Matthew Bonye, head of our Real Estate Dispute Resolution team, and Shanna Davison, professional support lawyer, recently shared their thoughts on the mandatory arbitration scheme launched earlier this year by the Government in response to arrears accrued during Covid-related closures. The scheme ran for six months ending on 23 September 2022 and, whilst we may … Read more

The ground-breaking Covid Commercial Rent Arrears arbitration scheme imposed a moratorium on landlord’s enforcement action for ringfenced arrears until 23 September 2022. Tenants have not, on the whole utilised the scheme. As the end-date looms closer and there are no whispers of an extension (unsurprising in the wake of the reshufflings at Downing Street… there … Read more

The Electronic Communications Code gives telecoms operators rights to remain in situ unless Code agreements are terminated in accordance with strict provisions. Developers need to plan carefully for termination and removal, but the latest decision from the Upper Chamber of the Lands Chamber has thrown another spanner in the works. A wrong turn corrected… In … Read more

Rent arrears at a retailer’s HQ are not a protected rent debt: landmark arbitration award under the UK Coronavirus Commercial Rent Arrears scheme as deadline looms closer A statutory arbitration scheme for the resolution of commercial rent arrears that accrued during periods of government mandated closures in response to the pandemic came into force on … Read more

We’ll paint a scene for you: a multi-let building is ripe for redevelopment and the developer/landlord is working towards obtaining possession of the various parts and terminating any rights that will interfere with the development. It knows that one tenant has a lease, contracted out of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (the 1954 Act) to … Read more

The process for contracting-out a new tenancy of business premises from the statutory right to renew under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (the 1954 Act) is a key one for all landlords, and especially developers. Commonly, pre‑lettings are negotiated even before ground is broken on a site. Certainty that all those lettings are properly … Read more

Energy performance of commercial buildings is a key element in the government’s drive both to reduce the UK’s emissions in the push towards net zero emissions by 2050 and to tackle inefficient energy use. Faced with statistics highlighting the disproportionate contribution of non-domestic buildings to emissions the government has for some time been introducing more … Read more

The Building Safety Bill has finally finished its legislative journey. On 28 April 2022 it was granted Royal Assent, thereby becoming the Building Safety Act 2022 (the Act). Given the size of the Act, it’s no surprise that it took a few days to work out which of the many proposed amendments to the Bill … Read more