Tanfield Chambers

Property litigation

Richard Alford has an established and growing practice focusing on property and landlord and tenant work. He is delighted to accept instructions in any property law matter, as well as a wide range of commercial disputes.

Richard enjoys technical matters and thrives on difficult cases and tricky points of law. He regularly appears in the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), the County Court and the High Court.

Areas of expertise

Real Property

Richard is regularly instructed to advise and/or to act in a wide range of property disputes. He has extensive experience of:

• Leasehold enfranchisement and right to manage
• Service charges disputes
• Forfeiture and breach of covenant
• Commercial lease renewal and termination
• Mortgages and repossession
• Boundaries and easements
• Party walls
• Trusts of land and ownership disputes
• Residential possession proceedings

Richard’s recent property work  has included:

• A county court determination of costs due under a lease in circumstances where damages for disrepair fell to be set off against service charges found to be due.
• Representing a number of property guardianship companies in disputed possession proceedings.
• Advising on several cases involving imperfect securities and subrogation.
• Achieving an excellent settlement for a tenant challenging unreasonable service charges.
• Advising a tenant in a case of alleged widespread fraud by freeholder and managing agent.
• Obtaining an order for specific performance from the High Court in a sale and purchase dispute.
• Appearing in a high value central London lease extension application.
• Representing the tenant in a complex landlord and tenant dispute combining issues of enfranchisement and historic alleged breaches of lease.
• Appearing in numerous court applications relating to the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993.

Commercial Disputes

Richard regularly appears in commercial disputes in both the High Court and the County Court. He has acted in a range of matters, from straightforward breach of contract claims to high-value partnership and shareholder disputes. He is often called upon to advise on company law matters, particularly in relation to landlord and tenant issues.

Richard also has experience in bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings and drafting commercial agreements.

Commercial work this year has included:

• Appearing in factually complex joint-venture / shareholder dispute
• Successful obtaining judgment in a case involving a contract to import commodities
• Advising on a high-value construction breach of contract claim
• Representing the claimant in factually complex whistle-blowing dispute

Year of call: 2011

Employment Law Bar Association; Employment Lawyers Association; Discrimination Law Association; Bar Pro Bono Unit.

Clare College, Cambridge (2005 BA; 2009 MA Cantab); City Law School (2008 CPE); BPP (2011 BVC); Inner Temple BVC Exhibitioner.

Family, running, and playing the guitar.