Guides & Advice Secured Lending
Secured Lending Acting for several national and international banks, as well as many other institutional and private lenders, our leading Commercial Property team has a wealth of secured lending experience. Whether you are advancing facilities for an investment acquisition, a development or simply re-financing, our team has the strength and depth of expertise to advise you in respect of your property finance transactions. We are well acquainted with all of the typical security documents involved, including legal charges, debentures, personal guarantees, cross-guarantees, deeds of priority, charges over building contracts and collateral warranties from contractors and other professional teams. Our clients benefit from the combined expertise of our Planning and Environmental, Dispute Resolution and Licensing teams, as well as our established links with leading lenders and professional firms across the Thames Valley. Highly ranked in both The Legal 500 and Chambers UK Guide, we compete strongly against other leading firms in the region as well as national or City-based firms. In addition, our three Commercial Property partners are individually recommended based on their expertise and successful client relationships. Jane Gunnell is described as very capable and a specialist in secured lending work for banks and finance companies. Katja Wigham is credited as a very sharp and very capable lawyer, while John Dingle is praised for being professional and likeable. Consultant Andrew Bond has been described as much liked and highly regarded. Secured Lending An excellent, solid, longstanding Reading firm with a great reputation. Chambers UK Guide Approachable and efficient, with a no-nonsense approach to matters. The Legal 500 Excellence Integrity Approachability
Other areas of expertise Property development We work closely alongside the firm s top ranked Planning and Environmental Law team and have extensive experience acting on development sales and purchases, options and conditional contracts for both land owners and developers. Members of our team have many years experience working for both local planning authorities and large national house builders, in-house as well as in private practice. We offer a depth of understanding unmatched by most firms, providing our clients with the reassurance that not only do we understand the industry but that there is little that we won t have come across before. Commercial landlord and tenant We regularly advise a variety of landlord and tenant clients, including large companies, owner-managed businesses, individuals, landed estates, professional practices, charities, educational institutions, ecclesiastical bodies and local authorities. Typical tenant premises range from units in shopping centres through to large storage premises with six figure rents, with landlord clients ranging from retailers to owners of major industrial parks. Acquisitions and disposals We act for all types of clients in relation to the disposal and acquisition of investment property, auction purchases and sales, portfolio and multi-let site sales. Whether you are disposing of or acquiring an office block, retail premises, leisure facilities or an industrial site, we can provide expert advice. They are very good at telling us where they perceive risks and how great those risks are, but also at showing us how we can overcome them. Chambers UK Guide www.blandy.co.uk
Examples of our team s recent work Banks and Lenders Acting for: Lloyds Bank plc on major secured lending transactions which include development sites, a holiday complex, a large educational facility, several large mixed-use sites and a waste management business. A leading bank on the securing of a charge over a bakery premises and charges over a separate media premises. A second lender in respect of security over a residential development site. One of the UK s largest private banks in relation to multiple portfolios of office and residential properties. A large bank in respect of separate charges over 14 leasehold apartments. A number of banks based overseas in relation to UK property transactions. Our other work Acting for: The University of Reading in the disposal of a residential development site for up to 1,350 new homes. A developer/investor on the provision of new accommodation in London for young professionals (including the funding of a new 600 room facility). A UK university near London on the provision of new mixed use development including student accommodation, retail and leisure. An owner managed property business in the sale of a portfolio of three city centre mixed use commercial properties. An owner managed business on several leasehold transactions relating to an industrial/warehouse complex in Manchester. A client in relation to the disposal of a hotel/restaurant investment property in Bath. Experienced in secured lending, land development and the full spectrum of transactional commercial property concerns. Chambers UK Guide Excellence Integrity Approachability
