a period of time without penalty. However, it may be the case that a tenant wishes to end a tenancy agreement earlier than expected, or a landlord is unable to tolerate a tenant owing to their lack of respect for their property. In these cases, it is not uncommon for financial penalties to be incurred if parties are not agreeable to terminating the relationship early.

As was mentioned earlier, the relationship between a landlord and tenant is a complex one that can at times be under considerable pressure. Regardless, it is important to note that both parties are legally responsible for ensuring that they observe their respective commitments. However, it is not uncommon that parties find it difficult to engage with one another. In these cases, it is advisable to seek the advice and assistance of an experienced property dispute lawyer who can help to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

Seek specialist landlord and tenant law advice from pragmatic property lawyers

Whilst generally most landlords and tenants will attempt to discharge their obligations to one another, there will be instances where someone – either intentionally or by mistake – fails to do so. In these situations, it is important to find a way to identify the salient issue and work with an experienced legal advisor who can deal with these as quickly as possible.

At NA Legal, we are often approached by clients – both tenants and landlords – to help them to deal with a difficulty they are experiencing as part of a rental agreement. We understand that the main objective of both parties to is resolve the dispute as quickly as possible. At NA Legal, we take pride in being available to work with our clients to investigate their issues and find practical solutions to addressing them. We will be happy to act in your behalf in engaging with the other party to the dispute, and will also handle all aspects of court litigation if this becomes necessary.

The approach taken by NA Legal is to find the fastest, most effective way to bring a property dispute to an end, allowing everyone to move on and not be hindered by long, protracted legal proceedings. Our business is set up in a way that guarantees access to clients, and we will be happy to work with you by whichever means you find most convenient – by phone, email or post. We will also be happy to visit you at home if you would prefer to deal with our team on a face-to-face basis. At NA Legal, we are here to deliver a service that meets client-need based on your preferences. If you think you could benefit from speaking to a solicitor who is a specialist in dealing with property related disputes, contact us today.