Axnoller Events Ltd v Brake & Anor (cross-examination on a draft witness statement) (2021) EWHC 2539 (Ch) I don't know how many of you have been following the Axnoller v Brake litigation (parties vary, but are basically the same). I suspect not a lot. If...
Things! Useful and allowing for schadenfreude
An assortment of useful and amusing things for a Sunday. First, the many and varied changes to the notice periods and validity periods of section 21 notices over the last 18 months has caused headaches for all involved in trying to calculate the relevant...
When a specified sum is a variable service charge.
Aly & Anor v Wickham & Anor (2021) EW Misc 12 (CC) This was an appeal to a Circuit Judge from a first instance decision on a money claim for unpaid service charges for holiday lodges. The lease provided (so far as relevant) that the lessee must pay:...
Misc – erratum, Bedroom tax and DA, and Tribunal managers and reserve funds
An assortment of things... First an erratum to yesterday's post on the High Court judgment on applications to cancel a debt moratorium. The High Court had held that such an application must be by claim form. I was subsequently pointed at Practice Direction...
Cancelling a debt moratorium – some issues
[Updated 13 Sept 2021 with reference to CPR PD 70B] Axnoller Events Ltd v Brake & Anor (mental health crisis moratorium) (2021) EWHC 2308 (Ch) I'm not going into any detail on the background to this judgment. It forms part of what has been by any measure...
Injunction for re-entry and balance of convenience.
Mahandru v Nielson (2021) EWHC 2297 (QB) An appeal of a County Court decision to refuse an interim injunction for re-entry in a claim for illegal eviction. The claimant, Mr Mahandru hd been living in a property owned by Dr Nielson since December 2020. On 4...
1 October – new (old) notice periods and new forms
New regulations were laid today (9 Sept) coming into force on 1 October 2021 for England. The snappily titled The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Residential Tenancies and Notices) (Amendment and Suspension) (England) Regulations 2021 do the following. Extend the...
Late service charge demands and the importance of contemplating forfeiture for recovering legal costs
No. 1 West India Quay (Residential) Ltd v East Tower Apartments Ltd (2021) EWCA Civ 1119 This was a second appeal to the Court of Appeal from the Upper Tribunal on two issues arising from long running litigation between the freeholder, West India Quay and...
Who manages the managers? – Tribunal appointed manager behaving badly.
Maharaj & Lo Porto v Richard Davidoff (Tribunal appointed manager) LON/00AL/LSC/2020/0111 (decision here) A cautionary tale of a Tribunal appointed manager behaving badly and a reminder that the appointed manager's duty is to carry out what is in the...
Costs and costs of repairs
Jalili v Bury Council. Manchester County Court 17 June 2021 (copy of judgment can be found on Civil Litigation Brief here) An interesting, though non-binding, county court decision on the issue of costs of a disrepair claim that settled pre-allocation. Ms...
Property guardians, possession claims and appearance of a defence for CPR 55.8
Global 100 Ltd v Kyselakova & Ors (2021) EW Misc 13 (CC) This is the judgment in an appeal to a Circuit Judge - HHJ Luba QC - from a possession order made by a District Judge at the first hearing of the possession claim. The issues involved the threshold...
Too long or too wrong. MHCLG bodge up section 83 Housing Act 1985 notices
We've been here before - MHCLG putting out versions of notice forms that were different to the statutory prescribed version, causing all sorts of lawfulness issues. This time (and I'll confess I hadn't picked it up at the time, because of not paying enough...