Our Property team Jane Gunnell Partner and Head of Property T: 0118 951 6860 E: jane.gunnell@blandy.co.uk Jane has over 30 years experience of acting for lenders on commercial and residential secured loans, including significant experience of tied brewery loans and independent representation for a range of major lenders, private individuals and family owned businesses. She has prepared security reports for various lenders and security documentation in relation to deferred consideration on high value land transactions, and security over assets in matrimonial and corporate transactions. Jane is ranked in Chambers UK Guide and The Legal 500. Katja Wigham Partner T: 0118 951 6933 E: katja.wigham@blandy.co.uk Katja acts for a number of banks and other lenders to secure loans for the acquisition of commercial property, investment property, development sites, the development of commercial and residential properties and remortgaging. Katja is also ranked in both Chambers UK Guide and The Legal 500. John Dingle Partner T: 0118 951 6802 E: john.dingle@blandy.co.uk John joined the firm from Morgan Cole (now Blake Morgan) in 2013 and became a partner in 2015. He acts for several banks and other lenders to secure finance for the acquisition of investment property, the development of commercial and residential properties, refinance and invoice finance facilities, and to secure monies due under Court Orders and third party guarantees. John is ranked in The Legal 500. Andrew Bond Consultant T: 0118 951 6876 E: andrew.bond@blandy.co.uk Andrew has over 35 years experience in acting for commercial property investment companies and individuals in the acquisition and disposal of mixed property portfolios nationwide. He is also involved with the financial structuring of these transactions, including negotiations with funders where appropriate. He has also acted for UK banks in relation to their loans to property investors and institutions. Andrew has been involved in major nationally important infrastructure projects and he also advises leading educational charitable institutions on property matters. He has acted for a number of leading banks and private lendersin relation to secured lending, both in the commercial and residential sectors.
Julian Spence Solicitor T: 0118 951 6875 E: julian.spence@blandy.co.uk Julian joined our Commercial Property team in 2007. He is experienced in a wide range of transactions, including commercial landlord and tenant, acquisitions and disposals, secured lending and residential lease extensions. Gemma Tipping Solicitor T: 0118 951 6867 E: gemma.tipping@blandy.co.uk Gemma joined our Commercial Property team in 2014. She undertakes all types of commercial property work, including commercial landlord and tenant, acquisition and disposal of freehold properties and secured lending. Jannicke Brar Solicitor T: 0118 951 6867 E: jannicke.brar@blandy.co.uk Jannicke joined our Commercial Property team in 2013 after training at the firm. Her experience includes dealing with acquisitions and disposals of freehold and leasehold property, secured lending, negotiating and drafting commercial leases and other aspects of landlord and tenant work. Hayley Moore Solicitor T: 0118 951 6872 E: hayley.moore@blandy.co.uk Hayley joined our Commercial Property team in 2015. Her work includes sales and purchases of development land, commercial freehold and leasehold premises and secured lending. Good at finding commercial solutions to problems as they arise. Chambers UK Guide Excellence Integrity Approachability
About Blandy & Blandy LLP Blandy & Blandy is a regional firm of solicitors, based in Reading and London. The firm was founded in 1733 and we have the heritage and reputation that comes with this longevity. We enjoy working closely with our clients and are committed to achieving success with them. For nearly 300 years we have advised generations of clients on all aspects of their personal, family and business lives. Commercially, we provide a full range of legal services to both public and private sector organisations, ranging from national and multinational companies, through to banks and lenders, SMEs and owner-managed businesses, charities and educational institutions, professional practices, landowners and developers and venue and event operators. Our partners and many of our associates are acknowledged as experts by the two major legal directories, Chambers UK Guide and The Legal 500, and we are top ranked as a firm by both. We have also held the Law Society s Lexcel quality mark since 2003. Of the 11,000 legal practices in England and Wales fewer than 10% have achieved this gold standard. We are a people business. We place our clients best interests at the heart of all that we do, while ensuring, through our partner led approach, that we embody our values of excellence, integrity and approachability. Feedback from both our clients and peers confirms this we know that actions speak louder than words. We seek to balance our heritage with a modern and progressive approach, in terms of the services we offer and the way in which they are delivered. This, underpinned by our independence, means that our clients continue to trust and recommend us year after year. Contact us If you would like to speak to someone about our services, please contact partner Jane Gunnell. T: 0118 951 6860 E: jane.gunnell@blandy.co.uk www.blandy.co.uk
Blandy & Blandy LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. It is incorporated as a limited liability partnership under number OC 348096 and its registered office is at One Friar Street Reading Berkshire RG1 1DA. A list of Members may be inspected at our Registered Office. Partner denotes a Member or a senior Employee of Blandy & Blandy LLP.