Terrorism insurance is an increasingly contentious issue in service charge cases; in short, many leaseholders think it is unnecessary and simply serves to increase the their service charges (and, potentially, acts as an additional source of commission for...
Former landlords and s.20B LTA 1985
In Ground Rents (Regisport) Ltd v Dowlen [2014] UKUT 144 (LC), the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) had to – once again – grapple with s.20B, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. The facts are quite straightforward. Imagine, if you will, that there is a modern...
An interim measure
Fisher v Howard De Walden Estate Ltd RAP/19/2013 is that rare thing - a citeable permission to appeal decision from the UT(LC) (remembering that in Re Bradmoss [2012] UKUT 3 (LC), the UT(LC) had disapproved of reliance on permission decisions, see our brief...
The UKIP-ification of law
Or, why Nigel Farrage doesn't need to worry about that house-load of Romanians moving next door to him once the Immigration Act 2014 comes into force. The Immigration Act 2014 received Royal Assent on May 14, 2014 and, as is obviously the case for an...
The Tenant (Super)Strikes Back
As we noted when writing up Superstrike Ltd v Rodrigues [2013] EWCA Civ 669 (see our note, here), the case left open an interesting - and important - question. If a fixed term has expired and a statutory periodic tenancy arisen, do the requirements in s.213,...
You don’t just walk away
R (Twelve Baytree Ltd) v Rent Assessment Committee [2014] EWHC 1129 (Admin) is that rare beast - a judicial review of the LVT (as it was; FTT(PC) as it is now). It concerns how you withdraw a Right to Manage claim. I confess, when I first heard about this...
Gonna get myself arrested
Maunder Taylor v SHG-SH20 Ltd 3CL02066 is one of the more interesting (and potentially, important) county court cases I've come across recently (transcript not publicly available; I've got one and am trying to persuade the Landlord and Tenant Reports to...
Infamy, infamy, they’ve all got it in for me*
Gustovarac v Croatia App. No, 60223/09 is a game-changer of a case. A possession case in which the European Court of Human Rights seems to be saying you don't need a proportionality assessment. Now, as you'll all know, there is a line of European Cases,...
Moving places
I was reading the report from the Senior President of Tribunals (here) and came across some interesting little bits: (a) The President of the Lands Chamber in his report notes that he now has a power to make a protective costs order in cases where there is a...
So, do you come here often?
The DCLG has just published new guidance (available here) on promoting mutual exchange. This is, we are told, an under-used process which can bring happiness and joy to landlords and tenants. For the latter, it is a more realistic option for securing a move...
The Lord Giveth, and the Lord Justice taketh away
Morshead Mansions Ltd v Di Marco [2014] EWCA Civ 96 marks the tragic demise of a clever and useful remedy fashioned by Mann J in the High Court case of the same name (our note here). In brief, ss.21, 22, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 entitle leaseholders to...
Three to whet your appetite
The higher courts and tribunals have all been having a busy leasehold-related start to the year. None of these are hugely important, hence doing a short collective note on them. The really important cases will come later this year (Phillips v Francis; Di...