Articles by ‘Dominic Whelan’

Partner David Paxton, and Senior Associate Richard Howes address some of the legal challenges currently faced by inward investors into the UK real estate market.

So Boohoo has acquired the Debenhams brand but not its stores or workforce; what does that actually mean for the future of their employees, other High Street brands and the wider retail sector?

The Law Commission has published its eagerly awaited proposals on their options for reforming the law on valuation in the acquisition of the freehold of leasehold properties and lease extensions.

The Law Commission was tasked with exploring options to reduce the cost of lease extensions and freehold purchases. This not only has legal implications but also political implications as by making the process cheaper for leaseholders, freeholders could lose out.

A section 25 notice which opposes a lease renewal will need to specify a ground which it relies on. Ground (f) is one of the most commonly used, and has been the subject of much legal conjecture recently.

The Property Ombudsman Scheme received 16% more complaints last year than the previous year. Our Property Disputes team comment on the trends and highlight some scenarios that they have seen.

A significant announcement had been made by Theresa May bringing about a consultation for a major shakeup on what was the more recently termed as ‘no-fault evictions’.

A version of this article first appeared in Estates Gazette. Overage (or “clawback”) agreements are seen as complex and full of hidden traps. Ironically, the commercial rationale for agreeing them is often very simple. Overage is a…

The Commonhold Reform Act 2002 did not result in the sweeping changes that were perhaps anticipated at the time. There are fewer than 20 commonholds in existence which have been created since the legislation came into force.

Amid the news that Debenhams’ shares have taken a major plunge in light of its fresh profit warning, we look at why a lot of the retail industry seems to be drowning at the moment.

In a challenging decision sure to be felt throughout the real estate industry, the Supreme Court has handed down judgment on S Franses Ltd v The Cavendish Hotel (London) Ltd in favour of the Tenant, S Franses. For the reasons explained in this article, this landmark judgment effectively extends the ground (f) test for redevelopment. But is this necessarily a good thing?

The Government on 1 April 2018 announced that it is to introduce a mandatory scheme to protect tenants and landlords from rogue property and lettings agents.

The Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims has been in force since 1 October 2017 and sets out rules to follow when any business is claiming payment of a debt from an individual. This covers a debt payable from a tenant to a landlord, whether in respect of rent or other sums due under the lease.