Ashley Wilson - Dispute Resolution & Litigation

Dispute Resolution and Litigation

Litigation is an unwelcome experience at any time. Dealing with a dispute, be it small or large, can be a particularly demanding experience, especially where there is uncertainty around the cost implications and procedures involved.

Litigation

The Litigation Team at AWS LLP manages disputes for a wide range of clientele. We provide practical and specialist advice with the aim of resolving your dispute quickly and cost-effectively. Working in partnership with you it will always be our objective to:

- Focus on the issues that are paramount to you, the client
- Identifying the goals that you seek to achieve from litigation
- Avoid the cost and uncertainty of long-running litigation.

Court Costs

Whatever the cause for litigation, as your legal advisers, we will fully protect your interests at all times. A failure to appreciate the seriousness of the circumstances may lead to an adverse decision against a person/company which could have been avoided if the correct legal advice had been sought and obtained at an early stage.

Litigation can be very expensive. Even a victor in court can find that recovery of the costs involved is often difficult and carries further expense. Understanding our Clients’ aims means that we can then tailor our advice to give the best possible chance of achieving a successful outcome.
An honest assessment of the costs implication of the various options open to the Client will be provided to you at the outset of our consultation prior to the instigation of litigation or other legal action.

Negotiation & Settlement

Wherever possible, we always seek to settle disputes by negotiation as this is often in the best interests of our clients. Our Litigation Team will work with you to reach a mutually satisfactory outcome to both parties within the dispute.

There are occasions when court action is necessary and in these cicrumstances you can rest assured that our team will provide a robust and efficient presentation of your case in order to gain the best possible result.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

In many cases, disputes can be resolved by using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods such as mediation and arbitration. These procedures tend to be more informal and less adversarial and indeed, more economical than engaging full Court proceedings.

Our Dispute Resolution and Litigation Specialists

Tony Wilson

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Legal Updates

Assured Periodic Tenancies and SDLT: The Implications of the Renters’ Rights Act

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (RRA 2025) shakes up the traditional structure of residential tenancies – fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies will be abolished and home rentals must instead take place as assured periodic tenancies (APTs) from 1 May 2026.

One elusive but significant consequence of this arises from the interaction between the new tenancy model and the existing Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) regime.

However, what looks like just a shift in tenancy structure could, in practice, pull thousands of renters into scope of SDLT reporting and payment obligations for the first time.

Government Publishes Roadmap for Implementing the Renters’ Rights Act 2025

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has now published its much-anticipated roadmap for implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (‘The Act’), confirming how – and when – the biggest reform of residential tenancy law in a generation will take effect.

The changes – such as the abolition of section 21 no-fault evictions and assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) – will be introduced in phases starting in May next year, with significant practical consequences for residential landlords and tenants, managing agents, and investors alike. This article outlines the key changes and implementation dates below.

Landlords attempt to defeat right to manage claim fails - Brickfield Properties Ltd v Oakwood Court Blocks 9 & 10 RTM Company Ltd [2026] UKUT 133 (LC)

In Brickfield Properties Ltd v Oakwood Court Blocks 9 & 10 RTM Company Ltd [2026] UKUT 133 (LC), the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) has provided welcome clarity on one of the more technical hurdles in multi-block Right to Manage (RTM) claims: whether services can be said to be “independent” for the purposes of section 72(4) of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.

The right to manage is often perceived to be a low-cost alternative to acquiring the freehold collectively by participating flat owners.