Bretby Hall Management Company Ltd v Pratt [2017] UKUT 70 (LC) This was an appeal to the UT on various issue arising from an FTT decision. We will not dwell on the issue of specific charges not being consulted on under s.20, but not - as the UT found,...
Somebody else’s money
Sheffield City Council v Oliver [2017] EWCA Civ 225 We saw this case in the Upper Tribunal, here, and I'll borrow the brief facts. Ms Oliver was the long leaseholder in a block of flats on the Lansdowne Estate, which was owned by the Council. The Council...
Service charges, contracts, social housing and subsidies
Thomas Homes Ltd v Colin MacGregor [2016] UKUT 495 (LC) An interesting question. To what extent, if at all, can leaseholders' service charges be set at a level to 'subsidise' a shortfall as against actual maintenance costs in service charges recoverable from...
Reasonable costs of Improvements
The London Borough of Hounslow v Waaler [2017] EWCA Civ 45 We saw the Upper Tribunal take a new approach to determining whether the costs of improvement works, passed on through the service charge, were reasonably incurred. The UT held that particular...
Perception of doors*
Southwark Council v Various Lessees of the St Saviours Estate [2017] UKUT 10 (LC) (Full disclosure - my firm acted for the Lessees). The issue in this Upper Tribunal case was whether LB Southwark was entitled charge the leaseholders for works to replace...
Leases, tribunals and contractual costs
87 St George’s Square Management Ltd v Whiteside [2016] UKUT 438 (LC) The vexed issues of costs in service charge disputes rumble on. Willow Court Management Company (1985) Ltd v Alexander [2016] UKUT 0290 (LC) (our note) set out guidance for how and when...
In the Tribunals…
Quick notes on a couple of Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) cases. Cardiff Community Housing Association Ltd v Kahar [2016] UKUT 279 (LC) Ms K had a weekly tenancy of a flat (initially her daughter's flat but assigned to her in 2014 by mutual exchange). The...
‘It did seem to be expensive’
Gateway (Leeds) Management Ltd v (1) Naghash (2) Shamsizadeh [2015] UKUT 333 (LC) If a head leaseholder, or managing company passes on as a service charge, rent charged by a freeholder for property in order to provide services, does this amount to a variable...
Indecent homes and major works charges
The DCLG has released the "Social landlords reduction of service charges: mandatory and discretionary directions 2014", in force as of today, 12 August 2014. The upshot of the mandatory directions is that a social landlord which undertakes "repair,...
Historic Neglect
Daejan Properties Ltd v Griffin & Anor [2014] UKUT 206 (LC) is not, perhaps, the most riveting of Upper Tribunal appeals on service charges, but it does have some useful statements and reminders along the way. This concerned a 3 storey Victorian...
Three of a kind beats two of a pair
Arnold v Britton [2012] EWHC 2451(Ch) is the third holiday chalet / service charge case we've covered in short order (the other two are here and here). Coincidence or evidence of a growth area of work I wonder? Anyway, back to the case. The issue was whether...
This seems to be taking a while
Back in May 2010, we covered the case of Philips v Francis (QBD, Truro District Registry) on whether or not holiday chalets let on long leases were "dwellings" within the meaning of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, and, hence, the service charges payable by...