Laura Pile
Laura specialises in property disputes, advising on commercial and residential landlord and tenant matters, dilapidations, rent arrears, easements and restrictive covenants.
Specialisms & Areas of Work
Legal 500
Biography
Laura is Head of the Property Litigation team at Myerson where she leads a team that competes with larger city centre firms to great success.
Laura is known for advising commercial landlord and tenants on the management of their portfolio of properties and the settlement of disputes arising from their portfolios. She also advises clients in relation to easement and restrictive covenant disputes, enfranchisement, rights of first refusal and trust of land disputes.
Laura works closely with Myerson’s nationally recognised Real Estate team and regularly works with their commercial clients to resolve property disputes.
Laura is a member of the Property Litigation Association, is part of the UK200 Property and Construction Committee and is recognised in Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners.
Client Feedback
Mrs S. Pearson
I would like to express my thanks and extreme satisfaction with the way that Laura Pile has dealt with my tenancy agreement problems. At all times Laura has been both friendly and professional with a thorough knowledge of my legal rights. I would be very happy to refer people to Laura should they need legal advice in any area of landlord and tenancy law.
Mr K. Donnison
Laura handled my case with an enthusiastic but calm manner, on occasions contacting me from home outside of normal office hours to update me on information she had just received. She managed to calm my fears during the proceedings, and the outcome of my case was a settlement which far exceeded my expectations. She is a true professional, and I have no reservations about recommending her to anybody who needs advice or support within her area of law.
Mr J Beever, Dean Property Group Limited
Laura is an expert in her field of property litigation and this coupled with a good commercial acumen results in a swift assessment of the situation enabling that all important economical resolution. Whilst tenacious and determined Laura is pleasant and easy to work with.
Legal 500, 2021
Efficient and effective, Laura is able to get to grips with complex claims quickly and guide her clients through tricky areas with consummate ease.
Legal 500, 2022
Laura Pile is excellent in terms of subject matter knowledge and her approach to problem solving. She is a go-to person who is very friendly and always happy to provide support.
Legal 500, 2024
I highly rate partner Laura Pile for her great knowledge of the area and approachability
Legal 500, 2024
Laura Pile is an excellent technical lawyer, with the ability to apply her knowledge to achieve effective results for her clients
Legal 500, 2024
Laura Pile is a fantastic leader of the team. Her strategy is always on point.
Chambers UK Guide 2026
Laura Pile leads the Myerson real estate litigation practice. She has a growing reputation in the market based on her strong ability to lead commercial property disputes including lease renewals, rent reviews and break notices.
Chambers UK Guide 2026
Laura is an exceptional lawyer, very focused and relentless.
Chambers UK Guide 2026
Laura keeps good communication, responds to questions and explains in simple terms.
Chambers UK Guide 2026
Laura is aware of client exposure to costs and is a pleasure to work with.
Recent Experience
Laura specialises in advising on property litigation, landlord and tenant disputes including forfeiture, dilapidations, rent arrears and possession, insolvency property issues and professional negligence claims arising out of property disputes.
Highlights of Laura’s work include:
- Advising clients on business lease renewals which includes serving notices pursuant to section 25, 26 or 27 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, advising on the validity of notices served and commencing any necessary proceedings.
- Advising on the validity of and/or serving break notices on commercial premises with substantial rental incomes.
- Acting on behalf of an individual to obtain possession of a residential property that he had purchased and allowed a family to reside in by way of a licence following completion. The family sought to argue that they had an option to buy back the property and were not required to vacate it. The matter went to Trial and our client was successful.
- Successfully forfeiting a commercial lease for the tenant’s non-payment of rent.
- Acting for Trustees who owned substantial areas of open land in Lancashire. An application was made to register the land as “common land”. The application was successfully opposed and the Applicants were forced to withdraw the application.
