Costs shake-up proposed for landlord-leaseholder disputes – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 29th, 2019 in costs, enfranchisement, landlord & tenant, leases, news by sally

‘Landlords would not be able to recover their legal costs from leaseholders unsuccessfully making ‘right-to-manage’ claims under proposals published by the Law Commission today. The aim is to simplify the process under which leaseholders take over day-to-day responsibility for properties – and to discourage landlords from retaining ‘expensive’ lawyers to fight such claims.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 28th January 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Practically complete or completely impractical? Navigating the pitfalls of what constitutes practical completion – Practical Law: Construction Blog

‘Many a construction dispute turns on defects. A significant subset of those turn on whether the existence of defects prevents practical completion from taking place. It’s not surprising that these situations are contentious: contractors are keen that practical completion is certified so as to avoid or limit their liability for liquidated damages, trigger the return of retention monies and, often, to bring about an assessment of sums they consider due under the final account. Employers may be understandably reluctant to take possession of a property which they consider defective and by resisting practical completion an employer can put pressure on a contractor by withholding sums that would otherwise become due. Practical completion is therefore an important concept in construction contracts, although one that is often not precisely defined, which can cause uncertainty and hinder the operation of the contract.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 23rd January 2019

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Court challenge to hostile environment tenancy scheme begins – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2018 in immigration, judicial review, landlord & tenant, news, race discrimination by sally

‘An attempt to overturn a key pillar of the government’s hostile environment policy that forces landlords to evict or turn away tenants they believe may be in the country illegally is due to begin in the high court.’

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The Guardian, 18th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Commercial lease renewal: the death of contrived developments – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted December 14th, 2018 in landlord & tenant, leases, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘Alexander Bastin discusses the Supreme Court’s decision in S Franses Ltd v The Cavendish Hotel (London) Ltd [2018] UKSC 62 on whether a landlord can oppose the grant of a new tenancy by relying on section 30 (1)(f) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, if the works which it says it intends to do have no purpose other than to get rid of the tenant.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 7th December 2018

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Landlord fined £25,000 over lack of hot water for disabled tenant – The Guardian

‘The wife of Britain’s most controversial buy-to-let landlord, Fergus Wilson, has been ordered to pay £25,000 in fines and legal costs after a court ruled that she had failed to supply hot water to a disabled tenant.’

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The Guardian, 12th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Duval v 11-13 Randolph Crescent Ltd and the contingent obligation principle; or ‘What do promises to marry have to do with leasehold covenants?’ – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted December 12th, 2018 in covenants, landlord & tenant, leases, news by sally

‘In Duval v 11-13 Randolph Crescent Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ 2298 the Court of Appeal applied what might be called ‘the contingent obligation principle’ to solve a problem that had arisen between the landlord (11-13 Randolph Crescent Ltd) of two houses that had been converted into 18 flats and two of the lessees, Dr Julia Duval of flats 11G and 11H, and Mrs Winfield of Flat 13.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 29th November 2018

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Every dog in a manger has its day: landlord’s obligation to enforce tenants’ covenants at the request of other tenants – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted December 12th, 2018 in covenants, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal’s decision in Duval v 11–13 Randolph Crescent Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ 2298 is a wake-up call to landlords to be alive to their, often overlooked, obligations to enforce tenants’ covenants at the behest of other tenants.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 29th November 2018

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Mears Limited v Costplan Services (South East) Limited & Others [2018] EWHC 3363 (TCC) – 4 New Square

Posted December 11th, 2018 in construction industry, contracts, housing, landlord & tenant, leases, news by sally

‘Mears Limited v Costplan Services (South East) Limited & Others [2018] EWHC 3363 (TCC) concerned the development of student accommodation in Plymouth. Mears Limited (“Mears”) alleged that there were substantial and material deviations from the contractual drawings and sought declarations preventing the certification of practical completion, the practical effect of which was to allow Mears to terminate its agreement to take a lease of the accommodation.’

