Case Study Flashcards
Are leases by definition inside or outside the ‘54 Act?
Inside
How did you know that the lease was inside the ‘54 Act?
Was silent and no simple or statutory declaration attached to lease
How might a conflict of interest arisen in this case?
- The same agent/surveyor represents both the landlord and tenant (dual agency).
- There is a personal or financial relationship between the advisor and either party.
- The advisor has worked for the other party in the past on related matters.
- The advisor is incentivised in a way that favours one party.
You inspected the property having regard to the Surveying Safely. How did your inspection comply with this?
I conducted a desktop risk assessment prior to attending the site to identify any potential risks.
I then conducted a dynamic risk assessment on site.
I had regard to my companies lone working policy by ensuring my team knew where I was and made sure my phone was fully charged.
You measured the property on an NIA basis. What did you include/exclude?
Includes main sales area and storage, including kitchen.
Excluded plant room, toilets, cleaners’ room, usable areas less than 0.25 m, areas less than 1.5m in height, meter and service cupboards
Why did you choose not to Zone this property?
Zoning is a valuation technique, not a measuring technique
Turning to your first key issue - how did you rank the importance of these comparables?
Based on location, condition and size.
In your analysis of the comparables, you mention the strength of a hot-food use. Why was that a strength in your opinion? Why would hot food use achieve a higher rent?
What is a S.26 notice?
- Tenant’s request for a new tenancy
- Must be in the prescribed form containing proposals for a new lease and termination of current lease, including rent
Can a tenant serve a hostile S.26 notice?
No - if tenant does not wish to take on a new lease they must serve a S.27 notice if the current lease has already expired, giving 3 months’ notice
- S.27 notice is not mandatory (if lease has not yet expired)
Your recommendation was to serve a S.25 notice - how long before the lease expiry did you recommend serving the S.25 notice?
Served S25 notice in Feb giving the minimum 6 months’ notice to terminate lease on 20 Aug 2024
What was your thinking between whether the notice should be served at the earliest opportunity (12 months before) or the latest opportunity (6 months before)?
If the market is improving, should you not have waited until the last opportunity to achieve the higher rent?
While waiting until to serve the notice at the last opportunity might have captured potential market improvements, the priority was to give the landlord certainty in securing a new lease without the risk of losing the tenant or facing delays.
No guarantee of a significant market uplift in the next few months, and early engagement allowed me to secure a rent reflecting current conditions
If you had waited 3 months before the lease expires to serve your section 25 notice - when would the new lease start?
If I had waited until 3 months before the original lease expiry (June 2024), the notice would not have complied with the minimum 6-month notice requirement.
This would mean the tenant could remain in occupation under the holding over provisions, and the new lease couldn’t legally start until at least 6 months after the notice was served
Ultimately, you agreed the lease renewal at £14,400 - what would you have done in the event the tenant’s representative disagreed with the quoting rent - what would be the appropriate dispute resolution options for you?
PACT
- PACT is a process where the determination of all or some of the terms of a renewal lease is (with the consent of both parties) ‘delegated’ to an independent third party who may act either as an arbitrator or as an independent expert.
PACT offers a quick, efficient and cost-effective solution to a commercial lease renewal dispute without the need to go to court.
Parties who opt to use PACT can have their dispute resolution by a professional who has expertise in the subject matter, without the need to go to court.
Benefits of using PACT:
Flexible – parties can choose whether a lawyer or surveyor is appointed and whether they act as an arbitrator or independent expert.
Quick – PACT can be set up speedily and should be less time consuming than going to court.
Expert decisions – only professionals with high levels of knowledge and experience in the subject matter are appointed.
Adaptable – the scheme allows bespoke solutions to be developed to suit the needs of the parties.
What is PACT?
- Professional Arbitration on Court Terms is a joint initiative set up by RICS and the Law Society as a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for lease renewal disputes.
- PACT is a process where the determination of all or some of the terms of a renewal lease is (with the consent of both parties) ‘delegated’ to an independent third party who may act either as an arbitrator or as an independent expert.
PACT offers a quick, efficient and cost-effective solution to your commercial lease renewal dispute without the need to go to court.
Parties who opt to use PACT can have their dispute resolution by a professional who has expertise in the subject matter, without the need to go to court.
Benefits of using PACT:
Flexible – parties can choose whether a lawyer or surveyor is appointed and whether they act as an arbitrator or independent expert.
Quick – PACT can be set up speedily and should be less time consuming than going to court.
