Forfeiting long residential leases
It is a common misapprehension that there is little practical difference between long leasehold and freehold interests in land.
The recent case of Ashley Gardens Freeholds Limited v Landor (2017) has proved how wrong that is: an elderly widow who ran a bed and breakfast business from her £2.8 million flat in breach of her lease was given six months to leave her home of 40 years.
The company that owned the freehold of the mansion block where the woman lived sought forfeiture of her 125-year lease on the basis of a covenant contained within it that required that her flat must be used solely as a private residence and not for any purpose that might cause nuisance, annoyance or disturbance to other leaseholders.
Despite her denials, a judge found that she had been renting out rooms in her flat on a short-term basis in order to supplement her meagre income. What she was doing could only be viewed as a business and other residents had complained of the noise nuisance arising from her constant stream of guests.
Attempts to persuade her to curtail her activities had failed and her neighbours had endured unreasonable levels of noise and disruption over very many years. The covenant having been breached, the judge gave her six months in which to arrange a sale of her flat. Failing that, her lease would be forfeited.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
The benefits of writing articles for your organisation
How to create a profile for your organisation and publish for free.
No Falls Week. The importance of safe working at height
What to expect and what is on offer to avoid accidents.
Scottish Government action to reach net-zero targets
Retrofit expert group highlight critical actions needed.
A forward thinking, inclusive global community of members.
From engineered product life-spans, to their extension.
Circular economy in the built environment
A brief description from 2021. Where are we now?
Mental Health Awareness Week with ABS
Architects Benevolent Society programme of activity.
CLC publishes domestic retrofit competency framework
Roadmap of Skills for net zero.
May 13-19: Moving more for our mental health.
Understanding is key to conservation.
Open industry engagement survey seeks responses
Institutions and the importance of engagement.
National Retrofit Hub unveils new guide
Digital Building Logbooks and Retrofit: An Introduction.
Enhancing construction site reporting efficiency
Through digitisation and the digital revolution.
Noise in the built environment
BSRIA guide TG 20/2021.
17,000 people suffer conditions as a result of exposure to excessive noise at work.
Turning down the noise: Auditory health
A pervasive risk with far-reaching consequences.
Getting the most out of heat pumps and heating
How heat pumps work and how they work best.
Electrotechnical excellence, now open for entries.