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4 New Square, 10th December 2018

Source: www.4newsquare.com

New Judgment: S Franses Ltd v The Cavendish Hotel (London) Ltd [2018] UKSC 62 – UKSC Blog

‘This appeal considered the construction of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. It specifically considered whether a landlord which intends to carry out works if, and only if, those works are necessary to satisfy s 30(1)(f), and which offers an undertaking to carry out those works in the form of the undertaking given by the respondent in the present case, has the requisite intention for the purposes of ground (f). It also considered whether a landlord whose sole or predominant commercial objective is to undertake works in order to fulfil ground (f) and thereby avoid the grant of a new lease to the tenant, and which offers an undertaking to carry out those works in the form of an undertaking given in the present case, has the requisite intention for the purposes of ground (f).’

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UKSC Blog, 5th December 2018

Source: ukscblog.com

Law Commission seeks to jump-start commonhold demand – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 11th, 2018 in housing, landlord & tenant, Law Commission, leases, news by sally

‘The Law Commission is hoping to reinvigorate demand for an alternative form of property ownership that struggled to gain traction when it was introduced nearly two decades ago.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 10th December 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Exposing rogue landlords: ‘The deck feels stacked against tenants’ – The Guardian

‘Simon Goodley explains how the Guardian uncovered the secret world of convicted landlords who continue to operate – and exploit – with impunity.’

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The Guardian, 8th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rogue landlord in Harrow faces jail if he doesn’t pay £1.5m fine – The Guardian

Posted December 6th, 2018 in fines, landlord & tenant, news, planning by sally

‘A rogue landlord who illegally carved up family homes to create cramped bedsits and charged tenants hundreds of pounds a month is facing prison unless he pays what is believed to be a record £1.5m penalty for breaking planning laws.’

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The Guardian, 5th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Cross-party calls for rogue landlords to lose properties – The Guardian

Posted November 30th, 2018 in confiscation, housing, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘MPs have called on the government to confiscate properties from the country’s worst landlords after a series of revelations about tenants being exploited by rogue sections of the private rented housing sector.’

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The Guardian, 29th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rogue landlords: 90% of local authorities fail to issue fines – The Guardian

Posted November 29th, 2018 in enforcement, fines, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news, statistics by tracey

‘Almost 90% of local authorities failed to use new powers to fine rogue landlords last year, in the latest finding to suggest tenants are being failed by a lax enforcement regime.’

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The Guardian, 29th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

London borough secures £450k confiscation over ‘beds in sheds’ – Local Government Lawyer

‘Ealing Council has obtained a confiscation order of nearly £450,000 against a landlord who ignored enforcement notices over ‘beds in sheds’ at one of her rental properties.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th November 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Improvement clauses needing improvement – Nearly Legal

Posted November 23rd, 2018 in appeals, drafting, housing, injunctions, landlord & tenant, news, repairs by sally

‘An object lesson in the need for clarity in tenancy agreements. This was an appeal from a first instance decision of HHJ Luba QC. Mr H was Network’s assured tenant of a flat in a block used for a sheltered housing scheme. Following a fire safety inspection, Network proposed to replace all the flat entrance doors. Mr H would not give access to Network to do so unless certain conditions were met. No agreement was reached and Network applied for an injunction for access.’

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Nearly Legal, 22nd November 2018

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Ministers unveil ‘housing court’ proposals to speed up disputes between landlords and tenants – The Independent

Posted November 14th, 2018 in consultations, courts, housing, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘Ministers have unveiled plans for a specialist “housing court” to speed up the settlement of property disputes between landlords and tenants.’

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The Independent, 14th November 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Who needs a wall anyway? Unfit to occupy and risk of collapse – Nearly Legal

Posted November 12th, 2018 in defective premises, landlord & tenant, leases, news, rent by tracey

‘Or, the significance of tenancy agreement clauses.’

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Nearly Legal, 8th November 2018

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Valuation under evaluation: proposals for reform – Tanfield Chambers

‘Nicola Muir considers the Law Commission’s options for reforming the valuation of residential lease extensions.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 18th October 2018

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Nicholas Saunderson v Cambridge Park Court Residents Association Limited [2018] UKUT 182 (LC) – Tanfield Chambers

Posted November 5th, 2018 in appeals, covenants, housing, jurisdiction, landlord & tenant, leases, news, tribunals by sally

‘The Upper Tribunal considered the extent of a tenant’s liability to pay for communal heating when that obligation arose only by an estoppel by convention and, in fact, the tenant’s flat was no longer connected to the communal system.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 5th October 201

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk