News

Rachel Keenan discusses the role of shared ownership in the Government’s White Paper and what actions are being taken to increase supply.

The mortgagee protection clause (MPC) in a shared ownership lease enables the banking industry to continue to lend against shared ownership leases, but where applicable it can result in claims by lenders and subsequent losses for housing associations.

In this quick-fire guide, we outline the steps social landlords should take when assigning a shared ownership lease to ensure the process runs smoothly.

The Consultation comprises three papers: the Consultation paper itself; a draft Direction on a new Rent Standard (2018); and a Policy Statement.

Cryptocurrency fraud is rising and becoming increasingly more sophisticated, risking the loss of potentially huge gains and triggering litigation claims.

The government is seeking well-designed, well-planned, locally led garden communities meeting housing needs to take the form of new Garden Cities (to deliver more than 10,000 homes) and Garden Villages (1,500-10,000 homes).

2. Resident views already submitted to Government have resulted in five core principles being identified by MHCLG as the basis for improvements to social housing.

Residential Leases are typically granted for long periods of time, such as 99 or 125 years. As the obligations and duties under a Lease are set when it is granted, the terms of long residential Leases can become outdated or irrelevant throughout such an extended period of time.

Two recent decisions of the First Tier Tribunal ("FTT") have explored the issues surrounding a Landlord’s ability to recover service charges in relation to the provision of a ‘waking watch’ service.

Under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 qualifying leaseholders have the right to extend their lease for a further 90 years at a peppercorn ground rent. The tenant will have to pay a premium for the new lease and can propose that the new lease is on different terms to the existing lease.

A number of issues need to be considered where a landlord intends to replace the front doors of leaseholders’ flats. The need to replace doors often arises as a result of the requirement to meet recommendations following fire safety assessments.

Question: A leaseholder has a 125 year lease for a flat but has allowed service arrears to build up. Unfortunately, the debt dates back many years. The landlord has approached the leaseholder for payment but they have said that the debt is over 6 years old so no legal action can be taken against them