- Assisting on a file to obtain a court-sanctioned search order and arranging for the simultaneous searches of a laboratory, office and residential property. This was a complex matter and involved allegations of breaches of restrictive covenants, misuse of confidential information, intellectual property infringement, theft and conspiracy. The searches were successful and the dispute was resolved favourably for our client.
Awards & Rankings
Legal 500 — Next Generation Partner
2026Memberships
- Property Litigation Association
Insights & Media
Can My Landlord Take Back Possession Of The Premises I am Operating A Business From?
The location of your premises is often crucial to your business's success, particularly in the hospitality and leisure sector. Relocating can be expensive and disruptive for you and your customers. This raises the question: Can a landlord take back possession of your premises at the end of your lease and force you to relocate elsewhere? Our...
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A Guide To Navigating Restrictive Covenants
Restrictive covenants, as applied to freehold land, are agreements created by a deed that one party will limit the use of its land for the benefit of another party's land, such as by capping the number of buildings which can be built on a site. Restrictive covenants attach directly to land rather than to individuals. Often, the restrictive...
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King’s Speech 2023: Real Estate Update
We have previously discussed the King’s Speech with regard to its proposal to introduce an independent football regulator. Under the tagline 'strengthening society’, the King's Speech 2023 also outlined two landmark bills introducing fundamental changes to the real estate landscape in England and Wales. Our Property Litigation team will explore...
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Renters Reform Bill
In January 2023, we prepared a property litigation blog describing what legal changes we would likely see in 2023 in the property market . One of the biggest changes we are likely to see is concerning residential renting in England with the Renters Reform Bill. In June 2022, the government published a White Paper outlining the proposed changes to...
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Evidencing Ground (f) in Opposed Lease Renewals
In the recent property litigation case of Man Limited v Back Inn Time Diner Limited, the Court considered the evidential burden on the landlord in opposing a lease renewal under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (“the 1954 Act”). Under the 1954...
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Leasehold Reform - The Current Position and Proposals
In December 2017, the Government announced plans to tackle the growing property litigation problem of new build houses being sold as leasehold rather than freehold and to limit the ground rents payable by tenants of leasehold properties. The...
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Cost of Living Crisis: Do You Need to End Your Lease Early?
Many people across the county have felt the pinch of the cost-of-living increase, whether it be the rise in energy bills, food prices or other goods. The crisis presents a bigger problem for small and independent businesses on the high street. The...
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New Police Powers for Trespassers
From 28 June 2022, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (2022) ( the Act ) declares that in certain matters, trespassers who illegally ‘set up’ on other people’s land or in local communities could face up to three months in prison and or...
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A Guide to Adverse Possession
Land: use it or lose it. That’s the basic premise behind the often controversial legal principle of adverse possession. Adverse possession is colloquially known as “squatters rights” and is based on an ancient philosophy requiring owners of land to...
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Forfeiture of a Commercial Lease: A Guide For Landlords
Forfeiture can be an effective remedy for landlords, allowing them to regain possession of their property and bring a lease to an end early when a tenant has breached its terms. However, the rules governing forfeiture can be strict and easy to get wrong. If forfeiture is carried out incorrectly, a landlord may become exposed to claims, including...
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Renters’ Rights Act 2025: New Grounds for Possession Explained for Landlords
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has introduced significant reforms to the private rented sector, most notably the abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. While much commentary has focused on the broader impact of the legislation, landlords are now facing a more immediate and practical question: how can possession of a property be recovered...
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Break Clauses – Avoid the Pitfalls!
Break clauses are contractual provisions in a lease that allow either the landlord or tenant to bring the contractual term of the lease to an end early. On the face of it, a break notice appears to be a straightforward document, and it often looks...
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Torts Notice: A Landlord’s Guide
When a tenant vacates a rental property, they sometimes leave behind furniture, personal items, or rubbish. As a landlord, you can’t simply throw everything away immediately. The law treats abandoned goods seriously, and you have certain obligations to avoid claims for loss or damage. Our Property Litigation Lawyers outline the process landlords...
