An amusement arcade has won the right to compensation after a local authority closed a seaside pier because of safety concerns. The arcade leased premises on the pier. The freeholder was responsible for the repair and renewal of the pier’s structure. In 2004, the arcade obtained an engineering survey that revealed serious structural problems requiring
A company has been granted an injunction preventing a neighbouring firm going ahead with a development that infringed its right to light. The neighbour’s high handed attitude during the dispute was a major factor in the judge’s decision. The case involved two companies with adjoining premises. The claimant company objected as soon as it became
A family company has won a dispute over a £35m investment that a businessman claimed had been given to him as a gift. The family had signed an agreement with the businessman to fund half of a deposit to secure a contract for the supply of oil. He had claimed to be able to secure
The number of county court judgments (CCJ) against businesses has fallen to its lowest level since before the financial crisis, according to figures released by the Registry Trust. The Trust’s research shows that there were 21,860 CCJs recorded against businesses in England and Wales during the first three months of 2016, a 17% fall on
Several new regulations affecting landlords have now come into force. These are some of the most significant: Tenant right to request energy efficiency improvements Tenants can now request consent from their landlord to install energy efficiency improvements in the property they rent. The landlord cannot unreasonably refuse consent, as long as the requested improvement is
284,000 landlords risk being fined over tenant deposits New research has revealed that 284,000 landlords are at risk of being fined because they have failed to protect tenants’ deposits in an approved scheme. The survey by the Centre for Economics Business Research (CEBR) suggests that more than £500m worth of tenancy deposits are being held
The High Court has removed an arbitrator from a construction dispute because he may have been biased towards one of the parties involved. The case involved a developer and an integrated services company. A dispute arose during a construction project and the matter had to go to arbitration. The arbitrator was appointed by the Chartered
The government is making an extra £5m available to councils to tackle unfair practices by rogue landlords. The money will be shared among 48 councils to enable them to carry out more raids, increase inspections of property, issue more statutory notices, survey more streets and to demolish sheds and prohibited buildings. Housing Minister Brandon Lewis
Marks & Spencer has lost its appeal against a court decision that it was not entitled to a refund after exercising a release clause in a commercial property lease. The case involved four floors of office space at The Point in London. M&S had a commercial lease which was due to expire in 2018. The
A university has won its appeal against a decision that it discriminated against a disabled employee when calculating his pension rights. The case involved an employee at Swansea University who had to retire due to ill health at the age of 38. His hours had been reduced gradually over several years to accommodate the effects