Citations: [2018] UKFTT RP – CAM – 00KF – Links: Bailii Jurisdiction: England and Wales Landlord and Tenant Updated: 07 June 2022; Ref: scu.623580
Citations: [2018] UKFTT RP – CAM – 38UE – Links: Bailii Jurisdiction: England and Wales Landlord and Tenant Updated: 30 May 2022; Ref: scu.623502
An owner of a park for mobile homes increased the rent to allow for loss of profits after the home owners began to buy their liquid gas from other sources. He showed that profits from such sales were part of the normal profit structure of such parks and factored into the rents. Held: The site … Continue reading Howard and others v Kinvena Homes Ltd: CA 27 Jun 1999
Application for leave to appeal – granted. Citations: [1999] EWCA Civ 1037 Statutes: Mobile Homes Act 1983 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Citing: Cited – Stroud v Weir Associates CA 1987 The court was asked to set pitch fees on a registered mobile home site. The site owner had sought to rely upon the fact of … Continue reading Howard and others v Kinvena Homes Limited: CA 19 Mar 1999
A contract is not conditional merely because it contains obligations which may be termed promissory conditions. The taxpayer company was the prospective tenant under a building agreement. By clause 4 it agreed to build a six-story office block in Reading and clause 4 provided that if the building was completely and satisfactorily finished the landlords … Continue reading Eastham v Leigh London and Provincial Properties Ltd: CA 1971
The tenants had sought to purchase the freehold under the 1987 Act. One tenant having signed an ‘irrevocable’ agreement to participate, withdrew his involvement in the purchase, and the remaining number of tenants were no longer a sufficient majority under the Act. Held: The individual tenant’s right not to participate in the purchase of a … Continue reading Mainwaring and Yeoman’s Row Management Limited v Trustees of Henry Smith’s Charity (No 2): CA 3 Oct 1996
The court considered an application for leasehold enfranchisement where a doorway had been constructed between the two ground-floor halls and the tenant of the two maisonettes occupied both together as his residence. Two residential units may constitute a single house although they were purpose-built for separate occupation and have always been in separate occupation, with … Continue reading Sharpe v Duke Street Securities: 1987
The parties had contracted for the sale of a property subject to a residential tenancy under the 1987 Act. The purchaser appealed refusal of specific performance, the court having found that it had failed to meet a precondition for serving a notice to complete. It had agreed to discharge liabilities to the seller, and contract … Continue reading Chinnock v Hocaoglu and Another: CA 29 Oct 2008
Renewed application for permission to appeal. Citations: [2007] EWCA Civ 231 Links: Bailii Statutes: Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Citing: At Lands Tribunal – Cawsand Ford Management Co Ltd v Stafford and others LT 7-Nov-2006 LT LANDLORD AND TENANT – appointment of manager – lessees with incorporeal rights over land outside … Continue reading Cawsand Fort Management Co Ltd v Stafford and others: CA 21 Feb 2007
The court was asked whether the defendant company, which was the tenant under an agricultural tenancy agreement of land comprising arable fields, was in breach of a covenant in the tenancy not to assign, underlet, or part with or share possession or occupation of the whole or any part of the holding by virtue of … Continue reading Wallace v C Brian Barratt and Son Limited and Lock: CA 19 Mar 1997
The Court considered whether, on exercising a break clause in a lease, the tenant was entitled to recover rent paid in advance. Held: The appeal failed. The Court of Appeal had imposed what was established law. The test for whether a clause might be implied in a contract is: ‘that it is necessary for business … Continue reading Marks and Spencer Plc v BNP Paribas Securities Services Trust Company (Jersey) Ltd and Another: SC 2 Dec 2015
The claimants were shareholders in Westrip, accusing the Defendant directors of deliberately engaging in a course of conduct which has led to Westrip losing ownership and control of a very valuable mining licence and which, but for their intervention, would have led to Westrip losing all or almost all of its remaining assets. They say … Continue reading Iesini and Others v Westrip Holdings Ltd and Others: ChD 16 Oct 2009
Landlord and Tenant – Appointment of Manager – manager appointed by FTT – no restriction entered on register of title – property acquired by nominee on behalf of tenants exercising right of collective enfranchisement – whether nominee taking free of management order – whether participating tenants in breach of management order – whether FTT should … Continue reading Urwick and Another v Pickard: UTLC 22 Nov 2019
