header-logo header-logo

29 July 2010 / Richard Castle , John Castle
Issue: 7428 / Categories: Features , Landlord&tenant , Property
printer mail-detail

Time to move on?

Richard Castle & John Castle believe it’s time leases moved with the times

“The length and complexity of modern leases is a scandal. Something ought to be done.” So began an article called Leases: time for change which appeared in the legal press on 3 July 1985. Sadly, much the same complaint can be made today. In 25 years, not much improvement has been made in the style, layout, language and design of most leases. Does that matter? We think it does, and that it is still worth investing time and effort in an attempt to bring leases into the 20th century before too much of the 21st goes by.
Advances since 1985

It’s certainly not been all doom and gloom. The Law Commission put its weight behind reform, and the Law Society has published a series of well-written business leases. The Code for Leasing Business Premises (2007) has become known and does a lot to redress the imbalance between landlord and tenant, and to cut down sterile negotiations on lease

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Private wealth and tax team welcomes cross-border specialist as consultant

HFW—Simon Petch

HFW—Simon Petch

Global shipping practice expands with experienced ship finance partner hire

Freeths—Richard Lockhart

Freeths—Richard Lockhart

Infrastructure specialist joins as partner in Glasgow office

NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
back-to-top-scroll