For many people, buying a property with a friend is the only realistic way onto the property ladder. Rising house prices, stagnant wages, and changing lifestyles mean more buyers are making pragmatic decisions rather than romantic ones. What often gets overlooked is how exposed those arrangements can become when friendships break down.

In this episode of The Ground Floor, Barrister Blessing Mukosha Park is joined by Professor Martin Dixon KC (Hon), one of the UK’s leading authorities on land law, co-ownership, and trusts of land, to unpack what really happens when friends buy property together and fall into dispute.

They explore how the law approaches platonic co-ownership, why so much of the existing authority is rooted in marital and cohabiting relationships, and why the courts often take a very different approach when the parties are simply friends. The discussion breaks down the legal mechanics behind co-ownership, the importance of intention, and the harsh realities that can follow when arrangements are informal or undocumented.

From unequal deposits and mortgage contributions, to one friend wanting to sell, exclusion from the property, post-acquisition payments, and the court’s powers under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996, this episode examines the scenarios practitioners see again and again in practice.

Whether you are considering buying a property with a friend, advising clients on co-ownership disputes, or working in property or chancery practice, this conversation offers a grounded and practical insight into how the law really responds when friendships unravel.

This episode is sponsored by BLESSING AT THE BAR, a platform supporting aspiring and practising lawyers with practical resources, courses, and productivity tools.

Topics covered include
• Buying property with friends and the rise of platonic co-ownership
• Legal title versus beneficial ownership
• Joint tenancies and tenancies in common explained
• Unequal contributions and how courts assess intention
• Orders for sale under TLATA 1996
• Post-acquisition payments, improvements, and equitable accounting
• Exclusion from the property and occupation rent
• Why most platonic co-ownership disputes end in sale
• How many disputes could be avoided with proper advice at the outset

Next episode: Blessing explores the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and the major changes it is set to bring to landlord and tenant law.

Every city has that one spot, a creative pop up, a takeover, a gallery that appears for a moment and disappears just as quickly. What most people never see is the legal framework behind those spaces. The contracts, conditions and obligations that determine whether a creative idea thrives or collapses.

In the first episode of The Ground Floor, Barrister Blessing Mukosha Park sits down with property solicitor Ana Zandi to unpack how creatives use commercial spaces, and why the difference between a licence and a lease decides almost everything. They explore the practical realities behind short term lets, brand activations, planning restrictions, fit outs, reinstatement, reputational risk and the consequences of getting it wrong.

From the pitfalls of calling something a “licence” when conduct makes it a lease, to the real impact of break clauses, covenants, forfeiture and planning rules, this episode breaks down the legal considerations that sit behind modern creative culture.

Whether you are a brand thinking about a pop up, a creative collective negotiating a short term space, a commercial landlord renting to new businesses, or a junior lawyer working in property or chancery practice, this conversation gives a grounded insight into what really happens behind the scenes.

This episode is sponsored by Blessing at the Bar, a platform supporting aspiring and practising lawyers with practical resources, courses and productivity tools.

Topics covered include
• Licence versus lease and why the label is not always decisive• How conduct can create unintended lease rights• Planning, permitted use and the risks of getting it wrong• Fit outs, reinstatement and the Capital Park Leeds v Global Radio decision• Operational and reputational risks for commercial landlords• Forfeiture, break clauses and why commercial consequences are fast• Practical guidance for creatives, brands and property owners

Next episode: Professor Martin Dixon KC (Hon) joins Blessing to discuss what really happens when friends buy property together and why the law may not recognise friendship the way you do.

Welcome to The Ground Floor, a series hosted by barrister Blessing Mukosha Park exploring the real world of property, commercial and chancery law. Each month, Blessing speaks with lawyers, academics and industry professionals to unpack how people actually use space, make deals, resolve disputes and navigate the risks that come with modern commercial life.

The show takes complex legal issues and makes them practical, accessible and grounded in experience. If you are a junior lawyer, in house advisor, business owner, landlord or creative working in commercial space, The Ground Floor will give you clear insight into the decisions and obligations that shape your work.

Supported by BLESSING AT THE BAR. New episodes released monthly.