Sonia Rai > Chambers of Rachel Sleeman > London, England > Barrister Profile

Sonia Rai

Position

Sonia is an experienced property, including housing, specialist and has experience in all aspects of Property Litigation as well as Landlord and Tenant.

Sonia undertakes work in all areas of property litigation with a particular interest in real property disputes involving restrictive covenants and easements, leasehold enfranchisement and service charges.

Sonia deals effectively with all property disputes and well known for her robust cross-examination and concise closing submissions.

She is a pragmatic litigator and will argue her client’s case while also ensuring that the best course of action is taken for her client.

Sonia does accept direct access instructions in appropriate cases.

Before she came to the Bar, she was a qualified pharmacist.

Property Litigation

Sonia has acted for corporate and individual owners of commercial and residential property in a wide range of property litigation. The cases that she has been involved in include rights of way, parking issues, restrictive covenants and easements, boundary disputes, and obtaining injunctions against persons unknown.

Recent Work

Brent LBC v Malvern Mews Tenants Association Ltd [2020] EWHC 1024 (Ch). Sonia represented Brent LBC to resist a negative declaration as to an easement.

Lennon v Elliott and Elliott (2020) Luton County Court, successfully reached an agreement as to the ownership and the responsibility for repair of a boundary wall.

LB Haringey v Zone Gym (2020) Highgate Corner Magistrates Court, successfully appeared for a local authority to close a gym in breach of Covid-19 regulations.

LB Tower Hamlets v PU (2020) obtaining an injunction against persons unknown from the basement of a block of flats.

Westminster CC v PU (2020) obtaining an injunction against persons unknown that behave anti-socially, from a housing estate.

Advising a leaseholder as to the extent of a covenant to park in the communal areas.

Advising an individual as to the legal remedies available in relation to rights of way and restrictive covenants in relation parking and obstructions.

Landlord & Tenant

Sonia has acted for landlords and tenants of commercial and residential property both in the private and public sectors. Her recent work includes leasehold enfranchisement, service charge disputes, possession, injunctions, forfeiture, unlawful subletting, tenancy fraud, and disrepair and dilapidations.

Recent Work

Successfully acted for a landlord in forfeiting a lease due to non-payment of service charges.

Successfully acted for a tenant in the appointment of a manager in the Lower Tier Tribunal.

Advising a landlord in regard to a modification of a term in the lease in relation to service charges.

 

 

 

 

Career

Called 1998; Gray’s Inn.

Memberships

Social Housing Law Association (committee member); Property Bar Association.

Education

Tiffin Girls’ School; The School of Pharmacy, University of London (1995 BPharm Hons 2(1)); College of Law (1997 Dip Law).