Land at Wembley stadium had been sold to the defendants and leased back. The defendant assigned the freehold within the group, declaring that the lease was held in trust for the original freeholder. The claimant now said that the defendant assignee was not entitled to claim the service charge. Held: There had been an estoppel … Continue reading Wembley National Stadium Ltd v Wembley (London) Ltd and Others: ChD 4 Apr 2007
LT LANDLORD AND TENANT – appointment of manager – lessees with incorporeal rights over land outside the curtilage of the building – held power to include such land in management order – Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 section 24(1). Citations: [2006] EWLands LRX – 145 – 2005 Links: Bailii Statutes: Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 … Continue reading Cawsand Ford Management Co Ltd v Stafford and others: LT 7 Nov 2006
The court discussed the nature and purpose of rent review clauses: ‘There is no doubt that the general object of a rent review clause, which provides that the rent cannot be reduced on a review, is to provide the landlord with some measure of relief where, by increases in property values or falls in the … Continue reading Equity and Law Life Assurance Society plc v Bodfield Ltd: CA 1987
The plaintiff told the defendant it was willing to grant a lease on the same terms as those contained in a new tenancy that the plaintiff had recently granted to the tenant of a nearby shop, also owned by the plaintiff. The defendant carried out improvements in reliance on that assurance. Held: The plaintiff was … Continue reading JT Developments v Quinn and Another: CA 1990
The tenant had the option to take a further lease on giving written notice of their desire ‘if it shall have . . performed and observed the several stipulations on its part to be performed and observed up to the date of [the notice]’. The question was whether the clause required the reading that past … Continue reading Bass Holdings Ltd v Morton Music Ltd: CA 1987
The authority agreed to sell part of a housing estate. It proposed to enter into restrictive covenants for the retained parts of the estate to prevent the letting of any vacant flat except by way of a long lease at a premium. The decision was challenged on the basis that this would be an unlawful … Continue reading Regina v Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council, ex parte Beddowes: CA 1987
LT LANDLORD AND TENANT – variation of leases – Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 sections 35 and 38 – breach of natural justice (omission by LVT to take into consideration lessees’ submissions) – variation made taking into account attitudes of the parties in the light of impending enfranchisement (section 38(6)(b) applied). Citations: [2008] EWLands LRX … Continue reading Mawhood and Another v Sinclair Gardens Investments (Kensington) Ltd: LT 9 Jul 2008
The tenant had sought an order under the 1987 Act for the appointment of a manager of the apartments. The landlord appealed against the order saying that it could not apply to buildings which were not comprised in the buildings containing the leasehold flats and their curtilages. Held: The appeal failed. The Act ‘requires a … Continue reading Cawsand Fort Management Company Ltd v Stafford and others: CA 20 Nov 2007
The Plaintiff contended that a letter written by the purchaser’s solicitor which effectively set out the terms of the agreement, enclosed the part of the contract signed by the purchaser, and asked in exchange for the counter-part signed by the vendor, created a binding contract between the parties. Held: Negotiations ‘subject to contract’ for the … Continue reading Eccles v Bryant and Pollock: CA 1947
The occupier had been granted a temporary licence by the authority under the homelessness provisions whilst it made its assessment. The assessment concluded that she had become homeless intentionally, and therefore terminated the licence and set out to evict her. She claimed that the authority had to get a court authority before so evicting her. … Continue reading Desnousse v London Borough of Newham and others: CA 17 May 2006
The defendant tenant sought to exercise a break clause in the lease. The landlord said that the notice was deficient because the tenant had failed ‘materially to comply with’ its repairing obligations. The judge found the cost of repairs were andpound;20,000, and that the tenant had done sufficient to be in material compliance with its … Continue reading Fitzroy House Epworth Street (No. 1) Ltd and Another v Financial Times Ltd: CA 31 Mar 2006
The tenancy was of an agricultural holding, with protection under the 1986 Act. It had 350 acres of pasture, and two farmhouses. The tenants covenanted not to use the holding for any purpose other than agriculture, to farm it in accordance with the rules of good husbandry and personally to reside in the farmhouses. They … Continue reading National Trust for Places of Historic Interest Or Natural Beauty v Knipe and Knipe: CA 15 May 1997
