L&T 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the basic difference between a lease renewal and a rent review?

A

A rent review is a function as stated within the lease
A lease renewal is a statutory procedure as per the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954

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2
Q

To what tenancies does the 1954 act apply?

A

Premises occupied for business purposes.

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3
Q

When was the 1954 act (part 2) last amended?

A

1st June 2004

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4
Q

Name the tenancies that the 1954 act does not apply?

A

Section 43

  • Agricultural holdings
  • mining
  • residential
  • Tenancies not exceeding 6 months
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5
Q

What is a Section 25 Notice?

A

A notice that is served by the LL on the Tenant to terminate a tenancy within the act

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6
Q

When can a landlord serve a section 25 notice?

A

Between 12 & 6 months before the end of a contractual term or any time thereafter but still with 6 months notice.

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7
Q

What must a landlord’s Section 25 Notice contain?

A
  • Landlord, Tenant
  • Property conprised
  • health warning
  • Date
  • Specify date of termination
  • friendly or hostile

(section 30 is the grounds for not providing a new tenancy)

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8
Q

What advice would you give to a landlord client in respect of a lease renewal where a property is significantly over-rented?

A

Depends on situation:
- Do nothing. Let tenant take initiative, hold over lease and take advantage of overrent.
- S25. Would decrease rent however secures income for longer period. Reduces risk of vacancy costs

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9
Q

When is the best time to serve the Section 25 notice: 12 months or 6 months before lease expiry?

A

Depends on client intentions:

Notice at 12 months
- you have time on your hands, 25 notice - looking to vacate and then will get them to make a decision and minimise the void.
- Disadvantage = unsure rent in the next 12 months and negotiation with uncertainty.

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10
Q

Why would a landlord give 12 months’ notice when he could give 6 months’?

A
  • Minimise risk of void property
  • if the property is overrented and you can maximise the time with that income
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11
Q

What action should a landlord take if he/she requires possession of a property at the end of a lease?

A

Object to any new tenancy under section 30 of the landlord & tenant 1954 act

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12
Q

What can Landlord do if he cannot get a response from T to his friendly Section 25 Notice?

A

Send them a letter saying that if they have not replied within x date we will apply to the courts to determine a new lease and you can pay all of the costs.

tenant will lose security of tenure

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13
Q

What advice would you give to a tenant when a landlord’s Section 25 Notice is due to expire in two weeks’ times and an agreement for a new lease has not yet been agreed?

A
  • Request time extension from landlord
  • If not granted, apply to the courts (S29A) before the end of the notice. (if not completed by the end of the notice, lose security of tenure)
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14
Q

Name the grounds under Section 30(1) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 under which a landlord can obtain possession.

A
  1. Failed to undertake repairs
  2. Tenant has consistently delayed paying rent
  3. Tenant is in substantial breach of other continent
  4. LL offers suitable alternative accommodation
  5. Tenancy created by sub let and building let as whole would produce higher value than separate lettings
  6. LL wants to demolish/refub and cannot do so without possession.
  7. LL occupy for own purpose
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15
Q

A lease of a shop property is due to expire in 12 months’ time. You are instructed for the first time by the landlord to negotiate a new lease with the tenant. Explain how you would deal with this instruction.

A
  • Agree terms of engagement
  • Ask for the lease
  • Is it inside or outside
  • visit the site, are there any breaches of covenant = no
  • Agree to serve section 25
  • Conduct the necessary negotiations
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16
Q

In what circumstances is a tenant entitled to compensation when a landlord successfully opposes a new lease under the 1954 Act?

A

Under S37 tenant is applicable for compensation if objected a new lease under non fault grounds of section 30(1)

1x rentable value > 14 years
2x rentable value < 14 years

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17
Q

How is tenant’s compensation assessed under the 1954 Act?

A

Section 37
2x rent value if great than 14 years
1x rent value if less than 14 years

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18
Q

Explain the power that the Court has in ordering a new lease.

A

Court under S32-35 can grant a lease (no longer than 15 years) and determine Property comprised, Length of lease, Rent, other terms and interim Rent

19
Q

What do you understand a Section 34 rent to be?

A

the rent that a property may reasonably be expected to let at in the open market by willing lessor and lessee DISREGARDING:
1.previous occupation,
2.Any goodwill,
3. improvements carried out by Tenant.
4. Licences belonging to the tenant.

