Received a Letter From The Natural Light Company? What to Know Before You Sign | Daylight Protect

If The Natural Light Company has written to you about a nearby development, this page explains what the letter says, what it leaves out, why a fully funded and insured claim is different from a no win, no fee promise, and the questions to put to them, and to us, before you sign anything.

Daylight Protect is a competitor of The Natural Light Company and has no connection with them. This page has been prepared by Daylight Protect from a letter dated 10 September 2026 and from the company's public website, reviewed on 13 October 2026. We do not know the terms of any agreement NLC would offer you, so we make no claim about what they do or do not provide. Always check the terms you are offered directly.

• The letter calls the service free and says there is nothing to pay or fund at any stage. It does not say how the company is paid. Its website says the service is no win, no fee, and describes its rates as lower and fairer than those of intermediaries charging more than 30%. Get the actual figure in writing.
• 'No win, no fee' describes who gets paid when you win. It does not tell you who pays the experts, the court and the other side if you lose.
• 'Materially affected' is the company's conclusion, not evidence. Ask which windows are affected, how the loss was measured, and what it is worth.

What does the letter from The Natural Light Company say?

The letter we reviewed was addressed to a property owner and concerned a nearby development. In summary, it:

• says the company is running a free programme of property surveys in connection with the scheme;
• says the owner's property has been identified as materially affected, and that they may be entitled to substantial compensation for loss of light, party wall matters, access and oversailing;
• lists what it calls a free service: a RICS property survey, technical analysis, specialist legal representation, negotiation directly with the developer, and preparation and completion of a settlement;
• says all surveying, technical and legal costs are included, and that there is nothing to pay or fund at any stage;
• says planning permission does not automatically override private property rights, and urges the owner to act before the works are completed; and
• says surveys are being arranged during September, October and November 2026.

Some of that is right. Planning permission does not override a right to light, and timing does matter. What the letter does not tell you is just as important.

Who are The Natural Light Company?

The company's website describes a coalition of experts from right of light firms, development companies and specialist planning firms, offering a direct, agent-free service between owners and its surveyors. It describes itself as the UK's top expert in right of light surveying. That is the company's own description, not an independent finding.

The letter states that it is part of the Great British Surveying Company, and gives a registered number of OC455218 and a registered address at 35 Ballards Lane, London N3 1XW. As with any provider, it is sensible to check the registered entity on Companies House, and to confirm any claim of RICS regulation on the RICS register, before you sign.

Is The Natural Light Company's service really free?

The letter describes the service as free and says there is nothing for you to pay or fund at any stage. The company's website describes its process as no win, no fee, and its 'received a letter' page criticises other intermediaries for charging clients well over 30%, saying its own rate is significantly lower and fairer.

Put together, that points to a fee taken from compensation if a claim succeeds, rather than a service that costs nothing in every scenario. That can be perfectly reasonable, and nothing upfront is a real benefit. But 'free' and 'a rate' are not the same thing. We could not find a percentage in the letter or on the website pages we reviewed (the home page, process, who we are, and received a letter). Ask for the figure, and ask whether VAT and any other deductions come on top.

Has my property really been materially affected?

A right to light attaches to specific windows that have enjoyed light for long enough, typically 20 years under the Prescription Act 1832. It is only infringed where a development takes enough of that light away. That is assessed window by window and room by room, using recognised methods such as the Waldram method.

A letter saying your property is affected is the start of a conversation, not a finding that you have a claim. Ask which windows, what modelling was used, what loss it shows and what that is worth. Also look at the distance and direction between your windows and the development. Rights of light concern windows close enough to a scheme to lose light from it.

The letter also mentions party wall matters, access and oversailing. Does that matter?

Yes. These are different regimes. Party wall matters sit under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, which has its own notices and its own surveyors. Access and oversailing typically concern licences for scaffolding and cranes. A right to light is a private property right with no statutory procedure behind it. Having a claim for one does not mean having a claim for the others. We explain the difference here: rights of light and the Party Wall Act are separate regimes.

The letter says to act now. Is there a deadline?

Timing does matter. Your leverage is usually strongest before and during early construction. But there is no general legal deadline, and a date in a marketing letter is not one. The one statutory clock to watch is a light obstruction notice registered against your property, which this letter does not mention. A few days to compare terms costs you nothing.

What does a fully funded, insured claim involve, and why does it matter?

A rights of light claim that can run to a courtroom needs five things in place before the developer sees it: a specialist surveyor; independent specialist solicitors retained in your name; counsel where needed; court fees and expert costs; and legal insurance that pays the developer's costs if the claim fails.

Each of these costs money and carries risk. If one is not covered by the arrangement, the cost has to land somewhere: on you, on the solicitor, or in a reluctance to take a difficult claim as far as court. That matters because a developer does not price your letter. It prices the chance that your claim reaches a judge who can grant an injunction. A claim that is visibly equipped to go the distance is priced as litigation risk. One that visibly cannot is priced as correspondence. We explain the wider picture in claims company vs your own surveyor vs solicitor.

