A recent case in which a landlord sought repossession of a property from its tenant on the ground that it intended to redevelop the property has gained a great deal of attention, but may not be as important as it first seems. Continue reading →

Failure to adhere to the law relating to let premises can not only place tenants at risk but also lead to heavy penalties for landlords. Continue reading →

It is common for a formal contract to be preceded by a letter of intent which allows the parties to the contract to make progress whilst the formalities are being sorted out. Normally all goes well, but a recent case shows the dangers of proceeding too quickly under a letter of intent without having all the necessary contractual safeguards in place. Continue reading →

When the owner of a property that had been designated as a house in multiple occupation (HMO) by his local council in 2001 chose to challenge that ruling some 15 years later, the council refused to review the decision. The property owner claimed to have had no knowledge of the decision when it was made, which was disputed by the council. Continue reading →

Local authorities are obliged to maximise the income generated from exploitation of their property and other assets. The High Court made that point in rejecting claims that a council acted unlawfully in renting out two hi-tech advertising towers to the highest bidder. Continue reading →

With skyscrapers in big cities reaching ever more impressive heights, rights to light have become an increasing source of controversy. That was certainly so in a High Court case in which an office block tenant feared its windows would be starved of sunlight by plans to increase the height of an adjoining building. Continue reading →

In a decision that will be essential reading for property professionals, the High Court has ruled that landlords who invoke the statutory commercial rent arrears recovery (CRAR) regime may thereby waive any right they have to forfeit leases. Continue reading →