A lease had been granted with a break clause, which the tenant exercised. The Landlord said it had not complied with its obligations and was not free to exercise that clause. The clause had included the word ‘landlord’ where it should have read ‘tenant’. Held: The tenant’s appeal failed. The judge was correct to allow … Continue reading Littman and Another v Aspen Oil (Broking) Ltd: CA 19 Dec 2005
The court considered the tenant’s covenant to repair in the context of a need for a damp course: ‘I have regard to the age, (over 150 years) and the design of the building. It has no damp-proof course . . I bear in mind the limited interest of the tenant and the poor condition of … Continue reading Eyre and others v McCracken: CA 10 Mar 2000
Landlords took possession after a successful, at first instance, forfeiture claim. The tenant succeeded on appeal and then brought a claim for the wrong of breach of the covenant for quiet enjoyment. Held: The lease had been in existence all the time, despite the ‘wrong’ order for forfeiture. A person acting on the basis of … Continue reading Expert Clothing Service and Sales Ltd v Hillgate House Ltd: CA 1985
In each case the authority had obtained an order for possession of the tenanted properties, but the court had suspended the possession orders. The tenants had therefore now become ‘tolerated trespassers’. They now claimed that they had again become secure tenants, having been allowed to continue in possession after breach of the terms of the … Continue reading London Borough of Lambeth and Hyde Southbank Ltd v O’Kane, Helena Housing Ltd: CA 28 Jul 2005
Application was made to join in further parties to support a cross undertaking on being made subject to interim injunctions. Held: On orders other than asset freezing orders it was not open to the court to impose cross-undertakings against parties unwilling to grant them. ‘Since a cross-undertaking cannot be imposed, it follows that a fortiori … Continue reading Smithkline Beecham Plc and others v Apotex Europe Ltd and others: PatC 26 Jul 2005
The landlord had obtained a possession order, but the tenant continued in occupation as a tolerated trespasser, claiming entitlement as successors in title. Rent arrears had accrued, but even if the tenant had paid thenm the council would have sought possession. Held: The use of the word ‘rent’ in a letter from Newham was insufficient … Continue reading London Borough of Newham v Hawkins and others: CA 22 Apr 2005
The claimant sought to begin proceedings to renew his business tenancy, but the proceedings were issued in the wrong name. He sought to amend the proceedings to substitute the correct defendant, but that application was out of time. Held: Proceedings under the 1954 Act were not within the proceedings listed by CPR 19.5 since the … Continue reading Parsons and Another v George and Another: CA 13 Jul 2004
A will made by a widow in 1939, left certain property to her son Francesc-Xavier, as tenant for life, with a stipulation that he was to leave this inheritance to a son or grandson of a lawful and canonical marriage, failing which the estate was to pass to the children and grandchildren of the testatrix’s … Continue reading Pla and Puncernau v Andorra: ECHR 13 Jul 2004
A lease of various buildings including a public house required the rent review to be carried out on the premise that the demise consisted of a bare site. The issue was whether the terms of the hypothetical letting and the valuation formula were to be the same as in the lease itself or whether they … Continue reading Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council v Host Group Limited: CA 1988
Tenants served notices under the Act requiring information about the disposal of the freehold. The landlords objected that the notices were invalid in failing to give the tenants’ addresses as required under the Act. Held: The addresses were known or readily available to the landlord, and the notices were not invalid. The court could consider … Continue reading M25 Group Limited v Tudor and others: CA 4 Dec 2003
TBI was a property investor and developer with several subsidiaries. It agreed to sell some to London and Regional. The agreement provided for the vendor and the purchaser to use reasonable endeavours to agree the terms of a joint venture agreement regarding land at Belfast and Cardiff airports, having regard to the principles set out … Continue reading London and Regional Investments Ltd v TBI Plc and Others: CA 22 Mar 2002
The court has a power to order substitution of a party though the limitation period, and even the ‘long stop’ limitation period had expired. The claimant child sought damages after a vaccination. The batch had been attributed to the wrong manufacturer, and the error only came to light outside the limitation period. It was said … Continue reading Horne-Roberts (a Child) v Smithkline Beecham plc and Another: CA 18 Dec 2001
