Commercial Property

The government has announced a series of new measures to crack down on bad practices, stamp out overcrowding and improve standards for those renting in the private sector. One of the main changes is that landlords renting properties in England occupied by “5 or more people from 2 or more separate households” will need to

A landlord has won her appeal that she was not affected by recent changes in the law and so her notice to repossess her property was valid. The case involved a landlord who rented out her house in 2007 on an oral monthly tenancy. She sought repossession in 2016 but the tenants objected, claiming that

A local authority had acted unreasonably when it limited a landlord’s licence on his properties to only one year. That was the decision of the Upper Tribunal in a case involving Waltham Forest London Borough Council. The landlord owned several flats that were let to tenants. From April 2015, the local authority’s area was designated

Parliament has begun work on the Draft Tenant Fees Bill that will make it illegal for agents to charge tenants letting fees. Ministers say the level of fees charged are often not clearly or consistently explained, leaving many tenants unaware of the true costs of renting a property. This latest action is designed to help

A flat can be considered a home in multiple occupation (HMO) even if it is only part of a larger building with floors used for other purposes. That was the decision of the High Court in a case involving a two-storey flat situated above a restaurant. The local authority said it needed to be licensed

The government has announced plans to tighten the regulations covering mergers between companies operating in sensitive areas that could affect national security. The changes are targeted at firms that design or manufacture military and dual use products, and parts of the advanced technology sector. Currently in these areas, the government can only intervene in mergers

Deliveroo has won a dispute over whether its cyclists should be classed as workers or self-employed after inserting a ‘substitution’ clause into their contracts. The issue arose after the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) claimed union recognition for Deliveroo cyclists in Camden in London. For the claim to succeed, the union had to

Landlords will be obliged to join an ombudsman redress scheme as part of government efforts to give tenants greater protection. The new measures were unveiled by the Communities Secretary Sajid Javid. He said the government will also oblige letting agents to be registered so they are subjected to proper professional oversight. The new system will

The government is planning to set up an independent regulatory body to oversee the work of letting and property management agents. Ministers say the move is necessary to end abuses in the property management industry, drive down costs and protect consumers from the small minority of rogue agents. Research by consumer group Which? shows that