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PROPERTY DISPUTES

Under section 40B of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (LTA 1954) Where a person is served with a notice under LTA 1954, s 40 and does not meet the obligation to supply the information requested and required, section 40B of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 allows them to be the subject of civil proceedings for breach of statutory duty; in those proceedings the court may require that individual to duly perform the duty and can also grant damages as well. See also: Duties of tenants and landlords to give information to each other; in general: Halsbury's Laws of England [1595]. A breach of statutory duty is a standalone tort recognised at common law, in respect of which the...

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PROPERTY DISPUTES

Under regulation 2 of the Assured Shorthold Tenancy Notices and Prescribed Requirements (England) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/1646), the prescribed obligations apply to tenancies granted on or after 1 October 2015, but exclude statutory periodic tenancies beginning on or after 1 October 2015 where they followed an AST granted before that date. Consequently, if the original fixed-term tenancy was granted on or after 1 October 2015, the prescribed requirements apply to both the fixed term and also to the statutory periodic tenancy thereafter arising on expiry of that term...

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PROPERTY

A buyer for value of land burdened by a legal or equitable rentcharge in favour of a charity will take subject to that rentcharge, unless: the rentcharge is registrable as a land charge and is void against him for want of registration (see sections 2 and 4 of the Land Charges Act 1972; section 24 of the Law of Property Act 1969; section 2(1)(i) of the Law of Property Act 1925 (LPA 1925)); the sale is made in exercise of powers under the Settled Land Act 1925 (SLA 1925) and the rentcharge is capable of being overreached on such a sale (see SLA 1925, s 72; LPA 1925, s 2(1)(i)); or for an equitable rentcharge, the purchaser had no notice of it (Re Alms Corn Charity, Charity Comrs v Bode). Also note that, depending on the date of the rentcharge, the Rentcharges Act 1977 provides that, since 22

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PROPERTY DISPUTES

Section 213 of the Housing Act 2004 (HA 2004) sets out the obligations on landlords who take a deposit in relation to an assured shorthold tenancy. Every deposit must be handled in line with an authorised scheme (HA 2004, s 213(1)), and the scheme’s initial requirements must be met within a period of 30 days from receipt of the deposit (HA 2004, s 213(3))...

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Section 7 of the Bribery Act 2010 ( BA 2010) provides: (1) A relevant commercial organisation (“ C”) is guilty of an offence under this section if a person (“ A”) associated with C offers a bribe to another person with the intention of: (a) securing or retaining business for C; or (b) securing or retaining an advantage in the conduct of C’s business. (2) However, it is a defence for C to prove that it had in place adequate procedures devised to prevent persons associated with C from carrying out such conduct. BA 2010, s 8 defines an associated person: (1) For the purposes of section 7, a person (“ A”) is associated with C if (disregarding any bribe under consideration) A is a person who performs services for or on behalf of C. (2) The capacity in which A...

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Key legal issues for guarantees Guarantees constitute contracts and must accordingly meet the four essential elements of a contract, namely: offer acceptance consideration the intention to create legal relations As a rule in law, consideration given in the past is ordinarily insufficient. A firm ought not to take a guarantee once it has already agreed to supply services to a client in question. The guarantee must also comply fully with s.4 of the Statute of Frauds 1677. It must thus be recorded in writing and properly signed by the guarantor as required. The Firm should also be alert to potential claims of misrepresentation, duress, and undue influence. It is sound practice to see that the guarantor receives independent legal advice on the implications of giving the guarantee. Is the guarantee a regulated credit agreement? Where undertaken by way of business in the United Kingdom, entering into a regulated credit...

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What is a DCFA? Most practitioners know the ‘pure’ CFA, commonly referred to as a ‘no win, no fee’ agreement. Working under a pure CFA, the lawyer or legal representative is remunerated only upon a win, as the CFA expressly defines it. If that outcome is not achieved, no fee is payable for the professional work undertaken on the matter. For additional detail, see the subtopic: CFAs and DBAs for further information. A DCFA is often described as a ‘no win, lower fee’ arrangement in contrast to the pure CFA. Under a DCFA, the client agrees to meet the lawyer’s fees in full on success; if the case fails, a reduced fee is payable to the representative. The role of success fees Success fees exist to ensure a solicitor’s portfolio of CFA-backed litigation can operate at nil net loss overall. Put...

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File reviews Conducting file reviews signals that an organisation takes quality and compliance seriously. Reviews and audits yield meaningful data and statistics and, if issues are uncovered, the audit findings can be channelled into your risk register or other planning so remedial measures are enacted. Ensuring the right levels of supervision are firmly in place is essential. A Supervision policy can be valuable, clearly setting out supervision arrangements, including the following: file audits/reviews governance and reporting lines work allocation oversight of work case progression supervising correspondence outsourcing arrangements......

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Please note, this Q& A deals exclusively with UK bribery legislation. Payment of commissions We refer you to Practice Note: How to identify when a commission might become a bribe, which explains that any commission involves providing a financial advantage, albeit it will not invariably amount to a bribe. The Bribery Act 2010 ( BA 2010) adopts a wide view of what can constitute a bribe. It is characterised as a 'financial or other advantage' offered or received in a business setting, which amounts to, or induces, the improper performance of a relevant function or activity......

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Q& A: Is a solicitor bound by an undertaking that they cannot complete because the client has changed solicitors? This addresses a scenario in which a solicitor is unable to fulfil an undertaking owing to factors wholly beyond their control. It notes that decisions of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal ( SDT) abound with rationalisations from defaulting practitioners for failing to comply, such as claiming the promise related to a client for whom they no longer act. However, ceasing to act does not absolve those solicitors from their ongoing professional duty to honour the undertaking......

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SRA standards and regulations Where an individual represents a client in a matter, they must ensure the client is notified of all information material to that matter that they possess, except where exceptions are applicable......

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When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...

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This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...

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Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...

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I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...

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