Frances Watts

She advises on all aspects of commercial property including sales and purchases, leases and financing. Frances regularly represents institutions, investors, developers and LPA Receivers alike in transactions involving high value properties and developments. Frances also specialises in leasehold enfranchisement matters acting on lease extensions, right to manage and collective enfranchisement.

Recent work highlights include:

• Client entered into an option to purchase for a site in Wokingham. Following a grant of planning permission, taking the form of permitted development, a detailed planning permission for a new building option was exercised and back-to-back sale on for 5m.
• Purchase of development site in Maidenhead for £1.1m for development into 9 apartments. Purchased using primary and mezzanine financing.
• Secured finance over 6 properties, acted on the acquisition of for an overseas purchaser. Draw down of £3.3m and total purchase price of 5 units £6.9m.
• Completed lease from large London Estate in 1 week following substantive damage to clients existing premises following a catastrophic flood. Term of 10 days with passing rent of £182,500. Also dealt with negotiation of surrender of existing lease to allow new lease to be entered into.
• Option over development site in Camberley achieving sale at £2.1m with conditional sale to third party following permitted development being achieved for 24 units.
• Purchase, lease back and secured finance of haulage site in east Reading for £1.8m

Frances has a Law Degree from the University of Birmingham in 2007 and completed her Legal Practice Course at The College of Law in 2008. Frances is an SRA-regulated solicitor – SRA number 454911