Marks and Spencer defeats government in High Court battle over controversial redevelopment of its flagship store

The iconic British retailer, Marks and Spencer, has won a High Court legal battle against the government over their decision to reject the retailer’s planning application. The High Court ruled that the decision of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary, Michael Gove, to reject the development of the M&S flagship store was unlawful. The […]

How can you protect commercial property against severe weather events?

While the UK has a reputation for its relatively mild, albeit rainy weather, at times it can become more serious. Some time ago, the UK experienced severe weather, leading to us receiving many enquiries from customers regarding commercial properties that suffered from flooding which caused water leakage, repairs and other losses.   With the prediction […]

Guide to Commercial Lease Renewal

Recently, we have received many enquires about commercial lease renewal procedure. These questions are commonly asked. As a result, it is worth discussing the various aspects of commercial lease renewal procedure.     In English law, there are two primary processes for extending the term of a commercial lease: granting a new lease and lease […]

MEES regulations make it illegal to let ‘F’ and ‘G’ Commercial Properties from April – how to prepare for EPC changes

Commercial property landlords should be aware of an important deadline coming up in the very near future. On 1st April, the application of minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) for commercial properties come into effect. This will mean that landlords who own properties which are rated either ‘F’ or ‘G’ on the energy performance certificate (EPC) […]

Register of overseas entities deadline has passed – what now?

We previously brought you news of the register of overseas entities deadline, which you can read more about here. This deadline passed on 31st January, and overseas companies which have failed to register now face the possibility of sales restrictions and tough fines, according to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s latest press […]

What are the rights of a business when it comes to noise complaints? And what to do if your business receives an abatement notice?

A Manchester music venue has recently found itself the subject of a noise abatement notice by Manchester City Council, threatening its future as a result. The venue, called “Night and Day” has been responsible for hosting many well-known music artists over the years, including Arctic Monkeys, Elbow, and Ed Sheeran. However, its future is now […]

How to end a commercial property lease early

No matter how long it takes, it’s inevitable that at some point either a tenant or landlord will wish to end a commercial property lease. This can come either at the end of the lease period, or indeed, earlier than this point. If you would like legal advice when it comes to ending a commercial […]

Does a takeaway shop’s proximity entitle a holiday property owner to private nuisance damages?

As summer comes to an end, the number of people who go on holiday to take a break from the hustle and bustle of their daily working lives grinds to a halt for another year. Thanks to the internet, it’s now much easier to find out extensive details about a place before we book it, […]

Is Covid a viable defence by commercial tenants for rent arrears? No, says the Court of Appeal!

The Court of Appeal has recently found that a tenant cannot use Covid as a defence for rent arrears. The case acts as an important case study for rent arrears accrued during the pandemic as well as dispute resolution between commercial landlords and tenants.   The cases in question were as follows, Bank of New […]

Company administrators cleared of breach of duty despite deficiency during sale of properties

By Yitong Guo     Today’s article comes from one of our solicitors, Yitong Guo, who specialises in property law. The article is about a dismissal application in the Chancery Division of the High Court concerning allegations of breach of duty by company administrators in relation to two companies (“the Companies”) whose business involved the […]

Commercial Rent Debt accrued over the Pandemic to be handled under new Code of Practice – What does this mean for landlords and tenants?

It has been announced this week that new laws and a new code of practice will dictate the handling of debts accrued by those renting commercial property during the pandemic, who have been unable to pay rent and other costs because of lockdowns and a lack of business. This will be of interest to both […]