Fran is a Partner in the Asset Management and Mines & Minerals teams.
Supporting businesses on a wide range of commercial property transactions, Fran has particular expertise in complex landlord and tenant matters, including the sale, purchase and re-financing of leasehold property portfolios, and the negotiation of property-related service level agreements. She has over 20 years’ experience of working with corporate clients in the hospitality and minerals sectors.
Clients within the hospitality sector include, high street pub and restaurant brands with significant property portfolios. Fran deals with all aspects of portfolio management, including new leases and lease renewals, handling issues such as service charges, dilapidations and contested applications for landlord’s consent, and providing legal submissions for rent review arbitrations.
In the mines and minerals sector, Fran acts for national minerals operators, and landowners seeking to exploit their minerals reserves. Her work includes dealing with all aspects of minerals development, including options and leases, documenting added value operations, the investigation of manorial mineral rights, and the disposal of land following minerals development. She has also developed particular expertise in applying Stamp Duty Land Tax to minerals transactions.
Recent examples of how Fran has supported clients include:
- negotiating and completing a lease for restaurant premises within a hotel involving international negotiations in relation to complicated pricing structures, turnover provisions, and service level agreements;
- successfully defeating a landlord's refusal of licence to assign, allowing the client to proceed with the sale of a lease for over £1 million; and
- providing legal submissions in a contested rent review which was ultimately settled in the client's favour, saving the client over £100,000 per annum.