Property, Leasehold and Housing

The National Landlord’s Association (NLA) has criticised government proposals to introduce 3-year minimum tenancies. Ministers say 3-year tenancy terms, with a 6-month break clause, are necessary to help renters put down roots, and to give landlords...

When a tenant of a warehouse sought a declaration from the High Court against a landlord in relation to repairs to the warehouse, the court refused to issue such a declaration. In the case of Office Depot International (UK) Ltd v (1) UBS Asset Management...

Who owns land in the UK (when the land is registered to an overseas company) is being tackled by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The information currently available on overseas owners or leaseholders of land is often...

The government is planning to set up several New Town Development Corporations to build thousands of homes across the country over the next five years. The corporations will be accountable to local councils and be responsible for new towns and garden...

In a home-owner’s subsidence claim, where relief was sought under the Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991, the question before the court was whether it was reasonably practicable to demolish the house and build a larger one. In White v The Coal...

Creating a more effective land registration system is firmly on the Law Commission’s agenda. In a project designed to update the Land Registration Act 2002 – which governs registered land – the Law Commission first published a consultation...

The refusal by Milton Keynes Council of a tenant’s request to buy the freehold of a property was upheld by the Upper Tribunal, overturning the decision of the First-tier Tribunal. In the case of Milton Keynes Council v Bailey , the Upper Tribunal...

In a case before the Court of Appeal, a tenant argued that an index-linked rent review clause contained in a reversionary lease of offices in Bromley was ambiguous. Concurring with the first instance judge, in the case of Trillium (Prime) Property GP Ltd v...

Two homeowners have won a claim against Network Rail after the company failed to keep Japanese knotweed under control on its land. The plant grows very fast and can damage the structure of buildings due to its widespread roots. Some of the weed growing on...

If a landlord doesn’t want to carry out repairs on a commercial property unless he has a tenant waiting to move in, is he entitled to have the rateable value reduced? A recent case saw landlord Christopher Shaw appeal after a valuation tribunal...