Legal - News On The Block

Recent articles

Section 20 – is it working? Feb 1, 2008: Kerry Glanville is a partner and head of property litigation at Pemberton Greenish. She recently gave a speech at the ARMA conference discussing how effective the amendments to section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 have really been. Jamie Reid caught up with her to discuss the issue...

Your Legal Toolkit - appoint a manager Feb 1, 2008: In the sixth series of plain-English legal articles, Yashmin Mistry, solicitor of Brethertons LLP highlights an area of law of interest to leaseholders – The Right to Appoint a Manager...

LVT Update Feb 1, 2008: Mark Chick, a partner at Bishop & Sewell, updates readers about LVT practice and procedure as it relates to the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993...

The Real Cost of Sportelli for Landlords and Leaseholders Oct 10, 2007: A recent Court of Appeal decision has had a dramatic effect on the cost of extending a lease or purchasing a freehold. Jamie Reid investigates the winners and losers in the fallout from this landmark ruling. (See the next issue for a full update.)

Your Legal Toolkit - Lease Extension Oct 10, 2007: In the fourth series of plain-English legal articles, Yashmin Mistry highlights an area of law of most interest to leaseholders - the Right to Lease Renewal.

Lease Length: Don’t Wait For The Inevitable Aug 15, 2007: Most novice property investors and first time buyers have no idea what they are getting into when they opt to buy a flat instead of a house. Frankly, leasehold flats should come with a health warning: "Your lease may seriously damage your sanity".

How To Avoid Paying Your Service Charge - The Secrets Revealed Jul 20, 2007: October 1, 2007 is a date all leaseholders should have in their diary. From this date, you will be legally entitled to withhold your service and administration charges from your landlord if he or she fails to provide you with a summary of rights and obligations in respect of these demands. In other words: no summary of rights and obligations, no service and administration payments.

Legal Tool Kit – How to Enfranchise Jul 20, 2007: Enfranchisement is a group (or collective) right for leaseholders of flats to buy the freehold of the building they live in. Leaseholders have this right even if the freeholder or landlord does not wish to sell and the process must be exercised through a nominee purchaser.

All Sportellied-out? May 22, 2007: Mick Barry, senior partner of Farrington Webb, updates News on the Block readers on enfranchisement.

Commonhold - waiting for take-off May 22, 2007: With the imminent release by Government of a consultation paper on commonhold it is an appropriate time to look at where we are with this new system of flat ownership, writes Peter Haler of LEASE.

Your Legal Toolkit - Take the right legal steps May 22, 2007: In the second of a series of plain-English legal articles, Shaun Jardine of Brethertons Solicitors highlights an area of law of most interest to landlords – getting paid for major works. (Last issue’s article dealt with the same subject from the tenants perspective.)

Your statutory rights as a leaseholder Mar 27, 2007: Residential leaseholders have a considerable artillery of statutory rights, all enacted to recognise and to protect their inferior position, but do you know what they are, asks Peter Haler of Lease. The Government thinks you need reminding and, under legislation to be introduced later this year, a notice setting out your rights will have to accompany all service charges bills from the landlord.

YOUR LEGAL TOOLKIT - Take the right steps Mar 27, 2007: In the first of a series of plain-English legal articles, Shaun Jardine of Brethertons Solicitors highlights an area of law of most interest to landlord and tenant – getting paid for major works (if you are a landlord) and making sure you only pay the legitimate amount due (if you are a tenant).