The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (LAFRA) was passed swiftly on the final day of the last Parliament. As well as introducing long promised changes to leasehold enfranchisement and banning new leasehold houses, it...more
There is real change afoot in the global political landscape: the US Presidential election is around the corner, the UK has a new government and elections for the European Parliament were held over the summer. So what does...more
The previous government put forward a huge agenda for leasehold reform. While they managed to pass the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 before parliament was dissolved – which introduced a ban on new leasehold houses...more
The new UK government has leapt out of the starting blocks at full pace in terms of promises of reform, a rental revolution and a planning shake-up. So what is coming down the line in terms of new legislation over the next...more
The Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) has recently given its judgment in Lehner v Lant Street Management Company Limited, absolving a tenant from paying service charge due to defects in the service charge demand....more
Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, has secured a remediation order requiring a pension fund landlord to carry out fire safety remediation works totalling £15 million under Section...more
A dispute over a £5000 drop in property value has gone all the way to the Supreme Court which, today, confirmed that you cannot recover damages for encroachment of Japanese knotweed on your land if this occurred before the...more
In our recent article, we explored how to pre-empt and prevent anticipated trespass on your land through injunctions. But what do you do when it’s too late for that, and your property has been occupied by trespassers or...more
A glance at the legislative changes likely to impact global real estate over the next few months.
What legal developments can we expect to see globally this Spring? Whichever jurisdiction you operate in, there is an array...more
The Law Commission’s review of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 was announced in Spring 2023, with a consultation paper – setting out the existing law, the problems with it, and possible solutions - anticipated by December...more
2024 has brought with it a raft of new building safety legislation. Here is an update on what’s new – particularly in relation to building assessment certificates and the golden thread of information....more
A snapshot of key regulatory developments expected to impact the UK real estate sector over the coming months.
What is coming down the line this Spring in terms of new legislation and which are the crucial cases to have on...more
In our update a year ago, we reported on the first remediation contribution order (RCO) made by the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) under section 124 of the Building Safety Act 2022. In Triathlon Homes LLP v Stratford Village...more
In IAA Vehicle Services Limited v HBC Limited, the High Court concluded that a deposit under the Standard Conditions of Sale fell due as soon as an option to purchase a freehold property was exercised, but that time was not...more
In 89 Holland Park (Management) Limited v Dell & Dell, the largest ever UK residential service charge dispute, the Court of Appeal has refused to allow a landlord to recover the legal costs of a dispute with its neighbour...more
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 (LURA), which introduced the concept of high street rental auctions, received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. Part 10 of LURA allows local authorities to carry out mandatory...more
The Freehold and Leasehold Reform Bill passed its second reading in Parliament on 11 December, and was described by Michael Gove – the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Levelling-Up - as the “effective...more
In Wolverhampton City Council and others v London Gypsies and Travellers and others, the Supreme Court has confirmed that injunctions can be imposed to prevent “newcomers” from occupying land unlawfully. That means that...more
The Court of Appeal’s recent judgment in Gill v Lees News Ltd brought new clarity on when a landlord can successfully oppose the grant of a new lease under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 on the “tenant fault” grounds - in...more
In our last update in May, when the Renters Reform Bill was finally placed before parliament, we flagged the proposed changes - perhaps most significantly, the abolition of “no fault” or Section 21 evictions. While Bill...more
A resolution has finally been reached in the long running dispute between the Tate Modern Gallery and its neighbours, the owners of residential flats in Neo Bankside, with the parties agreeing a very neighbourly compromise....more
A snapshot of key regulatory developments expected to impact the UK real estate sector over the coming months.
This year has seen a huge amount of change, both politically and economically, which has been reflected in a...more
1 October is the deadline for registering higher-risk buildings. Here is a brief recap on everything you need to know about registration.
Anyone responsible for the safety of a higher-risk building (over 18 metres, or 7...more
In back to school week, the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in over 150 school buildings, posing a risk of collapse, dominated the headlines. However, the prevalence of RAAC in all kinds of local...more
The first remediation order has been made under the Building Safety Act 2022, requiring a landlord to carry out works to fix fire safety defects.
In January, the First Tier Tribunal made the first Remediation Contribution...more