UTLC Landlord and Tenant – Service Charges – LANDLORD AND TENANT – service charges – validity of service charge demands – whether LVT properly took into account a previous LVT decision – reasonableness of electricity and water costs – whether landlord entitled to fund arrears of service charges through an uplift in service charges – … Continue reading Roberts v Countryside Residential (South West) Ltd, Re Dray Court: UTLC 26 Sep 2017
Each applicant had been accepted as homeless by the respondent, but was then offered alternative accomodation under terms which they found unacceptable. They argued that the Regulations applied. The council had disapplied one statutory guidance in order to meet another administrative target. Held: ‘to depart from national guidance given under statute in order to achieve … Continue reading Khatun, Zeb, Iqbal v London Borough of Newham: Admn 10 Oct 2003
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 court will not add a person as a defendant to an existing action if the claim was already statute-barred and he wished to rely on that defence, and if the court allows such addition ex parte it will not, on objection allow the addition to stand. Where a defendant is added under Ord.15 r.6 … Continue reading Liff v Peasley: CA 1980
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 claimant had taken two leases, but had been made subject to beer ties with the defendant. He claimed damages for the losses, saying he had been forced to pay higher prices than those allowed to non-tied houses, and that the agreement was anti-competitive, and that the individual exemption from the EC Treaty obligations which … Continue reading Crehan v Inntrepreneur Pub Company (CPC): CA 21 May 2004
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
The defendant wrongly used and asserted a right of way over a private road to a house which he had built. Held: To restrain the defendant from using the road would render the new house uninhabitable. The court refused an injunction on the grounds of the plaintiff’s delay in commencing proceedings. The defendant was ‘liable … Continue reading Bracewell v Appleby: ChD 1975
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
An Application for The Appointment of A Manager Under The Provisions In Part Ii Pf The Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 [2016] UKFTT RP – LON – 00AU – Bailii England and Wales Landlord and Tenant Updated: 08 January 2022; Ref: scu.624939
Service on a solicitor who does not have authority to accept service of the particular notice on behalf of his client is not valid service on that party. [2007] EWCA Civ 388, [2007] L and TR 28 Bailii Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 48 England and Wales … Continue reading Glen International Ltd v Triplerose Ltd: CA 23 Mar 2007
Unrelated Detriment was no Discrimination The tenant had left his flat and sublet it so as to allow the landlord authority an apparently unanswerable claim for possession. The authority appealed a finding that they had to take into account the fact that the tenant was disabled and make reasonable adjustments. Held: The authority’s appeal succeeded. … Continue reading London Borough of Lewisham v Malcolm: HL 25 Jun 2008
UTLC LANDLORD AND TENANT – service charges – scope of compromise agreed in correspondence – identity of landlord – validity of service charge demands – section 47, Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 – appeal allowed in part [2015] UKUT 221 (LC) Bailii Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 47 England and Wales Landlord and Tenant Updated: … Continue reading Tedla v Cameret Court Residents Association Ltd: UTLC 20 May 2015
UTLC LANDLORD AND TENANT – appointment of manager – whether refusal to postpone hearing unfair – whether appropriate tribunal may confer power for manager to disclaim lease of commercial premises — s. 24, Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 – appeal allowed in part [2015] UKUT 55 (LC) Bailii Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 24 England … Continue reading Sennadine Properties Ltd v Heelis: UTLC 23 Feb 2015
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
Purchaser with notice bound in Equity A, being seised of the centre garden and some houses in Leicester Square, conveyed the garden to B in fee, and B covenanted for himself and his assigns to keep the garden unbuilt upon. Held: A purchaser from B, with notice of the covenant, was bound by it in … Continue reading Tulk v Moxhay: 22 Dec 1848
The tenant had applied to the landlord for consent to assign certain leases. The court had declared the right to exercise break clauses in certain leases as lost. The court had found the right to be lost after the assignment of the leases by the original tenant, that the exercise of a break clauses limited … Continue reading JBW Group Ltd v Westminster City Council: CA 12 Mar 2010
