Anthony Blasdale FRICS ACIArb is a qualified mediator General Information Chartered Surveyor, Arbitrator, Mediator “Patient, persuasive, logical, usually calm … can be very charming …” “Persistent … just kept going, never seemed to tire … really made us believe that a settlement could be achieved.” “…very capable and helped the parties maintain a focus on settlement rather than rehearsing legal arguments.” Mediation experience Anthony was accredited by CEDR in 1997 and added Mediation to his other dispute resolution work as a practising Arbitrator and Independent Expert (RICS President’s Panel). He has received over 40 Mediation appointments. His Mediation and professional experience covers a wide range of property-related issues, including: Commercial Landlord & Tenant Agreements to lease and leases Dilapidations and repairing covenants generally Rent reviews and lease renewals Service charge disputes and general property management issues Development & Construction Agreements Conditionality, extensions of time, oversailing rights, overage agreements, rights to light, planning agreements, collateral warranties, rights of way, ransom strips, defective works, cost overruns, contaminated land. Valuation Issues For acquisition, disposal, lettings, development appraisals, rent reviews and lease renewals, dilapidations (s18) Ownership Rights of way, easements, party wall issues, inheritance, lease/licence, boundary disputes. Examples of Cases Mediated Dilapidations Claim Where the issues in dispute included a missing Schedule of Condition, disagreements as to the extent of repair required and a failure to agree the section 18 Valuations and Cost Cap. Development Agreement and Overage Claim The parties had differing interpretations as to the meaning to the relevant clause and could not therefore agree the valuation calculations or the amount payable. Service Charge Dispute A claim by the owners of a city centre office block against their tenants in respect of service charge payments withheld. Issues in dispute included interpretation of repairing covenants, distinction between repairs and improvements and apportionment as between tenants. Breach of Covenant Here a landowner had allegedly breached covenants relating to both the use and location of a newly-constructed building. There was disagreement as to the basis of calculation of any compensation (Stokes v Cambridge et al) and what arrangements could be put in place to protect the future development of retained land. Professional Negligence A claim by the owner of a historic and Listed building against his architect and structural engineer. Works of modernisation and improvement had been carried out. At one stage the building was in imminent danger of collapse because of defective structural calculations. Extensive additional work had to be undertaken resulting in delay and cost overrun. Dispute Resolution Experience Anthony has received over three hundred appointments from the President of the RICS as Arbitrator or Independent Expert to deal with commercial rent reviews. He has also given litigation support in complex property disputes. As a CEDR Accredited Mediator Anthony has mediated a wide range of property-related disputes. He graduated from simple cases under the Independent Housing Ombudsman scheme dealing with issues as diverse as dampness and racial harassment to more complex and demanding work as set out in some of the examples above. He has also dealt with cases under the Manchester Court based scheme. Non property-related cases included defective printing machinery and injuries suffered by County firemen. He regarded his recent consultancy work with a NW based Development & Investment Company, as including dispute avoidance by overseeing all its documentation to ensure that terms were clearly and comprehensively expressed. He has lectured to the Manchester Law Society, the RICS and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and presented for CEDR to English Nature and Scottish Natural Heritage. Professional Background Anthony qualified as an Associate of the RICS in 1965 and became a Fellow in 1976. A partner in Longden & Cook he founded his own practice in 1979 and became a partner in Swimer Lee Blasdale in 1965. When that practice was sold to Cardales in 1996 he remained with them and was, for two years, head of the office before joining ep2 in 2000 as a Consultant. Until recently he was a Consultant to NW based Property Alliance Group and to Excel Securities. Now he is a Consultant to a private investment and development company, to a Manchester firm of solicitors and he also continues to act for a number of private clients. He has a wealth of professional experience both in the areas set out above and in the commercial arena generally. A good all-rounder.