The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has recently published its response to a government consultation examining ground rent reforms for existing leasehold properties. The CMA has concluded that ground rent is neither “legally nor commercially necessary”. They also stated that they do not see any “persuasive evidence that consumers received anything in return”. In […]
Tag Archives: Residential Property
Government considers 99% mortgages – but are they a good idea?
“Getting on the housing ladder”. It’s a phrase which for generations has been an aspirational one for many young people living in the UK. However, with wages struggling to keep up with inflation, a lack of housebuilding, and rapidly escalating property prices, it is widely acknowledged to be increasingly difficult to buy your first property. […]
Surrender and regrant – is it applicable if a joint tenant leaves a property?
An important Court of Appeal case has reaffirmed the succession criteria for a tenancy when a joint tenant leaves a secure tenancy. Unlike assured shorthold tenancies, secure tenancies often allow for strong succession rights. This may allow family members such as spouses or children to succeed to the tenancy should the original tenant pass away. […]
Eviction notices – when can landlords use them to evict tenants?
In today’s article, we’re going to cover the legal knowledge you need to know when it comes to the rules around eviction notices in the UK. This includes how landlords can evict tenants when they have the right to do so, how tenants can protect themselves, and finally, the legal procedures that landlords must […]
Renting with pets – do landlords have to say yes to tenants?
Pets are a huge part of people’s lives. In the UK, they are often considered part of the family and help to improve both the mental and physical health of their owners. However, renting with pets in the current climate can prove to be a challenge for tenants and landlords alike. The pandemic saw […]
New EPC targets scrapped following Sunak’s Net Zero reversals
In an announcement to the British public this week, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak revealed that he has decided to scrap EPC targets requiring landlords to bring private rental properties up to a minimum level of C by 2025. We discussed these targets in depth in a previous article from February here. While EPC ratings […]
Property dispute causes couple to pay £280,000 over extension too close to neighbour’s house
When you renovate a property or plan to expand the area of the property, there are usually two things to pay attention to: first, whether you need to apply for planning permission; second, how close the property extension is to the boundary. In many cases, the second problem may be more troublesome for homeowners, especially when […]
If a couple who own UK properties got married in a foreign country, is it better to divorce there or in the UK?
The UK is a country which is home to many immigrants from across the world. Like a lot of immigrants to the UK today, the individuals in this case decided to settle after coming here to study, meeting at work and eventually getting married. However, the situation is complicated by the fact that the couple […]
No fault evictions to be banned – what will be the effect on tenants and landlords?
The Renters’ (Reform) Bill 2023 was introduced to parliament last year, promising comprehensive reform of the private rented sector. It will provide welcome news for renters in particular and will see England completely ban no fault evictions as part of a long-awaited package of reform of the private rental industry. The scheme will affect approximately […]
Local authorities may be forced to pay out millions of pounds after homeowner wins £300k Japanese knotweed case
“Japanese knotweed”. The mere mention of this plant is enough to strike fear in the hearts of homeowners, property developers and landlords up and down the country. However, the High Court made a recent key judgment which marks a new milestone in the “Japanese knotweed debate” and may turn the tide on who bears responsibility […]
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 […]
Luxury flat residents win Supreme Court private nuisance battle against Tate Modern
In a high-profile case, the Supreme Court has ruled that the Tate Modern’s viewing platform violates the privacy of luxury flats located opposite the art gallery. Located in the heart of Central London, in 2020 the Tate Modern was listed as the 3rd most visited art gallery in the world, with around 5 ½ million […]
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 […]
Plans to shake up private rented sector announced
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has announced a spate of planned reforms to private renting in its new White Paper, dubbed ‘a fairer private rented sector’. It claims that this will offer a “fairer deal” for the 13 million renters in the United Kingdom, as well as ‘fundamentally reforming the private rented […]
Nearly 5 years after the Grenfell Tragedy, does the Building Safety Act do enough to make residential property safer?
The Building Safety Bill has officially received Royal Assent and become law. The legislation has been a long time in the making, with the national outrage which followed the Grenfell Tower tragedy in June 2017 leading to the resurgence of a national debate about the safety of properties in the UK. Of particular concern […]
Ground Rent charges set to be scrapped for new leaseholders. What does this mean?
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has announced that the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 will come into force on 30th June 2022. The news comes following an initial 2018 consultation by the government, meaning that the arrival of this legislation has been in progress for a long time. The government have […]
Rental guidance updated! What do you need to know?
New guidance has been released for people renting property from a landlord, which attempts to give clarity to such tenants. This guidance must be provided to tenants who are in a shorthold tenancy which started any time after 1 October 2015. The information is helpful to both the renter and the landlord, so it […]
