Local authorities are under intense pressure from central government to do their bit in meeting the burgeoning need for more new homes. That was illustrated in one High Court case in which a council succeeded
Rights of way across the land of others can become established if they have been used openly and without force for at least 20 years. However, such use must also be without permission and, as
Relentless demand for housing in urban areas means local authorities are reluctant to approve developments that entail the loss of even a small number of residential units. The point was made as the High Court
Landlords should never go on appearances but should always have their prospective tenants’ credentials professionally checked. That point could hardly have been better made than by one case concerning a serial fraudster who painted herself
When it comes to issuing service charge demands, landlords must stick to the letter of leases or risk recovering nothing at all – even if that results in tenants receiving an unwarranted windfall. The Court
The reason why drafting leases is a job for specialist lawyers is that any ambiguity or unfortunate wording can store up trouble for the future. In one case, a litany of errors in the drafting
Many thousands of holiday homes are subject to planning restrictions that forbid their occupation all the year round or as principal residences. Such rules are sometimes taken with a pinch of salt by their owners,
The presumption in favour of sustainable housing development, contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), is a powerful one – but it does not have the force of statute and can be overcome. The
Where a tenant exercises its right to buy a freehold, the sum payable is calculated on the basis of the property’s open market value, subject to the existence of the tenancy. But what happens if
Demand for new homes is overwhelming, but local authorities that have set aside an adequate supply of housing land for the future are in a much stronger position when it comes to blocking developments that
