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08 May 2026 / Fern Schofield , Gwyneth Everson
Issue: 8160 / Categories: Features , Property , Landlord&tenant , Housing
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Property law brief: quarterly review (May 2026)

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Fern Schofield & Gwyneth Everson provide a round-up of recent decisions, offering practical guidance on possession claims, statutory interpretation & evidential pitfalls

  • Recent decisions clarify key aspects of property law, including the status of mixed-use premises as ‘dwellings’, the limits of digital communications in transferring interests, and the interpretation of telecoms Code agreements.
  • The courts also reinforce proper procedure and evidential requirements in possession and ownership disputes.

For the first quarterly update of 2026, we consider a selection of significant decisions in property law from December 2025 through to February 2026. These cases highlight important developments in substantive law, clarify some key issues in possession claims, and provide valuable guidance on procedure and evidence.

Developments in substantive law

Cloisters Business Centre Management Company Ltd v Anvari [2026] EWCA Civ 17

The Court of Appeal determined that mixed-use premises are capable of constituting a ‘dwelling’ within the meaning of s 38 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (LTA 1985), such that they

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Clarke Willmott—Kevin Joynes & Neil Gosling

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Clarke Willmott bolsters housebuilder expertise in Birmingham

Carpmaels & Ransford—Kevin Cordina

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Firm adds former Simmons Simmons patent head to engineering and tech team

ACTAPS—Sally Goodger

ACTAPS—Sally Goodger

Freeths strengthens its voice in national disputes with ACTAPS committee appointment

NEWS
4PB chambers has announced the 2026 winner of its Alan Inglis Memorial Essay Prize, now in its third year
Murder could be split into first and second degrees, under Law Commission proposals for a historic overhaul of homicide offences
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Australian-style ban on social media for under-16s will be difficult to enforce, lawyers have warned
One in two women in law say their current working pattern is unsustainable for their long-term health, according to a report by the Next 100 Years project
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has highlighted a lack of safeguards where people use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help with legal problems
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