Landlord & Tenant 3.0 Flashcards
Tell me about your understanding of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927
Gives a tenant who has made improvements the right to compensation at the end of Tenancy if given notice prior to works
Section 18 also limits Landlords claim on repair breaches / damages claim to the loss in value suffered only
Tell me about your understanding of the Landlord and Tenant (Covenants) Act 1954
An act that provides business tenancies with security of tenure
Tell me about your understanding of the Landlord and Tenants (Covenants) Act 1995
Lease made after this Act are considered modern leases
Act abolishes privity of contract for new leases -> addressing the continuing liability of former tenants for the performance of tenants agreements following assignment
- Introduces AGA
Tell me about your understanding of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1988
Statutory duty imposed on Landlords whereby if assignment, underletting, charging or parting with the premises requires Landlord consent, it is implied that consent is not to be unreasonably withheld
Tell me about a key lease clause you are aware of?
- Break clause
- Service charge / rent
- Covenants to repair and maintain
- Rent Review
- Assignment / Alienation
What is Alienation?
Alienation is the right granted in a lease to assign, sub-let, or share occupation / interest of the property
Tell me about your understanding of the Code for Leasing Business Premises
Code for leasing business premises 2020 - professional statement
- Objective is to improve the quality and fairness in negotiating lease terms
- Promote the issue of comprehensive HOTs making legal drafting process more efficient
Tell me how you would summarise a lease and what terms you would be looking out for
A lease gives a Tenant exclusive right of possession in return for rent or periodic payments
-> legally binding contract
What is the Regulatory Reform (Business Tenancies) (England & Wales) order 2003?
Amends part 2 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 and alters the procedures for renewal and termination of business tenancies
- also introduced new procedures for contracting out of sections 24-28
What is the role of an expert witness?
A person who is a specialist in a subject and provides impartial profesional opinon where a dispute has arisen
How does the role of an expert witness change from when you are negotiating?
Overriding duty of expert witness is to provide independent impartial and unbiased evidence to the tribunal
- Overrides any contractual duty to your Client
How does an advocate differ from an expert witness?
Sometimes referred to as a party representative
- Advocate must do for the Client all that the Client might properly do for themselves -> spokesperson for the Client
- Presents to the tribunal a Clients properly arguable case as best as possible
What is an Arbitrator?
An Arbitrator fulfills a role similar to a judge -> involved in Arbitration process whereby parties in a dispute agree to be bound by the decision of an Arbitrator
What is an expert?
A surveyor appointed either by President of RICS or by the agreement of parties to determine a dispute
How does an Arbitrator and experts roles differ?
Arbitrators cannot rely on own expertise and must rely on parties evidence
Arbitrator is govered by the Arbitration Act 1996
Arbitrator cannot delegate duties
How would you establish the relevant third party procedure for a rent review?
Either agreed to by both parties or appointed by President of RICS if no agreement can be made
How much does it cost to submit an RICS DRS application?
£425
What is the difference between a hypothetical lease at a rent review and a lease renewal?
The assumptions and disregards may differ, such as the hypothetical term
What is PACT?
Professional Arbitration on Court Terms -> alternative to going to court
- Arbitrator handles instead of Court
How does PACT differ from court?
- Expert decision - judges in court not always experts
- Quicker, more cost effective solution to court
- PACT is flexible and adaptable
What is a Calderbank offer?
An unconditional offer to settle ‘without prejudice save as to costs’
Must be a genuine offer
What is a break clause?
Clause in a contract / lease that allows early termination prior to the default date
Tell me about you understanding of notices under the Landlord and Tenant act 1954
Section 25 notice (friendly & hostile) -> must be served 6-12months prior to the specificed termination date or expiry date
Section 26 notice -> served by tenant requesting new tenancy (6-12 months prior to suggested new tenancy date. Should include proposed rent)
Section 27 notice -> notice to vacate (3 month notice)
What are the contents of a section 25 notice?
- Name and address of Landlord and Tenant
- Address of property
- Notice of date to end tenancy
- Confirmation on whether new lease is offered or opposed
- Confirmation on time scale for response
- Landlords proposal for new tenancy, including proposed rent (if freindly)
- Landlords grounds for opposition (if hostile)
- Strong recommendation to seek professional advice
What is section 24 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954?
Continuation tenancy -> states a tenancy does not expire by effluxion of time, but only when a party serves notice
Tell me about your understanding of interim rent
Section 24a of the Act -> application to determine interim rent (to court)
Interim rent is teh rent payable by a business under the Act for the period of occupation between the termination of the former tenancy and commencement of the new lease
- assumes annual rent and at market rent (new rent)
- earliest application date is on S.25 or S.26 date
- only one party can apply
- Can be decided by pact
- no notice, no interim rent
Tell me about your understanding of the court procedure at lease renewal
Application to court to direct terms of new tenancy or decide whether opposition grounds are reasonable
Can also apply to extend time frames for negotiations
What is the difference between In-court PACT and out-of-court PACT?
In-court PACT used for an unopposed new tenancy whereby an application to court to fix new terms has already been made
Out-of-court PACT used when no application has been made and agree to postpone application until the out-of-court PACT resolution is determined
What is the difference between In-court PACT and out-of-court PACT?
In-court PACT used for an unopposed new tenancy whereby an application to court to fix new terms has already been made
Out-of-court PACT used when no application has been made and agree to postpone application until the out-of-court PACT resolution is determined
What are the Civil Procedure Rules?
Civil Procedure Rules 1998
Ensures cases are dealt with fairly and parties are on equal footing
What are the Jackson Reforms?
Reforms that impact areas of Civil Litigation, including:
- costs
- funding
- case management
- disclosure
- Part 36
What is a Part 36 offer?
Similar procedure as a Calderbank offer to induce a party to settle -> if offer is genuine
Offer is open for 21 days, after which it can still be accepted, but also possible to be withdrawn
Can you serve a Calderbank offer at lease renewal?
No you would serve a Part 36 offer under the Civil Procedure Rules, 1998
What does Section 34 relate to in a lease renewal?
Section 34 (L&T Act 1954) gives the court power to determine the level of rent when the parties have not been able to reach an agreement on that aspect of lease renewal
What is compensation for disturbance?
If Landlord opposes new tenancy under grounds e, f, g (no fault grounds), section 37 of the L&T Act 1954 provides the Tenant with compensation
1x Rateable Value
2x Rateable value (if in occupation for 14+ years)
What does section 18 mean in relation to the Landlord and tenant Act 1927?
Statutory cap on the amount of damages a Landlord can recover from a tenant for breaches in repairing covenants
-> Capped at the value of the property dimished due to the breach
Why would you contract out a lease?
- requirement in the head lease to grant any subletting outside the act
- The landlord wants to re-occupy in due course
- the landlord wishes to redevelop at lease end
- The rent may be lower
- Landlord wants future flexibility
How would you contract out a lease?
Landlord must serve notice on prospective tenant, warning that the proposed lease will not be protected (health warning)
Tenant must make a declaration in response, confirming receipt and acceptance
Simple declration - 14 days or more to new lease
Statutory declaration - less than 14 days to new lease (must be made before an independent solicitor)
Tell me about the l&T Act 1954 in relation to contracting out of the lease?
Section 38A of the Act sets out the procedure which must be followed for the Landlord to contract outside the Act
What time limits apply in relation to lease renewal notices?
Section 25 and section 26 served 6-12 months prior to expiry date or suggested expiry/new tenancy date
-> counter notice served within 2 months (S.26)
Section 27 - 3months notice to vacate after expiry date