EP107 Understanding The Risk

In this episode, Michael sits down with Deepak Ohri, Partner at Merali Beedle and one of the more colourful characters in specialist property law. The conversation is wide-ranging, frank, and refreshingly commercial: from why every lawyer ought to run a business before they can truly understand risk, to the creeping post-COVID decline in legal service quality, the case for and against title insurance and indemnity policies, and a candid dissection of fraud in property transactions — including a shared episode that Deepak and Michael were both involved in. They also dig into the state of the market, why now might be a generational buying opportunity for block purchases, the enduring appeal of HMOs, and why some bridge lenders were never really cut out for development in the first place.

Deepak opens up about the commercial instincts he developed long before law — from market stalls to helping his wife build a restaurant business — and why that real-world grounding shapes how he handles risk and client relationships today. He and Michael unpick the hidden cost of using a cheap conveyancer, how lenders’ and borrowers’ lawyers can do more to stop transactions grinding to a halt, and the uncomfortable truth that valuations are far more subjective — and far less reliable as security — than many bridging lenders seem to appreciate. They close with Deepak’s advice to his younger self: get out there, meet different people, and think about things in a wider way.

Guest: Deepak Ohri, Partner, Merali Beedle

Guest Socials: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepak-o-44b2b33a/

Sponsored by:

Avamore Capital

https://avamorecapital.com

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Chapters:

00:00:00 – Why every lawyer should run a business

00:06:43 – Theoretical lawyers and the cost of opportunistic title disputes

00:13:02 – The restaurant world, food influencers, and running a service business

00:15:41 – Post-COVID legal quality: fees up, service down

00:19:43 – Streamlining transactions and the hidden cost of cheap conveyancers

00:24:44 – Title insurance and indemnity policies: are they fit for purpose?

00:26:39 – Fraud in property transactions and how to mitigate it

00:30:34 – Market themes: equity gaps, refinancing pressure, and a tough environment

00:35:17 – Generational buying opportunity: blocks, discounts, and stamp duty strategy

00:40:52 – HMOs, assisted living, and 2026 market themes

00:46:36 – Development lenders pulling back — and the bridging oversaturation problem

00:51:47 – Valuation risk: why 65% LTGDV dev might be safer than 75% LTV bridging

00:53:43 – Advice to your younger self