Our attention was drawn to a decision in the Medway County Court, presumably because it considered a proportionality defence. I'm not sure there's much to see there — one of the team said that he was not "remotely excited about it". But it caught my...
The cost of criminalising trespass
The Government's proposal to criminalise trespass to residential property, contained in LASPO at clause 136, is due to be considered at report stage in the House of Lords tomorrow (Tuesday 20 March). The Government's estimate of additional costs arising from...
Equity Release Schemes: the CA view
Cook v The Mortgage Business PLC et al [2012] EWCA Civ 17 [note for law students: this is a really important case on land registration in which the principles in Abbey National BS v Cann are considered and applied. Please note that we do not write essays...
How Gratuitous is Your Licence
Potter v Dyer [2011] EWCA Civ 1417 This is another rather sad and complex case with a fairly convoluted set of facts. Mr & Mrs Potter (senior) acquired a farm and farmhouse as a single unit in 1947. In 1966 they let the whole of the farm and farmhouse to...
Money can’t buy you everything
Sun Street Properties Ltd v Persons Unknown [2011] EWHC (Ch), [2011] All ER (D) 72 (Dec) [no transcript available yet] Or, what the hell is going on about Occupy/Bank of Ideas and the property owned by Union Bank of Switzerland. As you probably noticed, on...
Until the Abbott be deposed: uncertain terms
Berrisford v Mexfield Housing Co-operative Ltd (Rev 1) [2011] UKSC 32 What happens to a lease for an uncertain term? Or a tenancy that ends on some specified event, whose date is not known and which may or may not happen? Can either the tenant or the...
Proportionality. A precis on ‘summary’
Holmes v Westminster City Council [2011] EWHC 2857 (QB) An interesting appeal from a summary possession order on the issue of consideration of proportionality. While the outcome is not, perhaps, a surprise, some of the arguments are. Plus this is an example...
Well he would, wouldn’t he?
The mass letter on misrepresentation of trespass will be going out this morning (Monday 26 Sept). The letter will be sent to all the major newspapers, and BBC and ITN news, probably before you read this. The Guardian has what I think is a good article on the...
Forgive us our trespasses…
The Prime Minister's confirmation that the government will be bringing forward legislation for the criminalisation of trespass and the proposed removal of legal aid from trespassers in the Legal AId, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill amount to the...
Injunction, planning and committal, post Cala
Broxbourne Borough Council v Robb & Ors [2011] EWHC 1626 (QB) I'll give a somewhat lengthy report of this case, because it is one of the first to touch on the changing planning environment for Gypsies and travellers after the DCLG's stated intention to...
Pretty Vacant
NYK Logistics (UK) Ltd v Ibrend Estates BV [2011] EWCA Civ 683 This is a commercial leasehold case, but it is the first significant case on the meaning of 'vacant possession' since about 1946 and is of general application, so here it is. NYK was the lessee...
Not too late but too little
Southwark LBC v Barrett Bromley County Court 18/03/2011 A County Court Pinnock case. Unsuccessful but interesting in that it was a transitional case, commenced before the Pinnock judgment, and to the extent that it shows the court using the 'seriously...