The UK High Court has ruled that the obligations of third-party guarantors are not affected by a part 26A restructuring plan being sanctioned in respect of the underlying obligations. This approach mirrors the way guarantees are dealt with in a part 26 scheme of arrangement. The case of Oceanfill Ltd. v Nuffield Health Wellbeing Ltd … Continue Reading
Often with new legislation, we might introduce it with words such as ‘much anticipated’ or ‘welcome’, but the Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Act 2022 is for many landlords and tenants, too late, or unnecessary, because deals have already been done in respect of unpaid COVID commercial rent payments. The Act came into force on 24 March … Continue Reading
Further to our previous blog outlining the new rules about payment and collection of unpaid commercial rent, our first alert looks at the new Code of Practice in detail. This answers questions relevant to both commercial landlords and tenants who have yet to start or are in the process of negotiating payment of rent arrears … Continue Reading
Landlords and tenants have both had their own struggles with paying or recovering rent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rent arrears accrued during 2020 as sectors, such as retail and hospitality, remained closed for a large part of the year and in an effort to support businesses get back on their feet, landlords were prohibited from … Continue Reading
In this third alert, we consider the findings in the New Look and Regis CVA challenge cases from the point of view of valuing landlord claims, counting the votes of unimpaired creditors and disclosure. Both of these challenges cases alleged that there has been non-disclosure, and therefore a material irregularity, and challenged the way that the landlords’ claims … Continue Reading
In our second alert in the series we consider the key takeaways for UK insolvency practitioners following the CVA challenges in New Look and Regis. Our alert considers the following: Nominee’s duties Risks to fees Disclosure requirements Discounts and formulas for calculating landlord claims for voting purposes; and The shape of post-pandemic CVAs To read … Continue Reading
Following the pivotal decisions in the New Look and Regis CVA challenge cases, where do the findings in those cases leave retailers, landlords and insolvency practitioners? In a series of alerts we will consider the key takeaways for landlords, the position of retailers and the impact of the findings for insolvency practitioners. Albeit that the … Continue Reading
There is a faint light at the end of the COVID tunnel for commercial landlords regarding timings and the ability to recover unpaid rent arrears. The UK Government has announced an extension to the current prohibition on forfeiture and winding up petitions, to enable it to introduce new legislation to help manage the £6bn estimated … Continue Reading
The pandemic and various lockdowns have been tough on the landlord community. The last few days have not made that any easier. First, the New Look decision dismissed the challenge mounted by a number of landlords (see our blog here ). Then on 12 May 2021 the landlord community was dealt another blow by the … Continue Reading
On Monday, Zacaroli J handed down his eagerly anticipated judgment in Lazari Properties (2) Limited (and others) v New Look Retailers Limited (and others). The New Look landlords challenged the New Look CVA and raised a number of arguments which some believed could be the end of CVAs as we know them. In particular, the … Continue Reading
From 4 May 2021 individuals will be able to apply for a moratorium that will provide a breathing space from creditor action. Our property litigation team have produced this alert considering the impact of the new regulations and what they mean for landlords. Whilst the regulation will primarily impact those involved in residential lettings, the … Continue Reading
There has been a significant increase in the use of CVAs, in particular in the retail and hospitality sector over the last 12 to 24 months, largely impacting landlord creditors. A CVA proposal can often run to hundreds of pages, and understanding what it means, how it impacts creditors and whether the terms offer a … Continue Reading
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problems faced by high-street retailers. Store closures during lockdown, changing consumer behaviour and the resultant loss of turnover and profits have caused many businesses to seek to reduce their rent payments. Company Voluntary Arrangements (“CVAs”) have become fashionable tools for trying to secure such rent reductions. In this blog, … Continue Reading
At the end of March, the Government introduced measures providing a moratorium on evictions for commercial tenants for non-payment of rent until 30 June 2020. Although landlords were unable to evict tenants, there was no automatic rent holiday and tenants still remained liable to pay rent, which prompted many commercial discussions between landlords and tenants … Continue Reading
If administrators use leased property for the benefit of the administration, rent is payable to the landlord for the period of occupation, as an expense of the administration. In London Bridge Entertainment, the court considered whether the administrators were obliged to top up a rent deposit where the landlord had taken monies from the rent … Continue Reading
In part 2 of a series of blogs we consider whether a landlord can be forced to accept a surrender of a lease and the consequences of that. This point was recently considered in the context of a scheme of arrangements where the Court concluded that a landlord cannot be forced to accept a surrender … Continue Reading
Can a CVA bind a landlord in respect of future rents? Is the landlord a creditor in respect of future rent? What about the right to forfeit; can a CVA modify that right? Is compromising rent under a CVA automatically unfair to landlords when other trade creditors are paid in full? These were some of … Continue Reading
The demise of high street retail and the insolvency of household names, including Woolworths, BHS, and more recently Debenhams and Monsoon has been a real headache for property owners. The moratorium created by administration ties the hands of landlords, preventing them from forfeiting leases without first having obtained the consent of the administrator or the … Continue Reading
When dealing with a debtor or a tenant that has fallen behind with its payment obligations, one of the most cost effective ways of a creditor/landlord reducing its exposure against that entity will be to take advantage of a “self-help” remedy, such as taking possession of the entity’s assets and selling them in repayment of … Continue Reading
The minefield of surrenders and assignments A lease can often be the most financially draining contract a company has hanging around its neck, which can be particularly burdensome when the tenant company is already facing financial distress. Administrators are regularly faced with the task of relieving the administration estate of an onerous, costly lease and … Continue Reading