The claimants asserted a right to possession of land, and the defendant resisted, claiming a proprietary estoppel. A predecessor had intended to grant a sub-lease to the defendant, who had arranged for his company JAD Ltd to execute major works on the strength of that promise. JAD was given permission to store items there, but … Continue reading Lloyd and others v Dugdale and Another: CA 21 Nov 2001
The tenant sought an injunction against its neighbour and landlord to prevent it letting an adjoining property without a restriction similar to the one in its own lease. The claimants sought reassurance from the defendant tenants of the adjoining propery that they would act in accordance with the retriction, but no re-assurance was given. Held: … Continue reading Oceanic Village Ltd v United Attractions Ltd, Shirayama: ChD 9 Dec 1999
The transfer of a freehold to an associated company was not a ‘relevant disposal’ for the purposes of the Act. Citations: Times 10-Mar-1997, Gazette 03-Apr-1997 Statutes: Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 Part I Jurisdiction: England and Wales Landlord and Tenant Updated: 05 June 2022; Ref: scu.83687
The respondents sought to strike out the claim for conspiracy and failure to comply with the Act. The respondent was landlord of premises occupied by the claimants. They had served a notice under the Act of their intention to sell. Held: The 1987 Act did not confer a right to pre-emption as such. Having gone … Continue reading Michaels and Michaels v Taylor Woodrow Developments Ltd, etc: ChD 19 Apr 2000
The wife was the secure tenant of the premises, against whom the local authority landlord obtained a possession order on grounds of arrears of rent, not to be enforced on payment of a weekly sum off the arrears in addition to what the order described as ‘the current rent’. The wife defaulted on the terms … Continue reading Thompson v Elmbridge Borough Council: CA 1987
Judges: Mr Justice Saville Citations: [1987] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 529 Statutes: Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 1930 1(3) Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: Appeal from – Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc v West of England Ship Owners Mutual Insurance Association Ltd (Padri Island) (No 2); Firma CF-Trade SA v Similar (Fanti) CA 30-Nov-1989 … Continue reading Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc and others v West of England Ship Owners Mutual Insurance Association Ltd (the “Padre Island”) (No 2): 1987
The landlord had granted a lease, under which the tenant paid a security deposit on the signing of the lease. The deposit was returnable on the expiration of the term provided that there was no breach of any of it terms and conditions on the part of the tenant or else the deposit would be … Continue reading Hua Chaio Commercial Bank v Chiaphua Industries: PC 1987
21 people protested peacefully on the verge of the A344, next to the perimeter fence at Stonehenge. Some carried banners saying ‘Never Again,’ ‘Stonehenge Campaign 10 years of Criminal Injustice’ and ‘Free Stonehenge.’ The officer in charge concluded that they constituted a ‘trespassory assembly’ and told them so. When asked to move off, many did, … Continue reading Director of Public Prosecutions v Jones and Lloyd: HL 4 Mar 1999
Tenants getting together to buy their landlords’ interest must provide a notice which was correct and accurate. Gross mistakes listing dead and departed tenants invalidated the notice. Citations: Times 27-May-1998 Statutes: Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 12 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Landlord and Tenant Updated: 10 May 2022; Ref: scu.80282
The court made reference to the ‘torrential style of drafting which has been traditional for many years’ among draftsmen of covenants in leases. ‘The use of ordinary language to convey meaning often involves subtle discriminations which for most people are intuitive rather than capable of lucid explanation. An explanation of why ordinary English words in … Continue reading Norwich Union Life Insurance v British Railways Board: 1987
An agreement in principle was marked ‘subject to contract’. The Government would acquire some flats owned the plaintiff Group of companies in return for the Government granting, inter alia, a lease to the Group of some Crown lands. The Government was allowed to and did take possession of the flats and spent money upon them … Continue reading Attorney General of Hong Kong v Humphreys Estate (Queen’s Gardens) Ltd: PC 1987
A claim was made for the price of goods sold and delivered. The defendant’s solicitor gave an oral undertaking to his counterpart to procure the execution by directors of his client company of charges over their homes in return for an adjournment sine die. The charges were not executed, and the defendant company went into … Continue reading Udall v Capri Lighting Ltd (in liquidation): CA 1987
