Generally, if a landlord intends to terminate a lease due to a tenant’s breach of the lease, the landlord must first serve a notice (Breach Notice) on the tenant that: specifies the particular breach; if the breach is capable of remedy, requires the tenant to remedy the breach; and if the landlord claims monetary compensation … Read more
The shockwaves from the outbreak of COVID-19 are being felt right across the Australian economy – and commercial real estate is no different. Tenants and landlords are facing the prospect of a prolonged reduction in business activity, remote working and even total shutdown – none of which were anticipated at the time they signed their lease. The legal implications of this invidious state of affairs have been the subject of both considerable interest and uncertainty. To assist, we have prepared this guide on the key legal issues arising under commercial leases in the COVID-19 environment and what Government measures are presently available for landlords and tenants. Read more
On 1 May 2020, substantial changes to the Strata Titles Act 1985 (WA) came into effect. Those changes to the Act are included in the Strata Titles Amendment Act 2018 (WA) – which was passed some time ago but has remained inoperative until the corresponding updated regulations were prepared. The Strata Titles General Regulations 1996 (WA) will be repealed by the Strata Titles (General) Regulations 2019 (WA), also with effect from 1 May 2020. Read more
On 29 March the National Cabinet agreed the principles that will underpin relief for commercial tenancies in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This comes after the passing by the NSW legislative Council and Legislative Assembly of the COVID-19 Legislative Amendment (Emergency Measures) Act 2020 (Act) on 25 March 2020. In this article, we discuss what the National Cabinet announcement means for commercial tenancies and what the ACT means for retail tenancies. Read more
The virtues of electronic payments and communicating online are well known, and so are the traps that can snare us when we conduct commerce in cyberspace. But did you know that cybercriminals have been targeting law firms?
At HSF we are implementing some important procedures to ensure that your money is safe, and is only disbursed at your direction and no one else’s. Read more
1. What is the new community titles legislation in Western Australia? The Community Titles Act 2018 (WA) (Community Titles Act) was passed by the Parliament of Western Australia in November 2018. However, the Community Titles Act is not yet in operation. As set out further below, regulations associated with the Community Titles Act need to … Read more
In response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London in 2017, most Australian states introduced reforms to their cladding regulations. This article provides an overview of Queensland’s regulations, and outlines important steps and considerations for buyers and sellers of buildings in Queensland. Read more
The transition to electronic conveyancing (eConveyancing) has a been a long time coming, with legislation first passed by the NSW Parliament to facilitate the process in 2012.[1] A transition timetable was introduced in 2017 by the NSW Government following its announcement that the transition into eConveyancing would be accelerated in 2016. With version 5 of … Read more
