I've got to admit it, I've fallen for HHJ Behrens. I've no knowledge of him, have never appeared before him, and have only read his written words, but he just seems to be that type of property lawyer who is also human. He is developing something of an...
Short of Money but Not Short of Rent
Christina Sharples v Places for People Homes Ltd, Stephen Godfrey v A2 Dominion Homes Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 813 This is actually two appeals which deal with an important question about insolvency and bankruptcy and whether monies that form part of the...
Standards in private renting: A bit of a mess?
My good friend, Alex of Alex's Archives, has sent me a link to a discussion in the GLA corridors of power on standards in the private rented sector. I haven't finished listening to the GLA debate, but, as Alex said in his email, it does expose some "shaky...
Mudslinging, evidence and possession of different kinds
Barking & Dagenham LBC v Bakare, Imevbore & Imevbore. Romford County Court 14/03/2011 HHJ Platt [unreported elsewhere] A county court case, but one with some interesting issues. Also a cautionary tale on being able to actually provide evidence of...
Ground Rent notification
I’ve just noticed that the Government amended the wording for Ground Rent demands (s.166, 2002 Act) on April 26, 2011 (see here: http://www.info4local.gov.uk/documents/publications/1905195). The change is in para. 3 of the Notes for Leaseholders. It used to...
Sale and Rent Back – Priority over charge, Round 1
North East Property Buyers Litigation [2010] EWHC 2991 (Ch) [Not on Bailii yet. Available on Lawtel or here] We noted this case was forthcoming a month ago. Judgement was given on 19 November. Thanks to James Stark, we've got a transcript. Thanks to being...
Sale and rent back – coming soon?
Word reaches us (via the Garden Court North website) of what appears to be a fascinating piece of litigation in the High Court (Leeds District Registry) concerning sale and rent back schemes (as to which, see our earlier piece, here). A number of former...
Gateway (b), CPR 55.8(2), and disclosure: Brent LBC v Stokes
The Court of Appeal have refused permission to appeal in Brent LBC v Stokes [2010] EWCA Civ 626 (not on Baili yet) - we reported the High Court judgment here, which contains the summary of the facts and the important decision of King J. The case raises a...
Further Adventures in Fair Rents
The High Court has been reviewing the mechanism by which RAC’s set fair rents
Of fair rents, disrepair and unreasonable temptations
Ahmed & Ors v Murphy [2010] EWHC 453 (Admin) This was an appeal to the High Court of a decision by the London Rent Assessment Committee (LRAC) that the maximum fair rent payable by Mr Murphy for the flat in Brick Lane, Spitalfields was £8.50 per week. The...
Improvements and rent redux
Hughes v Borodex Ltd. [2010] EWCA Civ 425 This was the Court of Appeal hearing of the appeal from the High Court decision on first appeal that we reported in March 2009. I won't rehearse the facts, which are in the earlier post, but the issue was whether...
Rent arrears management – boring title, excellent report
Is it too much to hope that - finally - the Government might take steps to ameliorate and / or prevent the use of Ground 8? During the passage of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008, the Government gave a commitment to look again at the use of inter alia,...