7 March 2023
Update on the requirements on commercial landlords to meet the minimum Energy Efficiency Standards
As of 1 April 2023, commercial landlords will need to make sure their property has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least E or face possible penalties. The government estimates that in order to meet this standard the percentage of commercial properties in the UK that will need to be upgraded will increase from around 10% to around 85%.
22 February 2023
Supreme Court and service charge certificates - pay now, argue later
In the case of Sara and Hossein Asset Holdings Ltd v Blacks Outdoor Retail Ltd the Supreme Court upheld by a 4:1 majority the Landlord’s claim for unpaid service charge and that the service charge certificate was conclusive as to the sum following certification that the Tenant was liable to pay. However despite the lease having a set-off provision prohibiting any right to set-off or counterclaim, the Supreme Court held that Blacks/the tenant was not entitled to withhold payment but such wording did not prevent the tenant’s right to dispute the service charge bill and if necessary seek repayment - its purpose was solely to prevent the Tenant from withholding payment.
10 February 2023
SDLT - Black and White, or (50) Shades of Grey?
Matt Spencer and Charlotte Jeanroy published in ThoughtLeaders4 Private Client Tax Magazine discussing Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
30 January 2023
Required Reading: Japanese knotweed & the law
Japanese knotweed has long been a concern for homeowners, but the recent judgment in Downing v Henderson, which hit the headlines this week, highlights some of the problems it can cause particularly when it comes to buying and selling a property.
2 August 2022
Spring Statement – The route to net zero or an unworkable incentive?
Has the reduction in VAT arrived too late to make any difference to the cost of Energy Saving Materials?