Dilapidations Explained: How to Reduce End-of-Lease Surprises and Dispute Costs
Dilapidations are the claim a landlord makes against a commercial tenant for breaching repair, decoration and reinstatement covenants in the lease. The most useful thing to know is that the repair element is capped. Under section 18(1) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927, damages for disrepair cannot exceed the amount by which the property’s […]
Managing disrepair counterclaims during possession: tactics that still work
A disrepair counterclaim can defeat a mandatory possession claim without winning the whole case. Since 1 May 2026, for private tenancies in England, Ground 8 generally needs at least three months’ rent arrears at the date of the notice and again at the hearing, with four weeks’ notice. If a counterclaim reduces the net arrears […]
Intestacy Rules Explained: Who Inherits If There Is No Valid Will?
If someone dies without a valid will in England or Wales, the intestacy rules decide who inherits, and they follow a fixed order. A surviving spouse or civil partner takes everything if there are no children. If there are children, the spouse takes the personal possessions, the first £322,000 and half of anything above that, […]
What Happens to Your Business if You or a Co-Owner Loses Mental Capacity
If a business owner loses mental capacity, the effect depends on the legal structure, governing documents, bank mandates and whether a valid property and financial affairs lasting power of attorney (LPA) is already in place. Accounts do not automatically freeze and every company does not automatically stop trading, but a sole-owner business can face serious […]
Renewing a Business Lease Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954: Notices, Timings and the Traps That Cost Tenants Their Premises
If your business lease is protected under Part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, it does not normally end simply because the contractual term expires. The tenancy continues until it is terminated in accordance with the Act, and the tenant has a statutory right to seek a new tenancy unless the landlord successfully […]
How to Enforce a County Court Judgment When the Debtor Still Refuses to Pay
A County Court Judgment does not collect itself. If the debtor does not pay, the court will not normally start enforcement automatically. The best method depends on what the debtor has: goods, employment, bank funds or property. Find out what the debtor has first An order to obtain information under Part 71 of the Civil […]
Boundary and Neighbour Disputes in North London: How to Resolve One Before It Reaches Court
Boundary disputes can become disproportionately expensive, so the sensible starting point is usually evidence, discussion and specialist surveying rather than immediate litigation. One common mistake is treating the Land Registry title plan as proof of the exact boundary. In England and Wales, most registered titles operate under the general boundaries rule, meaning the plan normally […]
What Happens to Unpaid Rent After a Tenant Has Moved Out?
Unpaid rent does not disappear when a tenant moves out. In England and Wales, a landlord can generally bring a claim for rent arrears for six years from the date each instalment became due. The six-year limit applies specifically to arrears of rent under section 19 of the Limitation Act 1980. Recovery may involve the […]
The £250 Ground Rent Cap Consultation Closes in August: What London Leaseholders and Freeholders Should Know
The government’s consultation on “quid pro quo” leases and the proposed £250 ground rent cap closes at 11:59pm on 27 August 2026. The consultation is not reconsidering the overall £250 policy. Instead, it asks whether a narrow exemption should apply where a higher ground rent was genuinely agreed in exchange for a corresponding reduction in […]
What can you do if an attorney under a Lasting Power of Attorney is misusing someone’s money?
If you are concerned that an attorney is misusing money under a registered Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), you can report it to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). The OPG can investigate certain concerns where the donor lacks mental capacity to deal with the issue themselves and can apply to the Court of […]