Commonhold was introduced by the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 and, in essence, is a new way (i.e. not freehold or leasehold) for flat owners to collectively hold the building containing their flats. It's not proved very popular, with only c.20...
Money well spent?
The DCLG has published a breakdown of the expenditure of the sums expended by it - and various other bodies (HCA, TSA, Leasehold Advisory Service) from April 6, 2009 - April 5, 2010. It's all downloadable (as Excel files) from the DCLG website, here. Of...
Just another brick in the (Sheffield CC v) Wall
Sheffield CC v Wall (by her personal representatives), Wall, Ingham, Butler [2010] EWCA Civ 922, is, on any view, an unusual case. The Court of Appeal didn't, however, help matters. Imagine, if you will, that, in 1967, Mr Steven Wall was placed with Mrs June...
A very short note about Wales
As we've previously reported, the National Assembly for Wales has been seeking legislative competence over social housing and gypsy and traveller law. The Legislative Competence Order has now been approved and is available here. It came into force on July...
Landlord liability for nuisance
The extent to which a landlord can be liable for the acts of his tenants is a vexed topic, which we've discussed on a number of occasions before. The cases rather lean against liability. It is, therefore, very interesting to find Mackay J allowing a claim in...
Undue influence alive and well
Annulment Funding Company Ltd v Cowey and Cowlam [2010] EWCA Civ 711. We here at NL often joke that, if any of us were appointed to judicial office then we doubt that anyone would ever get possession orders from us; not only are we able to demonstrate a...
You know it when you see it
What is a house? Rather like the well-known elephant test, this point consistently comes before the higher courts - and many other great thinkers - and, in Day v Hosebay Ltd; Howard De Walden Estates Ltd v Lexgorge Ltd [2010] EWCA Civ 748, the Court of...
You can never find an Austrian when you need one
National Westminster Bank Plc v Rushmer [2010] EWHC 554 (Ch) is a rather complex case involving enforcement of charging orders. I'm not going to deal with the full background, which is set out in the judgment and in this earlier case, I just wanted to raise,...
Size doesn’t matter
Craftrule Ltd v 41-60 Albert Palace Mansions (Freehold) Ltd [2010] EWHC 1230 (Ch) is the first higher court decision on the meaning of "self-contained part of a building" in the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. Qualifying long...
And here’s to you, HHJ Robinson*
Three decisions of HHJ Robinson, sitting as a judge of the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) for your delectation. In Masri v The Wellcome Trust Ltd [2010] UKUT 138 (LC) the respondents had originally demanded c.£19,000 of charges but, after recording a number...
Holiday chalets and service charges
Hopefully, you're either reading this (a) whilst enjoying the long bank-holiday weekend or (b) back in the office after having enjoyed the long weekend. Either way, a case about holiday chalets seemed appropriate at this time. By s.27A, Landlord and Tenant...
Was this really a good idea?
I thought that the point of taking a preliminary issue was, well, because the determination of that issue would likely resolve a significant part of the case. In Paddington Basin Developments Ltd and others v West End Quay Estate Management Ltd [2010] EWHC...