The respondent appealed against a finding that the provision which made a loan agreement completely invalid for lack of compliance with the 1974 Act was itself invalid under the Human Rights Act since it deprived the respondent lender of its property rights. It was also argued that it was not possible to make a declaration … Continue reading Wilson v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry; Wilson v First County Trust Ltd (No 2): HL 10 Jul 2003
(Scotland) The pursuers were the widow and daughter of a tenant of the respondent who had been violently killed by his neighbour. They said that the respondent, knowing of the neighbour’s violent behaviours had a duty of care to the deceased and should have removed the neighbour, or warned them when their attempts to remove … Continue reading Mitchell and Another v Glasgow City Council: HL 18 Feb 2009
Tenants sought enfranchisement of their properties, but 75% of building consisted of a shop, and only 25% was living accomodation. Held: The tenants were entitled to buy the freehold. The question whether a building is a house ‘reasonably so called’ is one of law. The House made two particular points of general application on the … Continue reading Tandon v Trustees of Spurgeons Homes: HL 1982
Tenants sought to exercise their rights to purchase the freehold under the 1987 Act. The landlord had granted a reversionary lease of part to her husband. Held: The tenants took the freehold subject to the lease. Judges: Lady Fox Citations: [1990] 2 EGLR 230 Statutes: Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 5 Jurisdiction: England and Wales … Continue reading Englefield Court Tenants v Skeels: LVT 1990
The court was asked whether the fact that the tenants under a fourteen year lease had entered into occupation of the premises one day after the term began meant that they had thereby failed to occupy for ‘the whole of the fourteen years,’ in which event, of course, they were entitled only to the basic … Continue reading Department of the Environment v Royal Insurance PLC: ChD 1986
The Claimant challenged the decision of the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) appointing a manager of property known as the Fort, Cawsand, Torpoint, Cornwall under Part II section 24 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987, on the ground that the tribunal went beyond its powers in purporting to appoint a manager of property which is … Continue reading Cawsand Fort Management Company Ltd, Regina (on The Application of) v Kane and Others: Admn 18 Nov 2014
The court was asked to set pitch fees on a registered mobile home site. The site owner had sought to rely upon the fact of the order which cut from 15 per cent to 10 per cent the maximum commission chargeable by a site owner on an occupier’s assignment of his mobile home that reduction … Continue reading Stroud v Weir Associates: CA 1987
The plaintiff had granted a tenancy of his substantial farm to the first defendant, and made him a partner. The first defendant later bought out the plaintiff who was in turn later reconciled with his only son who had previously had some considerable involvement with the farm. The plaintiff gave a general power to the … Continue reading Goldsworthy v Brickell: CA 1987
The taxpayers used schemes to create allowable losses, and now appealed assessment to tax. The schemes involved a series of transactions none of which were a sham, but which had the effect of cancelling each other out. Held: If the true nature of the transactions could be seen by looking at them all together, then … Continue reading W T Ramsay Ltd v Inland Revenue Commissioners: HL 12 Mar 1981
UTLC LANDLORD AND TENANT – Service Charges- failure of demand to comply with section 47 Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 – whether legal costs of tribunal proceedings and costs of surveyor recoverable pursuant to service charge clause in lease- reimbursement of tribunal fees – appeal allowed in part [2016] UKUT 371 (LC) Bailii Landlord and … Continue reading Cannon and Another v 38 Lambs Conduit Llp: UTLC 11 Aug 2016
An agreement was made for the assignment of the copyright in a music track, but it remained ‘subject to contract’. The assignor later sought to resile from the assignment. Held: It is standard practice in the music licensing business for a licensee and a licensor to enter into a deal memo followed by a long … Continue reading Confetti Records (A Firm), Fundamental Records, Andrew Alcee v Warner Music UK Ltd (Trading As East West Records): ChD 23 May 2003
The tenant complained that the landlord had unreasonably withheld its consent to a proposed assignment. Held: The landlords were not acting unreasonably in refusing consent on grounds which were unexceptionable. Judge Finlay QC said: ‘The landlords here are, in my judgment, entitled to consider the likely effect upon their ability to let other parts of … Continue reading FW Woolworth plc v Charlwood Alliance Properties Ltd: ChD 1987