Expert decisions – only professionals with high levels of knowledge and experience in the subject matter are appointed.
Adaptable – the scheme allows bespoke solutions to be developed to suit the needs of the parties.
If you wanted to make an offer to settle because you wanted to avoid going to court (because of costs etc) what might you have served on the tenant in this lease renewal?
Part 36 Offer of the Civil Procedure Rules marked ‘without prejudice’
What is the construction of your property and how do you know?
Concrete cross-wall construction, flat roof, solid concrete floors, glazed shop front.
I asked the internal building surveying team and confirmed with the client.
How else might you find out the construction of the property?
- Building surveyor
- Client info
- Architects drawings and maintenance plans
- Historical building information
What are the typical issues associated with your property?
- Structural damage (cracked walls, faulty window seals, foundation deterioration)
- Electrical hazards (incorrectly installed electrical panels and units or poorly maintained areas)
- Moisture problems
Are you aware of any subsequent lettings on the parade and if so, at what rents were these?
Why would you not use ‘without prejudice’ in HoTs?
Becase the terms were not contentious
“Without prejudice” is used in negotiations to protect parties from having settlement discussions used against them in court. However, in HoTs, you typically would not use “without prejudice” because:
- Clarity of Intent: HOTs are meant to set out the agreed terms between the parties and signal the intention to move forward with the transaction. Using “without prejudice” would imply that the terms are still in dispute and not finalised.
- Binding Nature: HOTs often form the basis for drafting legally binding contracts. If marked “without prejudice,” it could undermine the intention to agree on key terms, causing uncertainty over the parties’ commitments.
- Record of Agreement: HOTs serve as a record of what both parties have agreed to in principle. Using “without prejudice” could imply that neither party is fully committed to the terms, which goes against the purpose of HOTs.
When would you use ‘without prejudice’?
- Settlement Negotiations: To ensure offers or concessions can’t be used against a party if negotiations fail.
- Dispute Resolution: To protect communications aimed at resolving disputes (e.g., rent reviews or dilapidations).
- Compromise Offers: In Calderbank Offers, to keep settlement discussions confidential while allowing reference to them when determining costs if rejected.
It encourages open negotiations without affecting the legal position.
Why use “Subject to Contract”? What does it mean?
“Subject to Contract” means that the terms being discussed are not legally binding until a formal contract is signed. It is used to:
- Clarify Intentions: Indicate that negotiations are ongoing and no agreement has been finalised.
- Prevent Premature Obligation: Ensure neither party is bound by the discussions until all terms are agreed and a formal contract is executed.
- Allow Flexibility: It gives both parties the ability to walk away or renegotiate terms without legal consequences until a contract is formally signed.
Why did you serve the S.25 Notice when the lease was due to expire in 2025?
Lease had security of tenure under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, allowing the tenant to remain in occupation after the lease expiry unless a S.25 Notice or other valid notice is served.
I served the S.25 Notice in Feb 2024 to propose a new lease starting on 21 Aug 2024.
Why did you propose a lease end date of 20 August 2024, rather than the original expiry date of June 2025?
The S.25 Notice still provided sufficient notice in line with the L&T Act 1954.
Notice was served more than 6 months before the proposed termination (on 20 Aug 2024), complying with statutory requirements.
How did you decide the dates in the S.25 Notice?
The Act requires a minimum of 6 months’ notice and a maximum of 12 months between serving the S.25 Notice and the proposed termination date.
I served the notice on 6 February 2024, proposing the lease end on 20 August 2024, which is within the legally acceptable timeframe.
The new lease was planned to start the day after, on 21 August 2024, to ensure continuity for the tenant and the landlord.
What would happen if negotiations for the new lease terms were delayed beyond 21 August 2024?
The tenant could remain in the premises on a holding over basis (S.24) under the terms of the existing lease until a new lease is agreed or a further notice is served.
Why did the HoT state that the new lease would start on 21 August 2024?
The HoTs reflected the proposed start date of the new lease as outlined in the S.25 Notice.
By stating 21 August 2024 as the new lease start date, it ensured both parties were aligned on the timing, providing certainty for the tenant and the landlord in terms of the lease renewal process.
How long before the lease expiry did you recommend serving the Section 25 Notice?
I recommended serving the S.25 Notice on 6 February 2024, following formal council approval.
I proposed a lease end of 20 August and the new lease to start the day after, complying with the minimum 6 month notice period.