20
Q

What do you understand an Interim Rent to be?

A

This would be the market rent at the expiry of the lease term.

Both parties would agree the market rent.

Either landlord or tenant can apply to court for an interim rent. (S24A)

21
Q

How is the Interim Rent assessed?

A

The rent payable under the new lease

unless either party can show otherwise under S24A

22
Q

In what circumstances would you recommend a tenant to serve a Section 26 Notice?

A

Property is over rented or tenant wants security of fixed terms

23
Q

Explain when tenant’s improvements are included at lease renewal.

A

Improvements are to be disregarded if:
- Carried out by tenant during the old tenancy
- over 21 year old
- specified in the lease obligations

24
Q

Explain what action a tenant should take if there are 6 months of the lease remaining and he/she wants to vacate at expiry. The landlord has not served a Section 25 Notice.

A

serve a section 27 notice at least 3 months in advance or just hand the keys back on expiry

25
Q

What are the key elements of a rent review clause?

A
  • machinery (trigger notices)
  • basis of valuation
  • means for settling disputes
26
Q

What is a trigger notice?

A

notice that triggers a predetermined sequence of events implementing the rent review.

Time is material to the performance of the contract

27
Q

What do you understand by the expression time of the essence?

A

A rent review has certain time constraints in which to be actioned which is specified in the rent review clause.

28
Q

What are the two landmark cases in respect of time of the essence?

A

Cheapside and Burnley cases

29
Q

In what circumstances is it likely that time is of the essence?

A
  • when the lease says so
  • There are deeming provisions
  • when Tenant serves notice making time is of the essance
  • when it coninsides with another lease cluase such as a break clause
30
Q

What are deeming provisions?

A
  • Where lease specifically says
  • If Tenant fails to serve counter notice on LL’s notice proposing a new rent in time
  • Tenant is deemed to have agreed with LL’s new rent
31
Q

What lease terms affect the rent at review?

A
  • Rent review clause
  • RR Frequency
  • Assumptions / Disregards
  • lease terms (insurance, repair, use alienation, in/outside act)
32
Q

What assumptions are usually made in determining the rent at review?

A

1.Property is fit for immediate occupation and use
2.The market rent will be that payable after the expiry of any rent free period for T’ fit out works
3. No work has been carried out by T to reduce rental value
4.Tenant has complied with its covenants of the existing lease
5: If the property has been destroyed or damaged it has been reinstated

33
Q

What is the hypothetical term?

A

The hypothetical term can be:
- The unexpired term
- A stated term
- The original term.

An assumption or special assumption at rent review, which reflects the term the valuation should be based on.

34
Q

Is the hypothetical term more advantageous to the landlord or to the tenant?

A
35
Q

What are the usual disregards?

A
  • Any previous occupation
  • Any goodwill
  • Certain improvements
  • Any license to to sell liquor
36
Q

Where do the usual disregards originate from?

A

1954 act section 34

37
Q

How may a rent review be resolved if a landlord and tenant cannot reach agreement?

A

By what ever the lease says but usually going to independent 3rd party through arbitration or intendant expert

38
Q

What are the differences between an independent expert and an arbitrator?

A

Arbitratior
- act only on evidence provided by parties
- can determine fees
- cannot appeal
- Governed by Arbitration act 1996
- isn’t labile for negligence

Expert
- duty to investigate situation but will consider evidence provided
- cannot determine fees
- no right to appeal
- labile for damages through negligence

39
Q

What is the purpose of a Calderbank letter / offer?

A

An uncoditional written offer to settle the rent review.
- to avoid costs (abitration)
- To try to allow parties to settle on specified terms outside of arbitration

40
Q

What must a Calderbank letter / offer contain?

A
  • “without prejudice, save as to cost”
  • unconditional offer to settle the rent review
  • reasonable proposal for costs incurred to date
  • Time in which the other party may accept (21 days)
41
Q

Talk me through the process of you completing a rent review

A
  • checked my competence
  • conflicts of interest checks
  • obtained a copy of the lease
  • understood the rent review clause (basis of valuation)
  • went to site to review the property
  • gathered comparable evidence
  • completed my valuation report and issued this to the client
  • Agreed a figure sent to the tenant via trigger notice
  • negotiated with tenant
  • Rent review memorandum
42
Q

What are the different types of break clause

A
  • fixed
  • rolling
  • conditional
43
Q
A