A grant of an assured tenancy included a clause under which the rent would be increased from pounds 4,680, to pounds 25,000 per year. It was expected that the tenant would be reliant upon Housing Benefit to pay the rent, and that Housing Benefit would be insufficient. Held: The agreement to increase the rent was … Continue reading Bankway Properties Ltd v Penfold-Dunsford and Another: CA 24 Apr 2001
Former HL decision in Siebe Gorman overruled The company had become insolvent. The bank had a debenture and claimed that its charge over the book debts had become a fixed charge. The preferential creditors said that the charge was a floating charge and that they took priority. Held: The appeal was allowed. The debenture, although … Continue reading National Westminster Bank plc v Spectrum Plus Limited and others: HL 30 Jun 2005
The former landlord had sold a number of buildings, some of which fell within Part I of the 1987 Act. The section 5 notice had not been served. The vendor had also failed to comply with his duty (under s 5(5)) to ‘sever’ the transaction, and sell the buildings within Part I separately. A majority … Continue reading Kay-Green and Others v Twinsectra Limited: CA 15 May 1996
A consent order provided for a substantial payment to the tenant, who was claiming damages for failure to maintain the premises in good repair. The landlord now sought possession. Held: There was no implied admission that the landlord was entitled to possession under the section.Sir John Donaldson MR: ‘The question which then arises is whether … Continue reading Regina v Bloomsbury and Marylebone County Court, ex parte Blackburne: CA 1985
The Office sought a declaration that the respondent and other banks were subject to the provisions of the Regulations in their imposition of bank charges to customer accounts, and in particular as to the imposition of penalties or charges for the breach of the overdraft limits. Held: The relevant terms were not exempt from assessment … Continue reading Office of Fair Trading v Abbey National Plc and seven Others: ComC 24 Apr 2008
Properties had been built as substantial single dwellings. Later they had been converted into separate dwellings and let accordingly. The tenants sought to acquire the freeholds under the 1967 Act. Though required by the lease to use the properties as private dwellings, they had been used as short term lets for tourists. The landlord now … Continue reading Day and Another v Hosebay Ltd; Lexgorge Ltd v Howard de Walden Estates Ltd etc: CA 1 Jul 2010
The appellant’s brother had been the secure tenant of the respondent Council which had in 1987 obtained an order for possession for rent arrears suspended on condition. The condition had not been complied with, but the brother had continued to live in the house paying rent and sums from the arrears until he died in … Continue reading Austin v Mayor and Burgesses of The London Borough of Southwark: SC 23 Jun 2010
The landlords claimed that the tenants remained bound under the lease to occupy and use the premises and pay rent. The tenant said that it had exercised a break option. The landlord said that the break was not exercisable because it had otherwise been in breach of the lease, though that breach had been remedied. … Continue reading Trygort (Number 2) Ltd v UK Home Finance Ltd and Another: SCS 29 Oct 2008
Damages on Construction not as Agreed The appellant had contracted to build a swimming pool for the respondent, but, after agreeing to alter the specification to construct it to a certain depth, in fact built it to the original lesser depth, Damages had been awarded to the house owner against a builder at the cost … Continue reading Ruxley Electronics and Construction Ltd v Forsyth: HL 29 Jun 1995
The parties disputed whether a building was a house ‘reasonably so called’ within the 1987 Act. The instant building was designed or adapted for living in, and was divided horizontally into six flats or maisonettes, and included shops. Held: The appeal failed. The words ‘reasonably so called’ are intended to be words of limitation, so … Continue reading Magnohard Ltd v Cadogan and Another: CA 4 May 2012
The claimant sought a possession order to recover land from trespassers. The court considered whether a possession order was available where not all the land was occupied, and it was feared that the occupiers might simply move onto a different part. Held: The defendants’ appeal was allowed. The court may grant an injunction to prevent … Continue reading Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs v Meier and Others: SC 1 Dec 2009
The House of Lords were concerned with the correct test to be applied in determining whether asylum seekers are entitled to the status of refugee. That in turn gave rise to an issue, turning upon the proper interpretation of Article 1.A(2) of the Convention. Held: When deciding whether an asylum applicant’s fear of persecution was … Continue reading Regina v Home Secretary, ex parte Sivakumaran: HL 16 Dec 1987
