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Natasha Rees

Natasha Rees

Forsters LLP | Senior Partner

Biography

A Lawyer Hot 100, described as ‘standout’ and ‘very high profile’ in Chambers 2024, and at the ‘forefront of Forsters’ success’ in Legal 500 2024, Natasha was elected to be Senior Partner in September 2022.
 
Natasha is well known for working with leaseholders, protecting their interests through the Courts and Tribunals. Most notably, she acted for the leaseholders in their successful nuisance action against the Tate Gallery in the Supreme Court, known as Fearn and others (Appellants) v Board of Trustees of the Tate Gallery (Respondent). As an enfranchisement specialist, she also acts for leaseholders in leading enfranchisement cases. She succeeded in the House of Lords in the leading cases Aggio and Sportelli and created the test enfranchisement structure for the Ministry of Defence, going on to lead on the successful proceedings relating to their UK property portfolio, known as Annington Property Ltd v Secretary of State for Defence 2023. As a result of this claim, the MOD was able to re-acquire their UK property portfolio at a fraction of its market value. he is recognised in The Legal 500 Hall of Fame and as a Band 1 Ranked Lawyer in the Chambers UK Guide 2025.

The Law Commission's key proposals

On 21 July 2021 the Law Commission published its key proposals on leasehold reform and the future of home ownership.  The three reports which deal with enfranchisement, right to manage and commonhold tie in with the Government's aim to address problems with leasehold ownership. It is encouraging to see the issues addressed in such a cohesive way. The proposals set out ways to make the process of enfranchisement easier and cheaper. They suggest reforms to the right to manage legislation and they encourage

Precarious rights become permanent

It is often the case in collective enfranchisement claims that issues arise over communal areas. The recent appeal of The Corporation of Trinity House 2016 v 4-6 Trinity Church Square Freehold Limited [2018] EWCA Civ 764 highlights a problem concerning precarious rights over communal gardens and how these should be dealt with in collective claims. The statutory provisions that govern what can be acquired are found in Section 1 of the 1993 Act.  It allows tenants to acquire property which is not included i

What does ‘residential’ mean?

Developers of mixed use developments who are keen to retain their freehold often seek advice on what steps can be taken to avoid collective claims under the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 (“the Act”). The recent decision in Westbrook Dolphin Square Ltd v Friends Life 2014 is proving to be particularly useful in this respect. A judgment involving one of the largest residential blocks in Europe will obviously cover a lot of ground and Judge Mann’s decision does not disappoint. Runn

A hostel is not a house

The latest house case has confirmed that the issue of what constitutes a “house” under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 is going to continue to test judges. It concerned two derelict buildings on the Meyrick Family Estate in Bournemouth. They were acquired by Brightbest Limited at auction from a housing association in 2008. The first building was originally constructed in 1876 as a private dwelling house and had been used as such until 1927. The second building was a coach house to be used in connection wit

What is a flat for the purposes of collective enfranchisement?

Smith and Dennis v Jafton Properties Limited has considered whether self-contained flats being used for short term serviced accommodation are "flats" and whether they could be considered to be "occupied for residential purposes" in the case of collective enfranchisement. Although the question of 'What is a house' under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 (the 1967 Act) has been considered on numerous occasions in recent years, there have been far fewer reported decisions considering the question of 'What is a

Can you Enfranchise a "house"?

The “Hosebay” appeals, brought by two central London Landed Estates, were challenging a Court of Appeal decision that a property used wholly for commercial purposes could qualify as a “house” under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 (“the Act”). The Supreme Court unanimously allowed both appeals. To satisfy the test of whether a building is a “house” under Section 2(1) of the Act, the building must be “designed or adapted for living in” and “a house reasonably so called”. The judgement stated both parts are

Enfranchisement Case Law

The on-going problem of what constitutes a house under the 1967 Act is keeping the courts busy. Practitioners await the Supreme Court’s decision in Hosebay v Day; Lexgorge v Howard de Walden this year when it is hoped the Supreme Court will give a definitive ruling. Although a number of house claims are on hold pending the Hosebay outcome, one recently slipped through. In that case, HHJ Hazel Marshal QC decided a purpose built mansion block containing eight self contained flats and three lock up shops c
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