On 4 January 2011, the standard rate of VAT will increase from 17.5% to 20%. HM Revenue & Customs has issued guidance on the impact that the increase will have on stamp duty land tax (SDLT) on non-residential leases…
The buyer of a Tudor mansion can proceed with a claim for more than £300,000 for loss of fittings and damage to the property, the High Court ruled recently. An application to have the claim struck out was rejected by…
In the late 1970's Gerry Rafferty sang 'if you get it wrong you’ll get it right next time', but that is normally not an option when giving legal notices, as a recent case shows. It involved a tenant wishing…
A recent High Court decision is likely to provide welcome relief to landlords that are being pursued by local authorities in respect of tenants that have failed to pay their council tax. The court decided that a landlord was not…
There have been many court cases relating to ‘above ground’ property issues, rights to light and access to lay drains and cables, but a question seldom asked is how far below ground a freeholder’s title extends. In a recent case,…
When a tenant vacates a property, it is essential that they make sure the necessary paperwork is complete and correct, no matter what the circumstances. This is the message delivered by the court following a recent shorthold tenancy dispute…
The boat owner who successfully argued that he had acquired legal title to the river bed of the Thames where his boat was moored has seen the decision set aside by the Court of Appeal. The Court accepted that…
A recent case in the Court of Appeal illustrates how disputes can arise between neighbours as a result of ambiguous drafting of legal documents. In this case, the dispute concerned the owners of neighbouring properties that had originally been…
A recent planning case in the Court of Appeal produced what the judge described as a ‘surprising outcome’. Alan Beesley had been granted planning permission by Welwyn Hatfield Council to build a barn on green belt land, for agricultural use…
A recent case serves as a reminder of how strongly local councils are likely to react if they are faced with a blatant attempt to circumvent planning laws. It involved a Banstead man who built a home without planning permission,…