The council made offers of accommodation which were rejected as inappropriate by the proposed tenants. Held: The council was given a responsibility to act reasonably. It was for them, not the court to make that assessment subject only to Wednesbury considerations. Nor was it for the proposed tenants’ views to hold sway. At first instance … Continue reading London Borough of Newham v Khatun, Zeb and Iqbal: CA 24 Feb 2004
The claims arose in connection with the validity and alleged infringement of a European Patent on erythropoietin (‘EPO’). Held: ‘Construction is objective in the sense that it is concerned with what a reasonable person to whom the utterance was addressed would have understood the author to be using the words to mean. Notice, however, that … Continue reading Kirin-Amgen Inc and others v Hoechst Marion Roussel Limited and others etc: HL 21 Oct 2004
The House considered the basis of valuation on an acquisition of the freehold reversion of a lease under the 1967 Act of the three elements, the rent, vacant possession after the lease, and the marriage or hope value of the two interests when merged, and particularly the last. Held: In relation to a valuation under … Continue reading Earl Cadogan v Pitts and Wang; Similar: HL 10 Dec 2008
The appellant challenged a sale and rent back transaction. He said that the proposed purchaser had misrepresented the transaction to them. The Court was asked s whether the home owners had interests whose priority was protected by virtue of section 29(2)(a)(ii) of, and Schedule 3, paragraph 2, to the Land Registration Act 2002. Held: The … Continue reading Scott v Southern Pacific Mortgages Ltd and Others: SC 22 Oct 2014
Recovery of damages after Refusal of Injunction The plaintiff appealed against the award of damages instead of an injunction aftter the County court had found the defendant to have trespassed on his land by a new building making use of a private right of way. Held: The appeal failed. A court may substitute damages for … Continue reading Jaggard v Sawyer and Another: CA 18 Jul 1994
Actions were brought to enforce undertakings given by solicitors to redeem mortgages on the sale of properties, and as to redemption figures provided by lenders who then refused to release the properties. The solicitors had replied to standard form enquiries and confirmed that they acted as the lenders’ agents. Held: The solicitors had no real … Continue reading Angel Solicitors v Jenkins O’Dowd and Barth: ChD 19 Jan 2009
The parties signed a memorandum of agreement to let a strip of land from 1930 until determined as provided, but the only provision was that the lease would continue until the land was needed for road widening and two months’ notice was given. The land was never used for road widening and notice to terminate … Continue reading Prudential Assurance Co Ltd v London Residuary Body and Others: HL 16 Jul 1992
The court heard preliminary applications in a case asserting acquisition of land by adverse possession, the land being parts of the foreshore of the Severn Estuary.
Held: A person may acquire title to part of the bed of a tidal river by . .
The court considered the effect of section 62 of the 1925 Act.
Sir Nicholas Browne-Wilkinson V-C said: ‘The main intention of Section 62 was to provide a form of statutory shorthand rendering it unnecessary to include such words expressly in . .
Houses in Kensington were let together for a term of just over 50 years. There was just one title for the headlease. Informal subleases of parts had been granted granted at no rent. After several dealings with the titles, and the plaintiffs came to . .
The question of a proprietary estoppel as between landlord and tenant arose. An agreement had been reached subject to contract for the grant of a lease, with an option to purchase. The tenant was allowed into possession before the documentation was . .
The parties had engaged in a bitter 95 day trial in which allegations of forgery, theft, false accounting, blackmail and arson. A company owning patents and other rights had become insolvent, and the real concern was the destination and ownership of . .
Wartime regulations were implemented which prohibited the building on land which was already subject to a building lease which required the lessees to erect several shops.
Held: Even if the doctrine of frustration could apply to a lease, the . .
Appeal against refusal of relief from forfeiture of lease – appeal based on assertion of waiver by acceptance of rent knowing of the breach.
Held: The appeal was refused. The acceptance of rent was through payment in of a cheque for a sum of . .
The claimant was a property developer, which sought to sell a row of shops at auction. One lot was a Woolworths store, where the company owned both freehold and leasehold interests, with Woolworths occupying an underlease, which the claimant had . .
