Promises, promises: what is a landlord to do? Looking at the Supreme Court ruling in Duval v 11-13 Randolph Crescent – Becket Chambers

Posted June 16th, 2020 in covenants, enforcement, landlord & tenant, leases, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘Is a landlord of a block of flats entitled to grant a licence to a lessee to carry out work which would breach an absolute covenant contained in a lease of their flat, where the leases of other flats in the same building require them to enforce covenants at the request of a lessee of one of those other flats, without being in breach of the latter covenant?’

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Becket Chambers, 11th June 2020

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Landlord’s certification conclusive and binding on issues of law? – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted June 11th, 2020 in covenants, landlord & tenant, news, rent, repairs, service charges, set-off by sally

‘This appeal was against the Deputy Master’s refusal in [2019] EWHC 3414 (Ch) to dismiss Blacks, the tenant’s counterclaim or to grant a summary money judgement in relation to S&H, the landlord’s claim for rent for over £400,000. It raised complicated issues concerning the construction and inter-relation between a set-off clause and a certification provision.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 10th June 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Not not Nemcova – Nearly Legal

Posted June 8th, 2020 in appeals, covenants, housing, landlord & tenant, leases, news, tribunals by sally

‘Another Upper Tribunal decision to add to the now large pile of cases on airbnb/short let use and breach of lease. In this case, the FTT had found the short let use not to be in breach of lease (for cunning reasons I’ll come back to) and the head lessor had appealed to the Upper Tribunal. The decision upholds the Nemcova line on “private residence” use, but also has a finding of interest on “business use”.’

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Nearly Legal, 6th June 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

The consequences of breaching absolute covenants – Tanfield Chambers

Posted June 4th, 2020 in covenants, landlord & tenant, leases, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘Residential leases can last a long time. A lot can change in 99 years or 999 years. What the landlord deemed an absolute “no-no” in 1965 might not seem such a bad idea now. However, following the Supreme Court’s decision in Duval v 11-13 Randolph Crescent Ltd [2020] UKSC 18; [2020] PLSCS 84 if the landlord has given other leaseholders in the block the benefit of a mutual enforceability covenant, the landlord will put itself in breach of covenant if it gives a tenant permission to do something which would breach an absolute covenant. The consequences of this decision are potentially far reaching.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 13th May 2020

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Distinguishing a Crock from a Gater – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted June 2nd, 2020 in covenants, landlord & tenant, news, service charges by sally

‘[Landlord & Tenant Act 1985] s.27A(6) provides that:

An agreement by the tenant of a dwelling (other than a post-dispute arbitration agreement) is void in so far as it purports to provide for a determination—(a) in a particular manner, or (b) on particular evidence,
of any question which may be the subject of an application under subsection (1) …’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 28th May 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Every dog in the manger has its day. Sometimes two – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted May 21st, 2020 in covenants, landlord & tenant, leases, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Court of Appeal decision in Dr Julia Duval v 11 – 13 Randolph Crescent Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ 2298 was a wake-up call to landlords to be alive to their, often overlooked, obligations to enforce tenants’ covenants at the behest of other tenants. That decision has been confirmed by the Supreme Court: [2020] UKSC 18.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 12th May 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

New judgment: Duval v 11-13 Randolph Crescent Ltd [2020 UKSC 18] – UKSC Blog

Posted May 7th, 2020 in covenants, landlord & tenant, leases, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘Two of the leases of 11-13 Randolph Crescent are held by the respondent, Dr Duval and a third lease Is held by Ms Martha Winfield. Each lease contains a covenant, clause 2.6, which prevents the lessee from making any alteration or improvement in, or addition to, the premises demised by the lease without the prior consent of the landlord. Each lease contains an absolute covenant, clause 2.7, which prevents the lessee from cutting into any roofs, walls, ceilings or service media. Clause 3.19 requires the landlord to enforce, at the request and cost of the lessee, certain covenants in the leases held by other lessees, including any covenant of a similar nature to clause 2.7. Mrs Winfield sought a licence from the landlord to carry out works to her flat which the landlord granted, subject to Mrs Winfield securing adequate insurance. Dr Duval then issued proceedings against the landlord seeking a declaration that the landlord did not possess the power to permit Mrs Winfield to act in breach of clause 2.7 of her lease. The landlord appealed to the Supreme Court.’

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UKSC Blog, 6th May 2020

Source: ukscblog.com

Much a door about nothing? When is a door a landlord’s fixture? – Falcon Chambers

Posted May 5th, 2020 in covenants, landlord & tenant, leases, news by sally

‘Mr Fivaz had (and still has) long leases of two flats in a block owned by by Marlborough. In around 2014 he unilaterally replaced the front door of each flat. About 5 years later the landlord complained that his actions constituted a breach of the leases. It brought proceedings in the FTT for a determination of breach pursuant to s.168(4) of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.’

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Falcon Chambers, April 2020

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

Modification of Leasehold Covenants: The latest decision – Falcon Chambers

Posted April 16th, 2020 in chambers articles, covenants, landlord & tenant, leases, news by sally

‘In its latest decision on the modification of restrictive covenants in leases under s. 84, the Lands Tribunal has refused to modify a use covenant in a long lease prohibiting the use of the demised premises in question as a hotel.’