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 curtilage of a house is narrowly confined to the area surrounding it and did not extend to a paddock. Buckley LJ said: ‘In my judgment, for one corporeal hereditament to fall within the curtilage of another, the former must be so intimately associated with the latter as to lead to the conclusion that the … Continue reading Methuen-Campbell v Walters: CA 1978
The tenants sought to acquire the freehold under the Act. The landlord sought to exclude the gardens and other appurtenancies. Held: They had been included in the demise of the flats and were to be included in the title to be purchased. The l987 Act is ‘ill-drafted, complicated and confused’. Browne-Wilkinson VC [1991] 1 WLR … Continue reading Denetower Ltd v Toop: CA 1991
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
The court faced ‘a jury question to be determined by applying ordinary common sense’. And ‘The question posed and to be answered by ordinary commonsense standards, is whether the particular premises are in the personal occupation of the tenant as the tenant’s ‘home”‘The word ‘home’ itself is not easy of exact definition, but the question … Continue reading Beck v Scholz: CA 1953
The lease contained a break clause. The parties disputed whether the benefit of the clause was personal to the orginal lessee, or whether it touched and concerned the land, and therefore the benefit of it passed with the land. Held: The defendant was entitled to exercise and did validly exercise the break clause. The purpose … Continue reading Harbour Estates Limited v HSBC Bank Plc: ChD 15 Jul 2004
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
UTLC LANDLORD AND TENANT – service charges – whether any credit for overpayment should be given to all leaseholders or just appellant – whether respondent’s conduct amounting to breach of trust and/or RICS Code of Conduct – whether VAT on electricity supply to common parts of blocks of flats should be charged at reduced rate … Continue reading MacGregor v BM Samuels Finance Group Ltd: UTLC 21 Oct 2013
Same Sex Paartner to Inherit as Family Member The claimant had lived with the original tenant in a stable and long standing homosexual relationship at the deceased’s flat. After the tenant’s death he sought a statutory tenancy as a spouse of the deceased. The Act had been extended to include as a spouse someone living … Continue reading Fitzpatrick v Sterling Housing Association Ltd: HL 28 Oct 1999
No Frustration of Lease through loss of access The tenant’s access to the premises was closed by the local authority because it passed by a derelict and dangerous building. The tenant argued that its tenancy was frustrated. Held: The lease was not frustrated. The lease had a term of ten years, and the interruption was … Continue reading National Carriers Ltd v Panalpina (Northern) Ltd: HL 11 Dec 1980
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
Conditions for new evidence on appeal At the trial, the wife of the appellant’s opponent said she had forgotten certain events. After the trial she began divorce proceedings, and informed the appellant that she now remembered. He sought either to appeal admitting fresh evidence, or for a retrial. Held: The Court of Appeal refused to … Continue reading Ladd v Marshall: CA 29 Nov 1954
A ship charterer discovered that the bills of lading were incorrect, but delayed withdrawal from the charter for 13 days. They now sought leave to appeal the arbitration award against them. Held: Though he deprecated extending the use of the expression ‘purposive construction’ from the interpretation of statutes to the interpretation of private contracts, Lord … Continue reading Antaios Compania Naviera SA v Salen Rederierna AB (‘the Antaios’): HL 1984
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 claimant’s employment by the bank had been terminated. The parties disputed the sums due, and the date of the termination of the contract. The court was asked ‘Does a repudiation of a contract of employment by the employer which takes the form of an express and immediate dismissal automatically terminate the contract?’ Held: Mr … Continue reading Societe Generale, London Branch v Geys: SC 19 Dec 2012
A house and an adjoining building had been first demised under one lease, then separated vertically. Two separate residential properties now existed. Held: The vertical division meant that the two houses could not be enfranchised as one under the Act. The Act also provided that where a property had been divided in such a way … Continue reading Malekshad v Howard de Walden Estates Limited: HL 5 Dec 2002
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 claimants sought commission or a quantum meruit for the part they had taken in finding a suitable site for the defendant’s High Commission in London. Held: The works undertaken were consistent with the claimant seeking work from the defendant. No contract had been signed, and the defendant had indicated a reluctance to agree to … Continue reading MSM Consulting Ltd v United Republic of Tanzania: QBD 30 Jan 2009