What should I ask The Natural Light Company before signing?

Put these questions in writing and keep the answers. They are the same questions we recommend asking any provider, Daylight Protect included.

1. What exact percentage or amount comes out of my compensation, and is VAT included or added on top?
2. Are there any other deductions, such as insurance premiums, disbursements or introduction fees?
3. Which solicitors will act for me, and will they be formally retained in my name?
4. Who pays the surveyor, any barrister and the court fees if the claim becomes contested, and does that change if I lose?
5. If the claim fails, who pays the developer's legal costs? Is there insurance protecting me, and where does the paperwork say so?
6. Does the arrangement carry the claim all the way to court if the developer will not settle?
7. What happens if I want to cancel, and what happens if the company or the solicitor ends the arrangement?
8. If my claim settled for £50,000, what exact amount would reach my bank account?

We did not find any mention of insurance against the developer's legal costs, a named solicitor or cancellation terms in the letter or on the website pages we reviewed. That does not mean none exist. They may well be in the agreement you would be asked to sign. It means you should ask to see them first.

How does Daylight Protect work?

Daylight Protect is a litigation facilitator and is not a firm of solicitors. Our fully funded solution covers the surveyor, the solicitors, counsel and court costs, and is backed by legal insurance that covers the developer's costs if a claim does not succeed. There is no upfront payment.

Under the current Daylight Protect Claim Plan, the total deduction from a successful claim is 35.6% of the compensation recovered, inclusive of our fee, VAT and the insurance premium. On a £50,000 settlement that is £17,800, leaving you with £32,200. Independent specialist solicitors act for you, and everything is set out in writing before you sign.

A lower headline figure from another provider is not automatically cheaper if other costs can be deducted, and a higher one is not automatically worse if it includes everything. Compare the amount you keep, not the percentage alone.

The Natural Light Company and Daylight Protect compared

This table uses what the letter and the company's website say. Where something is not stated, we have said so. Always check the terms you are actually offered.

Can I speak to Daylight Protect if The Natural Light Company has contacted me?

Yes. Being contacted by one company does not stop you speaking to another. If you have not signed an agreement, you are free to compare your options before deciding who, if anyone, to instruct.

If you have already signed, your position depends on the terms of that agreement, including any cooling-off, cancellation or termination provisions. We cannot tell you that you are free to leave without reviewing the documents. If necessary, take independent legal advice first.

If you would like a second opinion on whether your property may have a claim, we can review the scheme and your windows and tell you whether we think it warrants further investigation. We can also explain our fee, funding and insurance arrangements so you have something concrete to compare.

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Frequently asked questions

Is The Natural Light Company a scam?

We have no basis for saying so. The letter came from a real company with a public website and a registered number. An unexpected letter is not improper in itself, but you should verify who you are dealing with and read the full agreement before signing anything.

Why has The Natural Light Company written to me?

Companies in this market identify properties near proposed developments from planning records and write to owners who may hold rights of light. Receiving a letter does not mean you have a claim. A proper assessment of your windows and the scheme is needed first.

How much does The Natural Light Company charge?

The letter says the service is free and that there is nothing to pay or fund. The website says it is no win, no fee, at a rate it describes as lower and fairer than intermediaries charging more than 30%. We could not find a percentage. Ask for it, with VAT and all other deductions, in writing.

Does The Natural Light Company offer legal insurance?

We do not know. Neither the letter nor the website pages we reviewed mention it. Ask them directly and ask to see the policy or clause in writing.

Is Daylight Protect better than The Natural Light Company?

We are not going to answer that from marketing material. Get both providers' written terms, then compare what you keep if the claim succeeds and what you are exposed to if it does not.

Is Daylight Protect connected with The Natural Light Company?

No. They are separate businesses operating in the same market.

Last updated: October 2026.

Daylight Protect has no connection with The Natural Light Company. Daylight Protect is a competitor operating in the rights of light claims market. Information about The Natural Light Company on this page is based on a letter dated 10 September 2026 and its public website at the date shown, and may change. We make no statement about the terms of any agreement it may offer. Readers should obtain and review current terms directly from the provider before making a decision. Daylight Protect is a litigation facilitator and is not a firm of solicitors. This article is general information only and does not constitute legal advice.

Written By Joshua Platt BSc (Hons) MRICS, Director, Daylight Protect

Daylight Protect is a rights of light claims specialist operating across England and Wales. We provide a fully funded solution that covers everything end to end, the surveyor, the solicitor, counsel and court fees, backed by legal insurance that covers the developer's costs if a claim does not succeed. There is no recovery, no fee, and no costs to you either way. We tell you plainly when you have a claim, and just as plainly when you do not.

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