The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (“the Bill”) was submitted to Parliament on 10th July 2025.  While the Bill is largely geared towards the devolution of powers from Westminster to local authorities, Schedule 31 of the Bill introduces a surprise ban on Upwards Only Rent Review (“UORR”) clauses in commercial leases in England and Wales.

The Law Commission has issued an interim statementsetting out the provisional conclusions drawn from its first consultation paper on the future of security of tenure for business tenancies under Part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (the 1954 Act). 

The Renters’ Rights Bill (“RRB”) was introduced with an aim of providing “greater rights and protections to people renting their homes, including by abolishing section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and reforming grounds of possession”.

Guarantees, warranties and indemnities are a means of allocating risk in commercial transactions and are often seen together (usually in a lease or security documents), but all carry very different obligations.

This County Court lease renewal case under Part 2 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (“LTA 1954”) relates to the tenant’s attempt to include a break clause in a renewal lease and is a notable application of the Court’s approach to determining renewal lease terms set out in the leading case of O'May v City of London Real Property Co Ltd [1983] AC 726 (“O’May”).  

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry has, today, published its final phase of the report to examine the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the fire at Grenfell Tower on the night of 14 June 2017.  The report highlights significant deficiencies in the current building safety regulations and is likely to have a major impact on the construction industry, manufacturers and property owners.

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (“the Act”) introduces several significant changes affecting enfranchisement, making it easier and more cost-effective for residential leaseholders to extend their leases or purchase the freehold of their properties. The key impacts on enfranchisement are set out in this article.  

A Laytons’ team of real estate lawyers will be in Cannes during MIPIM from 12-15 March 2024. Please use the form to contact us if you would like to arrange a meeting in Cannes during these dates.

We are pleased to share that Honey Dave has been appointed the Head of the India Desk at Laytons ETL.