Squatting in a residential building now a criminal offence *

United Kingdom - September 3 2012
Squatting in a residential building in England and Wales became a criminal offence for the first time on Saturday 1 September

Co-authors: Philippa Harris.

Rent as an administration expense - sorted once and for all? *

United Kingdom - April 3 2012
The High Court has provided clarification on the issue of payment of rent during a tenant company’s administration.

Co-authors: Philippa Harris, Andrew Hepner , Devi Shah.

Continuation of guarantees on lease assignment *

United Kingdom - July 29 2011
The Court of Appeal has handed down judgment in K/S Victoria Street v. House of Fraser (Stores Management) Ltd upholding the decision in Good Harvest Partnership LLP v Centaur Services Limited that a tenant’s guarantor is released on a lawful assignment of a lease (entered into after 1 January 1996)3 and cannot act as guarantor for the assignee either by way of an authorised guarantee agreement (“AGA”) or by entering into a new contractual guarantee even if the guarantor is happy to do so.

Co-authors: Nichola Padget .

Good Harvest - bad news? *

United Kingdom - March 31 2010
Last month - almost 15 years after the Landlord and Tenant (Covenants) Act 1995 ("the Act") came into force - the High Court decided in Good Harvest Partnership LLP v Centaur Services Limited ("Good Harvest") that a tenant's guarantor is released on a lawful assignment of a lease (entered into after 1 January 19962) and cannot be required to enter into an authorised guarantee agreement ("AGA").

Co-authors: Nichola Padget , James Dodsworth , Peter Sugden.