Expert Witness & Dispute Support
for Courts and Tribunals in England and Wales
Since 2021 our director has taken on more than a dozen expert witness instructions on building defects, structural movement and property disputes, including a County Court claim that is running now.
Independent Expert Evidence
We prepare expert reports on building defects, structural movement, repair costs and party wall damage. Reports follow CPR Part 35 and its Practice Direction, and our overriding duty is to the court.
Disputes with builders. If a builder has left work defective or unfinished, overcharged for extras, or fallen out with you over the final account, we inspect the work, value what has actually been done against the contract, and set out the defects and the cost of putting them right. That gives you objective evidence to negotiate with, and a report that stands up in adjudication or court if it comes to that. We act for homeowners, landlords and developers. More on disputes with builders.
Disputes with receivers. If your lender has appointed an LPA receiver over a property, we check whether it is being managed and sold properly. We look at the condition and comparable sales evidence behind a sale, scrutinise the receiver's accounts, fees and repair costs, and help you get your records through subject access requests. A receiver selling a property must take reasonable care to get its true market value, and we give you the evidence to hold them to that. More on LPA receiver disputes.
Insurance claims. Where an insurer is disputing a subsidence, escape of water, storm or fire claim, we inspect the damage, establish the cause, and prepare an independent report on the scope and cost of putting it right. That gives you, or your loss assessor or solicitor, technical evidence to set against the insurer's own adjuster, including on a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. More on insurance and subsidence claims.
Service Charge and Tribunal Disputes
For leaseholders, landlords and managing agents in the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), we prepare Scott Schedules, review Section 20 consultations and give evidence on whether service charges, and the works behind them, are reasonable under section 19 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.
Where both sides agree, we can act as single joint expert, which usually keeps costs down. More on service charge and Tribunal evidence.
Knowing the Process from the Inside
Our director has run his own cases in the County Court, the High Court and the First-tier Tribunal as a litigant in person, so he knows disclosure, witness statements and hearings from the inside. We aim to settle disputes on objective evidence before a hearing, and prepare properly for one if it comes to that.
As well as expert evidence, we can help with structural inspections and party wall disputes.
For more information on any of our services contact us today.
