Gemma is a Partner and Head of the Professional Services team in the London Office. Gemma's expertise primarily focuses on Valuations, Leasehold Enfranchisement and Lease Advisory.  

 

Gemma carries out secured lending valuations on a broad variety of asset classes, most notably residential, commercial, industrial as well as specialist valuations of nurseries, GP practices, churches and HMOs.  SHW is on the valuation panel for most high street mortgage lenders.

 

As part of her lease extension work, Gemma has successfully represented her leaseholder clients against many of the London based, landed estates as well as representing freeholders in lease extension negotiations and collective enfranchisement claims.

 

Gemma represents both landlords and tenants in negotiating rent reviews, lease renewals and lease restructuring.

 

In addition, Gemma values several commercial and residential portfolios for family trusts as part of recurring, annual instructions from solicitors and accountants. These valuations are for internal accounting purposes, tax, succession, matrimonial and probate purposes. Gemma has acted as a single joint expert on numerous occasions, where she has been instructed in matrimonial proceedings.

 

Some recent projects that Gemma has been involved with:

 

• Providing lease advice to a freeholder client at expiry of a 20-year lease. The building was used as a film / tv studio in South London
• Acting for a leaseholder in FTT proceedings where the landlord was absent.
• Valuing a doctor’s surgery for secured lending purposes, where the principal is retiring from the practice in North London
• Advising a landlord client in rent review negotiations against an NHS trust
• Valuing a portfolio of flats for receivership purposes with short turnaround times. The flats were in Prime Central London and London postcodes.
• Acting for a landlord client in regearing a lease to a national bank tenant in East London
• Valuing a large mixed use (office, retail, residential) block in Prime Central London for an overseas Client.
• Providing a probate valuation of a number of residential properties in East London
• Acted on behalf of an elderly couple regarding the lease extension of their flat in Surrey with15 years remaining unexpired and therefore the premium was more than £100,000. Gemma negotiated to agree a settlement, thus avoiding the additional cost of the matter being determined by the FTT.

 

Recent Client feedback:

 

“Many thanks for such a prompt service”.

 

“Dear Gemma, Hats off to you for sorting this. Your skill and professionalism have enabled the best possible outcome. Your personable nature made what could have been a stressful process easy. Thank you, thank you”.

 

“Thank you for your detailed report and for dealing with this matter so promptly”.