H&K is active

in all areas

of real estate

Domestic and international property development


H&K is a leader in real estate development transactions.

It advises investors, developers, occupiers and financial institutions in property transactions, whether for investment or development purposes.

This practice area encompasses sales, exchanges, lease arrangements, assignments or grants of real property rights (long leases, building rights, etc.), and company law.


Town & country and urban planning 


This is an area in which H&K’s know-how is widely acknowledged.

In this field, H&K:

- provides reassurance in preparation of dossiers when filing for or regularising planning or land-division permits ;

- lodges and conducts appeals before official authorities and the courts.

The matters dealt with by H&K in this domain also extend to the protection of heritage sites (listed buildings and monuments), operational urban planning (renovation of economic activity sites to be redeveloped, urban renewal, revitalisation of town centres, rural development, etc.), housing, and even retirement homes.


Environment


Environmental law is an area in constant change.

H&K is regularly consulted to draft regulatory texts.

In this domain, H&K will particularly support you in:

- obtaining or regularising environmental permits ;

- management of polluted land ;

- legal questions linked to the energy performance of properties.

H&K provides assurance in the preparation and finalisation of your applications. It lodges and conducts appeals before the official authorities and courts.


Retail


Retail is a key sector within the European economy.

H&K acts in the creation, expansion, management and maintenance of shopping developments.

H&K’s practice encompasses:

- all types of leases (shops – offices – residential – industrial) and other occupancy contracts ;

- service provision agreements (full contract bundles as used in retail parks or shopping centres).

Also in this area, H&K provides dispute-resolution services (lawsuits – out-of-court settlements).


Construction


H&K acts in each phase of the process of constructing a building (whether residential, offices, shops or industrial).

It drafts and negotiates the contracts for the architecture, engineering, health and safety coordination, stability control, construction (contract-letting and bills of conditions), project management, quantity surveyor, and so on.

It also puts together “bouwteam” and “build-to-suit” agreements, etc.

It supports clients in court, arbitration, mediation and assessor proceedings.


Compulsory Purchase


Over many years, H&K has developed extensive experience in relation to compulsory purchase.

It assists and represents the public authorities at each stage of the process (amicable acquisition, preliminary official phase, court action).


Various Other Forms of Assistance


In each of the above areas, the firm’s real estate expertise interfaces with other areas of the law that H&K specialises in and practices on a daily basis.

This mainly concerns the following areas:

- “ordinary” joint ownership (joint ownership agreements, conflicts between joint owners, partition) and “forced” joint ownership (administration, buildings management, dispute handling);

- easements and party walls and boundaries ;

- special contracts (powers of attorney, agency contracts, custody, loan, etc.) ;

- law of obligations – professional liability of players in the real estate sector (brokers, building managers, developers, architects, builders, etc.) ;

- sureties (bonds, preferences and mortgages, pledges, etc.) ;

- insurance.