Services
Arbitrator & Independent Expert
Maple Leaf provides expert arbitration and independent expert services for retail and commercial property disputes, throughout England, offering a cost‑effective and flexible alternative to court proceedings.
John Williams is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the RICS President’s Panel for both rent and non‑rent disputes, with extensive experience in rent reviews, PACT lease renewals (including disputed lease terms), dilapidations, disputed break clauses, and landlord consent disputes.
Whether appointed by the RICS or directly by the parties, Maple Leaf delivers clear, authoritative determinations through proportionate procedures tailored to the dispute, helping resolve matters efficiently and with commercial certainty.
Mediation
Evaluative Mediation is a highly effective method of resolve disputes in a constructive and confidential environment, maintaining parties’ working relationships and enabling them to make sound, informed decisions to reach settlements which they themselves control.
John Williams, is an RICS ACRE Accredited, Evaluative Mediator, able to call on a wealth of experience to help parties to evaluate their positions and reach realistic negotiated settlements which avoid expensive and time consuming litigation.
Expert Witness
Maple Leaf provides expert witness services in arbitration and court proceedings for rent reviews, lease renewals, interim rents, and dilapidation disputes.
John Williams is a Cardiff University/Bond Solon certified Expert Witness, a Fellow of the Expert Witness Institute, and has over 35 years’ experience giving independent, robust, and well‑reasoned expert evidence. Acting for both landlords and tenants ensures a balanced perspective that commands credibility with tribunals, arbitrators, and the courts.
Maple Leaf also accepts Single Joint Expert appointments, reducing costs and promoting proportionate dispute resolution.
Lease renewals involve more than rent alone, requiring strict compliance with statutory procedures, deadlines, and negotiation of lease terms. Maple Leaf advises landlords and tenants throughout the renewal process, helping manage risk and control costs.
With specialist expertise in negotiation, arbitration, and court proceedings, the practice provides practical advice on rent levels, lease length, and achievable lease term changes. This integrated approach ensures clients are well positioned whether matters are resolved by agreement or determination.
Repair & Dilapidation Disputes
Rent reviews are frequently contentious, particularly in challenging market conditions where evidence is limited or complex. Maple Leaf combines detailed market knowledge with a forensic approach to analysing comparable transactions and valuation adjustments.
By drawing on extensive negotiation experience and the insight of an RICS Panel Arbitrator, Maple Leaf helps clients achieve well‑supported outcomes and advises strategically where disputes escalate, ensuring positions are robust and costs are carefully managed.
Lease Renewals
Repair and dilapidation claims often involve complex legal and valuation issues, including mitigation, supersession, and statutory caps under Section 18(1) of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1927.
With over 25 years’ experience in dilapidation disputes, Maple Leaf assists both landlords and tenants in assessing liability, loss, and realistic outcomes. The practice adopts a staged, proportionate approach and frequently uses neutral evaluation and mediation to narrow issues and achieve early settlement.
Where required, John Williams can act as arbitrator, providing binding determinations with clarity and authority.