Nemcova v Fairfield Rents Ltd [2016] UKUT 303 (LC) We've seen a First Tier Tribunal case on breach of lease by use of the property for short term lets through Airbnb. Here the Upper Tribunal weighs in on the significance of lease covenants for short term...
How the other half live
Eclipse Film Partners v HMRC [2016] UKSC 24 has almost nothing to do with housing law. It was an appeal from the First Tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber), via the UT (TCC) and the CA. It wasn't even about the substantive issues in the case, rather, it was about who...
AirBnBreach
The Govt seems very keen on Airbnb-style short term letting. First, the planning change in London to permit short term letting for up to 90 days in any year, then Osborne's £1000 tax break for Airbnb style landlords in the March 2016 budget. Of course, the...
A Hawarden Kite
Forfeiture of (residential) long leases is a controversial subject: on the one hand, it's clear that there has to be a practical and accessible route for landlords to enforce covenants, whether as to payment of monies or more general "management" covenants...
Help the aged*
Retirement housing issues aren't something we cover much on NL, but in late December 2015, there were two interesting** developments. By way of background, many retirement properties/retirement villages sell the flats/bungalows/dwellings on long leases....
Just walk away (beforehand)
A very belated (and brief) note on Arnold v Britton & Ors [2015] UKSC 36, as I have just realised we didn't cover it. A shameful omission. Our note on the Court of Appeal decision is here. Briefly, the issue was that lease clauses for some (but not all)...
Clarity and contractual costs in leases
Geyfords Ltd v O'Sullivan & Ors [2015] UKUT 683 (LC) The issue of the recovery of lessors' costs of county court and/or Tribunal proceedings from lessees under the service charge has been a hot topic of late. And it seems that there is something of a...
Freeholders behaving badly and FTT managers
Queensbridge Investments Limited v Lodge & Ors [2015] UKUT 635 (LC) There was quite a simple question at issue in this Upper Tribunal (Land Chamber) appeal - could the FTT appoint a manager to the whole of a building which contained a leased commercial...
Leasehold disputes and costs
Leasehold disputes, like any litigation, are capable of generating significant legal and other professional costs. The position is generally better for freeholders/third party managers than it is for leaseholders in that a well-drafted lease will usually...
I saw a mouse. Where?…
A semi-guest note on a pest infestation nuisance county court case involving leaseholders. Interesting on both liability and quantum. Ojo & Ojo v London Borough of Hackney. County Court at Clerkenwell & Shoreditch 4 November 2015 The Claimants were...
Wales – it’s just more appealing
Clarise Properties Ltd v Rees [2015] EWCA Civ 1118 (Lawtel/Westlaw only from what I can see) is an interesting* permission to appeal decision. It appears that devolution has caused an odd little difference in the test for permission to appeal from the UT(LC)...
Do Right To Manage Baby (Do Unto Others)
Triplerose Ltd v Ninety Broomfield Road RTM Co Ltd [2015] EWCA Civ 282 This is a rare treat for our RTM fan (he knows who he is) - a decision of the Court of Appeal on the right to manage provisions in Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. I must confess...