Rectification – Chartbrook not followed Opportunity for an appellate court to clarify the correct test to apply in deciding whether the written terms of a contract may be rectified because of a common mistake. Held: The appeal failed. The judge was right to conclude that an objective observer would have understood – just as Barclays … Continue reading FSHC Group Holdings Ltd v Glas Trust Corporation Ltd: CA 31 Jul 2019
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 tenant under a long lease sought enfranchisement. The landlord denied that it was a ‘house’ reasonably so called within the 1967 Act. The building had been constructed as a house, but was now substantially used as offices. They could only be used under the lease as to 11.5% for residential purposes, the remainder of … Continue reading Grosvenor Estates Ltd v Prospect Estates Ltd: CA 21 Nov 2008
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 landlord and the ‘tenant’ specifically agreed that the tenancy should be granted to a limited company formed by the tenant, which it was legitimate for them to do so as to avoid the Rent Acts, and the tenant had taken legal advice. Held: In these circumstances the individual who had formed the company could … Continue reading Hilton v Plustitle Ltd: CA 1988
The House considered situations where a secure or assured tenancy had been made subject to a suspended possession order and where despite the tenant failing to comply with the conditions, he had been allowed to continue in occupation. Held: Mrs White remained an assured tenant despite the continued suspended possession order. Mr Porter was entitled … Continue reading Knowsley Housing Trust v White; Honeygan-Green v London Borough of Islington; Porter v Shepherds Bush Housing Association: HL 10 Dec 2008
Possessing Proceedings Notice Not a Rent Demand The landlord’s notice of proceedings for possession gave the agent’s address, but not that of the landlord. The parties disputed whether it was a demand for rent and its validity. Held: It was not a demand for rent, and did not require the landlord’s own name and address. … Continue reading Prempeh v Lakhany: CA 30 Oct 2020
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 defendant had been convicted, under regulations made under the Act, of smoking in a railway carriage. He sought to challenge the validity of the regulations themselves. He wanted to argue that the power to ban smoking on carriages did not . .
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 deceased had come into contact with asbestos when working on building sites for more than one contractor. The claimant here sought contribution from the defendants for the damages it had paid to his estate. The issue was as to liability on . .
Before the parties called evidence, and having read the papers, the court considered that there was no real defence shown, and invited submissions. Negotiations for the grant of a tenancy had been terminated by the sudden illness of the proposed . .
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 . .
Various leases of properties had been granted. Legal and General occupied the property under an arrangement under which they paid no rent. The landlord sought possession, saying that the agreements were licences not tenancies because of the absence . .
The building had been constructed in 1869. It was used as a house on three floors with a basement. The ground floor was later used as a shoe repairing shop and then as a betting shop with living accommodation still used for dwelling purposes in the . .
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 . .
Three Leases of the Peter Jones site to T’s predecessor in 1934 contained covenants by T to redevelop the site in two phases, the second of which related to the MackMurdo and Simon’s Street buildings and was to be completed by December 25 1987. In . .
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 . .
A notice was issued under s 14 of the Conveyancing and Law of Property Act 1881 in which the lessor alleged generally that the lessee had ‘broken the covenants for repairing the inside and outside’ of the demised premises, and required the lessee to . .
The House referred to a schedule of repair served on the tenant: ‘Now the schedule is attacked on several grounds. It is said that it does not tell the tenant what it is he ought to do in order to remedy the breach of which complaint is made. I am . .
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: [1963] 1 QB 887, [1963] 1 All ER 500 Coram: Sachs J Ratio: To demand rent may waive a right to forfeiture. Sachs J said: ‘When one looks at the authorities, it is, however, clear that a demand can operate as a waiver in the same way as an acceptance.’ Also the landlord’s own … Continue reading Segal Securities Limited v Thoseby: 1963
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: (1848) 2 Ph 774, [1848] 1 H & TW 105, [1848] 18 LJ Ch 83, [1848] 13 LTOS 21, [1848] 13 Jur 89, [1848] 41 ER 1143 LC, (1848) 11 Beavan 571, [1848] EWHC Ch J34, [1848] EngR 1005, (1848) 11 Beav 571, (1848) 50 ER 937, [1848] EngR 1059, (1848) 1 H & … Continue reading Tulk v Moxhay; 22 Dec 1848
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
