Payne Hicks Beach LLP

Dispute Resolution/Property Litigation

Scott trained in the City and spent seventeen years in practice in Top 100 firms. Latterly he headed up the Property Disputes Team of a leading Thames Valley firm. Drawing on this experience, Scott is able to bring a wide range of technical knowhow and commercial nous to bear on any property dispute, be it commercial or residential. He is building up a following of developer and high net worth clients.

Landlord and tenant work is of particular interest to Scott. On the commercial side, he has developed an expertise dealing with cases involving the applicability of the criteria for opposing a new business tenancy on the grounds of redevelopment (ground (f)). With residential tenancies, Scott has represented landlords and tenants of long leases in connection with enfranchisement claims, service charge disputes and disputes between tenant directors of freehold companies. He acted for the successful landlord in a Court of Appeal case concerning waiver of the right to forfeit a long residential lease.

Scott has had articles and comment published in the Financial Times, Property Week, Prime Resi, News on the Block, the Property Law Journal, LexisNexis and The Daily Beast. He regularly gives talks to professionals and clients alike and in February 2018 presented two one hour seminars to an audience of several hundred surveyors and other property professionals at the Five Counties Conference in High Wycombe.

Reported Cases

BDW Trading Limited v Opticlife Limited [2010] EWHC 1951 (Ch) (Notices to Complete had been incorrectly served, entitling the client purchaser to the return of deposits worth £1.5m)
Greenwood Reversions Limited v (1) WEF (2) Mehra [2008] H.L.R. 31 (CA) (consideration of the correct approach to granting relief against forfeiture of a long residential lease
Hollis et al v Rolfe et al [2008] EWHC 1747 (Ch) (undue influence in property contracts)

Qualified 2002, joined Payne Hicks Beach 2018, senior associate 2018, partner 2019.

Scott is a member of the Education and Training Committee of the Property Litigation Association.

Scott has an MA in Social and Political Sciences from Girton College, Cambridge.