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Landlord Warning: Will you have to reimburse your tenant some insurance rent?
There has been a recent landmark decision in the case of London Trocadero (2015) LLP v Picturehouse Cinemas Limited [2025], which all commercial landlords need to be aware of, as it could mean they have to reimburse their tenants some of the insurance rent that has been paid to them under their lease. Our Property Litigation Solicitors explore...
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Cohabitation and Property Rights for LGBTQ+ Couples: What the Law Does (and Does Not) Protect
Cohabitation in the UK has been steadily increasing, with over 3.6 million cohabiting couples in England and Wales as of 2021 , which is an increase from 1.5 million in 1996. This reflects a broader societal shift towards living together without formal marriage or civil partnership. Among these, approximately 476,000 individuals were in...
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Opposing Lease Renewals in 2025: Key Case Law Shaping Landlord Rights Under the LTA 1954
In England and Wales, the process of renewing a commercial lease is governed by the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, and can be initiated by either party, whether you are a landlord serving a Section 25 notice or a tenant serving a Section 26 notice. It is this same Act that also provides the legal framework to challenge a renewal. Our Property...
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Who Gets The House When An Unmarried Couple Splits Up?
When a cohabiting couple separates, the parties often want to know what happens with the property. Are they able to sell it? How is the equity split between them? Ultimately, if the parties are unable to agree between themselves, then the Court has...
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The Renters' Rights Bill: What You Need to Know
The rental market has recently come under increasing scrutiny as landlords, tenants, and legislators seek fairer housing policies. One of the most significant developments is the introduction of the ‘Renters’ Rights Bill (now the Renters’ Rights Act 2025), some of these reforms have now come into force.
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How to Deal With Terminal Dilapidations
When a lease approaches expiry, a landlord will consider the property's condition and whether the tenant is in breach of any of the lease's clauses relating to the property's repair and maintenance. When dealing with a terminal dilapidations claim , the parties should consider the provisions of the Dilapidations Pre-action Protocol. This requires...
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What Happens to a House When an Unmarried Couple Splits and Only One Partner Owns It?
There is a myth that when you live with your partner for a long period of time, you are in a “ common law marriage ”. However, the reality is that there is no such concept in England and Wales. Whether you have lived with your partner for one year or 50 or are not married, you have no automatic rights to your partner’s assets if your...
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What Happens to Sub-Tenants if the Headlease is Forfeited, Surrendered or Disclaimed?
There are different consequences to the sub-tenants interest if a headlease is forfeited or surrendered. Our Property Litigation Solicitors explore the impact on a sub-tenant in both scenarios.
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Can a Landlord Take Back Possession of my Retail Premises to Redevelop the Site?
The answer to this question will depend on whether your lease is protected by the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 ("the 1954 Act"). If the lease has the 'protection' of Part II of the 1954 Act, the business tenancy will not end unless terminated under the 1954 Act. Our Property Litigation Lawyers and Retail Team analyse the case of Sainsbury's...
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What Is A Private Nuisance?
In a landmark ruling on 1 February 2023, the UK Supreme Court clarified that how modern buildings are used can amount to private nuisance, impacting property owners, occupiers, and developers. Our Property Litigation Solicitors explain what a Private Nuisance is, who's affected by it and how the case of Fearn v The Board of Trustees of the Tate...
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Nature of Easements
Easements are a key consideration for landowners and developers, as a failure to consider their implications properly may have the result of severely inhibiting a development scheme. This blog identifies common easements, examines how they are created, and discusses common forms of disputes that arise from easements. Our Property Litigation...
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Residential Landlord Possession – What To Do If Your Tenant Refuses To Move Out
In most cases, a tenant will leave after the landlord has served a Section 8 Notice or a Section 21 Notice requiring the tenant to vacate the property. However, when the tenant fails to vacate, the landlord may be forced to proceed with Court action. Our Property Litigation Lawyers explain the processes Landlords can follow if a tenant refuses...
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