Beware the hidden costs of ground rents
On 21 January, Sir Peter Bottomley MP tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons requesting that Flat 1 Blythe Court, Solihull, be withdrawn from an upcoming auction. The motion was tabled...
View ArticleAnarchy in the UK – Disruption and Innovation in the Hotel Industry
The annual Hogan Lovells CBRE Hotel Conference It’s good to share – that was the message from Alex Stephany, former CEO of JustPark, who was the keynote speaker at our conference this morning,...
View ArticleA Leap Day Bonus
Happy Leap Day! Traditionally the day for women to issue marriage proposals, 29 February may also have an unexpected consequence for buyers and sellers of commercial properties when they work out their...
View ArticlePlanning in principle?
The Government’s drive to get Britain building new homes continues. The recently launched consultation on implementing measures in the Housing and Planning Bill contains a raft of initiatives to speed...
View ArticleResidential Stamp Duty Higher Rates – put your houses in order
The government has recently consulted on its proposals for higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (‘SDLT’) on purchases of additional residential properties. In summary, the proposals envisage that a...
View ArticleSunday Kept Special – Government proposals to relax Sunday trading hours...
Proposals to allow councils to extend opening hours were defeated in the Commons on 9 March by 317 votes to 286, following a three-hour debate. Labour MPs, under the banner of their ‘Keep Sunday...
View ArticleBudget Banishes CRC – And An Extension Of ESOS Could Still Be On The Cards
The Chancellor announced in today’s Budget that the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) will be abolished, with effect from 2019. The financial aspects of the CRC will be replaced by an increase in the...
View ArticleBudget 2016: SDLT strikes soft targets
There were audible gasps at MIPIM yesterday as the Chancellor unveiled his shock raid on the commercial property industry. SDLT rates on commercial freehold and lease premium transactions have...
View ArticleBudget 2016: SDLT on additional residential property
To compound the misery within the industry following the increases in SDLT rates on commercial transactions, a mooted exemption for large scale residential investors has also not materialised. George...
View ArticleHigh Court refuses to create Frankenstein’s lease – tenant cannot assign to...
Landlords have no reason to fear Frankenstein’s monster, following the decision of the High Court in EMI Group Limited v O&H Q1 Limited. The court was considering, once again, the anti-avoidance...
View ArticleStaying Put? Enforceability of planning conditions
The recent case of R (Skelmersdale Limited Partnership) v West Lancashire Borough Council and another [2016] EWHC 109 (Admin) has made it crystal clear that conditions imposed by a local planning...
View ArticleWhat does it take to be a global city?
Hogan Lovells hosted the Reading Real Estate Foundation Breakfast Forum (RREF) on 22 March. RREF is a registered charity that provides support for real estate and planning education at the University...
View ArticleAlterations to leasehold property – follow the Protocol
Following on from the successful Alienation Protocol, a new protocol for applications for consent to carry out alterations to leasehold property (the Alterations Protocol) has been launched. It applies...
View ArticleBlack Ant – Tacking and Further Advances
The Black Ant case relates to the meaning of “further advances” in the context of the anti-tacking provisions in the Land Registration Act 2002. What is tacking and why is the case important? Tacking...
View ArticleHogan Lovells hosts 5th Retail Market Trends Summit
This week, stakeholders in the retail market heard experts’ views on the recent key developments in this sector. Following a report entitled “Retail Market Trends: End of Year 2015” produced by The...
View ArticleCompetition law challenges to restrictive covenants
A property developer has forced Tesco to agree to release it from a restrictive covenant by challenging its enforceability in court on competition law grounds. The resulting settlement demonstrates...
View ArticleFlood Re – a damp squib or a torrential success?
The snappily named Flood Re was officially launched this week on 4 April 2016. The reinsurance scheme has been designed by the government and insurance industry to secure affordable insurance for...
View ArticleSecretary of State left feeling sheepish over Shepherd’s Bush Market CPO
In Horada v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government the Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision relating to the Compulsory Purchase Order for the redevelopment of...
View ArticleEXPERT EVIDENCE IN LEASE RENEWALS WORTH EVERY POUND
A rare High Court decision on an unopposed lease renewal under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 has underlined the importance of robust and thorough expert evidence – and the dangers of getting this...
View ArticleModern Slavery: What’s the property industry got to do with it?
Modern slavery encompasses slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking. The UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA) was enacted as part of the government’s broader strategy to...
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