References: [1987] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 529 Coram: Mr Justice Saville Ratio: Statutes: Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 1930 1(3) This case is cited by: Appeal from – Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc and others -v- West of England Ship Owners Mutual Insurance Association Ltd (the ‘Padri Island’) (No 2); Firma CF-Trade S.A -v- Newcastle … Continue reading Socony Mobil Oil Co Inc and others v West of England Ship Owners Mutual Insurance Association Ltd (the ‘Padre Island’) (No 2): 1987
References: [2003] UKHL 67, Gazette 22-Jan-2004, [2004] STC 73 Links: House of Lords, Bailii Coram: Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead, Lord Steyn, Lord Hoffmann, Lord Millett, Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe When taking a car in part exchange, the company would initially offer the correct market value. If the customer wanted, the company would agree a higher … Continue reading Lex Services plc v Her Majesty’s Commissioners of Customs and Excise: HL 4 Dec 2003
1267 – 1278 – 1285 – 1297 – 1361 – 1449 – 1491 – 1533 – 1677 – 1688 – 1689 – 1700 – 1706 – 1710 – 1730 – 1737 – 1738 – 1751 – 1774 – 1792 – 1793 – 1804 – 1814 – 1819 – 1824 – 1828 – 1831 – 1832 … Continue reading Acts
UTLC LANDLORD AND TENANT – variation of leases – Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 Part IV as amended – service charges – proportionate contributions totalling less than 100% of relevant costs – section 35(2)(f) and (4) – whether order under section 38 varying the leases can be effective from a date earlier than the date … Continue reading Brickfield Properties Ltd v Botten: UTLC 14 Mar 2013
Landlords had sold flats to Frogmore without serving a section 5 notice under the 1987 Act. Prior to receipt of a purchase notice, Frogmore granted certain leases in the block of flats to another party. Held: The agreements were upheld, and were not shams even though they had been intended to work around the 1987 … Continue reading Belvedere Court Management Ltd v Frogmore Developments Ltd: CA 24 Oct 1995
Coleridge J: ‘the covenants must have been strictly kept, or, if broken, must have been satisfied for. So understood, the words import a condition precedent neither impossible nor unreasonable; and where that is clearly the case, the mere difficulty of performance, from the number or nature of the covenants to be performed, – a fact … Continue reading Grey v Friar: 1854
The court had appointed a manager of the converted house under the Act. The tenants sought to set off against the sums payable under the lease, the costs of repairs. The manager asserted that whilst he owed some duty of care, it was not a full duty to repair. Held: The appointment of the manager … Continue reading Taylor v Blaquiere: CA 14 Nov 2002
The claimant sought a declaration that she had inherited her mother’s stautory tenancy in 1987. She alleged encroachment by the landlord and a failure to repair. The landlord denied that she actually lived there so as to attract the protection of the 1977 Act. She received housing benefit. She said she had been driven out … Continue reading Kerr v Stephens: CA 15 Feb 2006
A person in actual occupation of registered land at time of transfer can enforce his rights against the transferee. A sub-underlessee in occupation of part could enforce an option to purchase against the freeholder acquiring intermediate registered title. Actual occupation of part of the land comprised in a registered disposition protected a right or interest … Continue reading Ferrishurst Ltd v Wallcite Ltd: CA 30 Nov 1998
The court was asked whether a lease constituted an incumbrance on a title: ‘In the first place, I am not satisfied that a lease was an incumbrance to these parties. It is true that in certain circumstancess a lease may be regarded as an incumbrance, but it seems to me that an incumbrance, normally, is … Continue reading District Bank v Webb: 1958
The appellant challenged a formal statutory demand which had led to his bankruptcy. The demand had included the anticipated cost of realising the charged property, and also had been inflated to allow for extra costs of dealing the appellant who was perceived to be recalcitrant and unco-operative. Held: The statutory demand could only include sums … Continue reading Owo-Samson v Barclays Bank Plc, Boyden: CA 21 May 2003
The tenants of a unit on a large shopping centre found the business losing money, and closed it in contravention of a ‘keep open’ clause in the lease. They now appealed from a mandatory injunction requiring them to keep the store open. Held: Specific performance is an exceptional remedy, as opposed to the common law … Continue reading Co-Operative Insurance Society Ltd v Argyll Stores: HL 21 May 1997