Grace Mercer

As an associate in the Real Estate Disputes team, Grace advises on a broad range of matters relating to commercial, mixed use and residential property. She works closely with the firm’s commercial property in relation to institutional clients’ property portfolio management (including property-related insolvency issues and secured lending disputes) as well as providing advice to private individuals.

She handles contentious matters including possession claims, recovery of arrears and boundary disputes. She also advises clients ahead of potential disputes, on matters such as statutory lease extensions, collective enfranchisement and adverse possession claims.

Grace advises on all stages of the process, from preliminary advice on avoiding future disputes, through to pre-action advice in anticipation of litigation, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms (such as mediation) and litigation itself.

Commercial and residential landlord and tenant disputes, including breach of covenants, forfeiture, and dilapidations claims
Enfranchisement and statutory lease extensions
Opposed and unopposed lease renewals under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
Arrears recovery for residential and commercial landlords
Recovering possession of residential and commercial premises
Adverse possession in relation to registered and unregistered land
Service charge disputes
Development issues including boundaries, and the exercising of option agreements
Professional negligence claims.

Advising clients on various strategies to secure vacant possession of commercial premises.

Given the time the accruing rental arrears and the lack of communications from one of the client’s commercial tenants regarding payment of the arrears, the client was able to exercise his right to forfeit. The client was able to take back possession of the commercial unit as well as the goods that were still on the premises, to be sold in part settlement of the arrears.

Acting for clients in connection with their statutory lease extensions under the Leasehold Reform, Housing & Urban Development Act 1993 (LRHUDA 1993)

This case involved a missing landlord. Based on the evidence provided, the court was satisfied that i) our client qualified for a new lease under the under the LRHUDA 1993 on the date the application was made to court, and ii) that all attempts to find the landlord had been made. As result of our application, the court granted the vesting order and it was ordered that the client was to be refunded all costs incurred as a result of the freeholder’s absence.

Acted for a private individual who received notification from the Land Registry that her neighbour had lodged an application to register rights

Namely rights to drain water, soil and sewage over our client’s land into a cesspool which would have affected our client’s quiet enjoyment of her property. We presented a prompt and concise objection on our client’s behalf, which was accepted by the Land Registry and the application for registration of the above mentioned rights was withdrawn.

Advising commercial landlords in connection with successful court proceedings

For the recovery of rent arrears from their tenant in respect of premises in West London.

Applying to set aside default judgment obtained against a residential client in respect of disputed rent arrears

Advising a management company in respect of various estate issues

Negotiating the resolution of multi-party adverse possession claims

Education

French Baccalaureate. Grace graduated from Newcastle University in 2009 with a degree in Combined Studies History and Film Studies. She completed the GDL at Northumbria University in 2011 and the LPC in 2012. She qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive in January 2019 then qualified in- house as a Solicitor in August 2019. Joined Thomson Snell & Passmore in March 2020.

Grace is as a member of the Property Litigation Association.

Grace is also fluent in French.

Associate, Real Estate Disputes

Specialisms & expertise

Examples of work