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Falcon Chambers, April 2020

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

Holding and Management (Solitaire) Limited v Leslie Stafford Miller [2019] UKUT 402 (LC) – Tanfield Chambers

‘The FTT improperly purported to determine matters which it had no statutory authority to do so on the basis of the generality of the County Court’s order transferring the matter to it.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 2nd April 2020

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Inducing Breach of Contract: – Reliance on Legal Advice Saves the Day in Court of Appeal – Littleton Chambers

Posted March 24th, 2020 in appeals, chambers articles, contracts, covenants, enforcement, legal services, news by sally

‘In an important decision yesterday (27 February), Allen v Dodd & Co Limited [2020] EWCA Civ 258, the Court of Appeal held that if a person believes their conduct will probably not result in a breach of a contract they will not be liable for inducing a breach even if: (a) they knew there was a risk of breach; and (b) the court subsequently finds such a breach.’

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Littleton Chambers, 28th February 2020

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

A busy residential road lies ahead – Tanfield Chambers

Posted January 9th, 2020 in covenants, enfranchisement, housing, landlord & tenant, leases, news, repossession by sally

‘2020 looks like it will be a busy year for residential property law. Now that the election is finally out of the way and the stasis in parliament has been resolved, we might actually see some changes in the law.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 6th January 2019

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

The Importance of Pre-Action Decisions in Employee Competition Litigation – Littleton Chambers

‘Employee competition litigation typically starts with the discovery of some perceived threat to a business: perhaps the theft or removal of confidential documentation or information; the co-ordinated departure of key employees; or evidence of breaches of post termination covenants. Decisions have to be taken, often under time pressure, about how best to respond to that threat: is a without notice application justified? Is pre-action correspondence appropriate, and if so in what terms? What if any undertakings should be sought? These critical early decisions can have a significant impact on the future conduct of any litigation, including issues of costs and interim relief.’

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Littleton Chambers, 21st November 2019

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Non-compete Covenants and the Balance of Convenience: Affinity Workforce Solutions Ltd v McCann – Blackstone Chambers

Posted November 20th, 2019 in competition, covenants, injunctions, news, restrictive covenants, undertakings by sally

‘The High Court recently refused to grant an interim injunction in support of an alleged non-compete covenant, in particular because of the initial approach taken by the employer upon finding out the employees were working for a competitor.’

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Blackstone Chambers, 18th November 2019

Source: www.employeecompetition.com

Supreme Court backs freeholder in leasehold covenant dispute – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 31st, 2019 in covenants, landlord & tenant, leases, news, planning, Supreme Court by sally

‘Supreme Court justices have ruled by a three to two majority that a freeholder was entitled to withhold consent for a leaseholder to apply for planning permission that might reduce the value of a West End property.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 30th October 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New Judgment: Tillman v Egon Zehnder Ltd [2019] UKSC 32 – UKSC Blog

‘This appeal considered whether the doctrine of restraint of trade is engaged by a restriction on post-employment shareholding, the proper construction of the phrase ‘interested in’ in a non-competition covenant, and the correct approach to severance of a non-competition covenant.’

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UKSC Blog, 3rd July 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

Song from under the floorboards – Nearly Legal

Posted May 7th, 2019 in appeals, consent, contracts, covenants, enforcement, housing, leases, news, nuisance by tracey

‘Fouladi v Darout Ltd & Ors (2018) EWHC 3501 (Ch). Although the judgment is dated December 2018, this has just appeared – a case on the perennially vexed topic of noise from a flat above. In fact it is an appeal and cross appeal on a county court judgment and order on a claim by a leaseholder against both the upstairs leaseholder and the freeholder. The reason that the claim was made, reached trial and then appeal might be connected to the value of the claimant’s flat being some £2,400,000.’

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Nearly Legal, 6th May 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

High court victory for group seeking to build ‘black Canary Wharf’ – The Guardian

Posted March 22nd, 2019 in covenants, minorities, news, planning, sale of land by tracey

‘One of the UK’s largest black communities is celebrating a victory in the high court over a contested piece of land it wants to transform into a “black Canary Wharf”.’

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The Guardian, 21st March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Duval v 11-13 Randolph Crescent Ltd and the contingent obligation principle; or ‘What do promises to marry have to do with leasehold covenants?’ – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted December 12th, 2018 in covenants, landlord & tenant, leases, news by sally

‘In Duval v 11-13 Randolph Crescent Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ 2298 the Court of Appeal applied what might be called ‘the contingent obligation principle’ to solve a problem that had arisen between the landlord (11-13 Randolph Crescent Ltd) of two houses that had been converted into 18 flats and two of the lessees, Dr Julia Duval of flats 11G and 11H, and Mrs Winfield of Flat 13.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 29th November 2018

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Every dog in a manger has its day: landlord’s obligation to enforce tenants’ covenants at the request of other tenants – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted December 12th, 2018 in covenants, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal’s decision in Duval v 11–13 Randolph Crescent Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ 2298 is a wake-up call to landlords to be alive to their, often overlooked, obligations to enforce tenants’ covenants at the behest of other tenants.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 29th November 2018

Source: hardwicke.co.uk