Kingsley Smith Solicitors LLP

“Kingsley has been amazing throughout our garden house case.

He is professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly sharp, making the whole process much smoother. And of course very happy ending! Highly recommended

• Professionalism
• Knowledgeable
• Recommended

“I purchased a property 3 years ago with the intention of renovating it into a family home.

It was in a state of severe disrepair but in my opinion not derelict and I believed at time of purchase that the material facts of the property demonstrated disrepair. This was the battle that I ended up facing into. I realised through a fairly innocuous application that the LPA was indicating Abandonment, meaning the property had lost all rights from a planning perspective. The implications for me were huge and I wasn't willing to accept this. I realised I needed professional support. I did extensive research into solicitors who could help; I spoke to several who basically said my case was hopeless. I also realised that many solicitors would only take on 'sure bets' to keep their success rate high. I eventually found Kingsley Smith Solicitors, having read many of their previous cases I could source in the public domain and I immediately felt that I had found the solicitors I needed for my problem. Nicholas Kingsley-Smith prepared a robust application to the LPA. The LPA rejected it because in my opinion they had their own agenda and critically, they ignored or paid scant regard to some of the material facts in the application. This meant that I had to go to appeal, where again Nicholas prepared the paperwork. Ultimately, the Planning Inspectorate Allowed the appeal and we won the case. Perhaps the most interesting thing was that in the Inspector's report he quoted or paraphrased many of the arguments that had been put forward. My understanding is that the bar for winning at appeal is set at the appellant's argument stands up 'on the balance of probabilities', I think anyone who were to read the judgement of the inspector would say that this bar was far exceeded and it was beyond doubt that the appeal was successful. I think there are also a number of subtle precedents this appeal has set regarding Abandonment and I feel proud that others can also benefit from this experience. In the ways of working, I appreciated the robustness of the approach and to be honest the willingness to knock back some of my weaker arguments that wouldn't add value to the narrative; that is to say that although I am the fee payer I wasn't pandered to at the cost of the case. Also, considering the quality of the arguments presented, there was another reference case that Nicholas sourced and when I look at the way their argument was presented versus ours it was night and day. I cannot recommend Kingsley Smith Solicitors highly enough.

• Professionalism
• Supportive
• Understanding

“I am incredibly grateful for the outstanding service provided by Kingsley Smith Solicitors in dealing with our enforcement notice case.

From the very beginning, they demonstrated exceptional professionalism, clarity, and confidence, which immediately put me at ease during what was a very stressful time. Nicholas dealt with our enforcement appeal and was straight talking and to the point. Their attention to detail, thorough understanding of planning law, and strategic approach made all the difference. They guided me through every step of the process, kept me fully informed, and handled all communication with expertise and efficiency. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, the enforcement notice was successfully dismissed—an outcome I couldn’t be happier with. I highly recommend Kingsley Smith Solicitors to anyone in need of strong, reliable legal representation. Their commitment, competence, and client-focused approach truly set them apart. I have to say they are not the cheapest to use but in my experience you get what you pay for.

• Excellent service
• Professionalism
• Thorough
• Understanding