Property Disputes

Our Property Disputes team has extensive experience across the full spectrum of property-related conflicts.
From joint venture and conveyancing disputes to trespass, party wall and developer claims, and from professional negligence and rectification matters to all aspects of landlord and tenant issues, including breaches of covenant, possession, service charge disputes, business lease renewals and dilapidations, our team is equipped to handle even the most complex cases.

Our approach is rooted in achieving commercially sound outcomes for our clients. While litigation is sometimes unavoidable, we always explore cost-effective and pragmatic solutions. Known for being straightforward and tenacious, our team combines deep technical expertise in real estate litigation with a reputation for clarity and results. This has earned us a high level of referrals from surveyors, accountants and fellow legal professionals.

 

We act for a diverse client base including landlords, tenants, national retailers, developers, local authorities and individual property investors. Our clients range from major PLCs to SMEs and private individuals. This breadth of experience gives us valuable insight into the priorities and procedures of both large organisations and individuals, and our balanced representation of landlords and tenants provides a tactical edge in negotiations and disputes.

 

Where necessary we can call upon specialist knowledge of our Construction team, particularly in relation to construction contract claims and the wider non-contentious Property team.

 

Our lawyers play an active role in shaping the legal landscape through their involvement with leading professional bodies, including the Property Litigation Association, the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association, APIL, and other key litigation networks.

What we do best:
  • Boundary & Access Issues

    Advising on party wall disputes, trespass, nuisance, and damage claims to safeguard commercial and residential premises.

  • Defect & Disrepair Claims

    Enforcing repair obligations and pursuing claims against landlords or developers for structural and maintenance failures.

  • Landlord & Tenant Disputes

    Managing breaches of covenant, possession claims, service charge disputes, and lease surrenders with tactical insight.

  • Property Sale or Purchase Disputes

    Clear, strategic advice on your options.

  • Resolving Complex Disputes

    Acting swiftly to obtain injunctions and protect property interests in time-sensitive disputes.

  • Strategic Lease Advice

    Handling business lease renewals, dilapidations, forfeiture, and relief applications for landlords and tenants.

Awards
Contact our team
The whole team's collaboration, understanding and support for their clients was truly outstanding. We felt safe in their hands, knowing they would leave no stone unturned!
- The Legal 500 UK 2026
Very strong team with a pragmatic approach to often complex property litigation.
- The Legal 500 UK 2026
Edwin Coe is in that happy position where they are large enough to resource significant pieces of litigation but small enough to provide a personal level of service. The team also has a very broad range of experience.
- The Legal 500 UK 2026
Shams Rahman is excellent at dealing with clients who face difficult situations. Strategizes and manages cases deftly and has good judgement.
- The Legal 500 UK 2023
They constantly went above the call of duty and were contactable at all hours via phone or email.
- The Legal 500 UK 2022
Very personable and conscientious individuals.
- The Legal 500 UK 2022
There was typically one port of call throughout the whole process who was aware of where we were at each stage of the case. All of the staff were very knowledgeable both legally and also on our particular case.
- The Legal 500 UK 2021
The team is very pro-active in seeking the best results for clients and are great to deal with.
- Chambers UK 2025
The team are extremely committed, efficient, knowledgeable and tenacious. We definitely had the best team on our side!
- The Legal 500 UK 2025
The practice as a team is one that seems to positively engage in best practice, and work collaboratively and responsibly to provide a best service to its clients and those it engages with.
- The Legal 500 UK 2023
The lead person Joanna Osborne was unbelievably knowledgeable and competent. Not only was each stage of the case dealt with competently but also Joanna was able to pre-empt each move that the other side was likely to make next, which helped considerably when figuring out our next steps. I valued Joanna’s expertise immensely.
- The Legal 500 UK 2021
The lawyers here are completely on-side, fighting cases as if they were their own. They are tenacious and very responsive. The team is highly experienced and has continued to grow over the years, with the addition of a number of very talented associates. At the same time, they continue to offer all the advantages of instructing a WC2 firm, delivering a very personal service.
- The Legal 500 UK 2021
The firm has very strong individuals at all levels.
- Chambers UK 2025
The Edwin Coe team is well-equipped to deal with a wide-range of issues, with an in-depth knowledge of complex real estate. They are forward-thinking but also remain very personable, with client care paramount.
- The Legal 500 UK 2024
Shams Rahman took the lead in presenting the client’s case persuasively and he negotiated hard on their behalf to achieve a good outcome.
- The Legal 500 UK 2022
Property litigation lead by the personable but utterly tenacious Joanna Osborne.
- The Legal 500 UK 2025
Partner Joanna Osborne is superb and stands out for her tenacity, her commitment to the case, her instincts, and ability to see things clearly from a client’s perspective. She is very ably assisted by a team of bright and capable solicitors.
- The Legal 500 UK 2021
Edwin Coe have a number of very intelligent lawyers who are given the time to concentrate fully on a particular client’s matter. They get good results.
- The Legal 500 UK 2024
Joanna Osborne is the undoubted star of this excellent team. An impressive blend of people skills, legal knowledge, commercial sense and powerful advocacy impresses clients, professional advisers and opponents alike.
- The Legal 500 UK 2021
Joanna Osborne is tactically unbeatable.
- Chambers UK 2021
Joanna Osborne is astute, tenacious, personable and an excellent lawyer.
- Chambers UK 2024
Joanna Osborne is an exceptional property litigator and role model for aspiring female solicitors in real estate. She is great to work with as her extensive experience means she is able to drill into the issues from both the legal and the client’s perspective to find workable solutions.’
- The Legal 500 UK 2023
Joanna Osborne is an excellent property litigator, able to handle complex issues with ease and keeping clients well-informed throughout the process.
- The Legal 500 UK 2021
Joanna Osborne has been tireless in her pursuit of the truth and ensuring that our voice is heard in this process. She has been our guardian angel throughout and protected us from trapdoors that we may have fallen into.
- The Legal 500 UK 2022
Joanna is persistent, very well prepared and very personable - you want her on your side. She can cover all sorts of matters.
- Chambers UK 2024
In the service we received, everything was spot-on – more a 7-star than a 5-star service from the property litigation team.
- The Legal 500 UK 2024
I deal regularly with property litigation teams of all sizes and in city, national and provincial firms. The Edwin Coe team have a particularly impressive and effective team which is small enough to offer personalised and friendly service, but is large and skilled enough to more than hold its own against any other firm in the country.
- The Legal 500 UK 2021
Extremely effective collaborative working as a team – I felt heavily engaged and involved as the client.
- The Legal 500 UK 2022
Excellent attention to detail. They left me feeling like I was in a pair of safe hands, which was extremely reassuring during a difficult legal process.
- The Legal 500 UK 2022
Excellent practice with a good loyal client base, with a strength in property litigation.
- The Legal 500 UK 2021
Edwin Coe offers full service but with the personal touch and specialisms of a boutique firm. The property litigation team is expertly led by Joanna Osborne and with strength in depth including partner Shams Raman.
- The Legal 500 UK 2023
Edwin Coe maintain a committed team with wide coverage of property dispute matters.
- Chambers UK 2025
Edwin Coe LLP is a fantastic firm. Highly educated and experienced people, excellent collaboration and understanding and support for their clients.
- The Legal 500 UK 2025