Handbook of Residential Tenancies

The Handbook of Residential Tenancies provides full coverage of the law and practice of residential tenancies, both long leases and rental tenancies, offering procedural guidance and "how-to" information to steer practitioners through all aspects of residential tenancy work. The work:

• Presents workable solutions to the problems encountered in dealing with lease renewal of business tenancies
• Includes clear examples to illustrate such topics as valuation, negotiation and lease renewal
• Explains all aspects of renewal – how the law is applied, the right to renew and the role of the court
• Deals with hands-on matters such as opposing renewal, renewal by negotiation, terms of new lease and tactics at lease renewal
• Includes practical points for surveyors on estate management, valuation and negotiation
• Features digests of over 225 key cases
• Sets out a range of forms and precedents
• Reproduces court rules and forms

A number of new measures affecting housing (most of them by amending existing legislation) are being covered, in particular the tenancy deposit schemes and changes to assured shorthold tenancies.

These changes are made by the Localism Act 2011 and they are expected to be fully in force by April 2012.  

Another change is the introduction of the new two tier system for dealing with many disputes (under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007).  This should be fully in force by the autumn when a new lower tier property chamber will be established (which will include the leasehold valuation tribunal).

Other developments this year will be no less than three Supreme Court hearings on leasehold matters:  the meaning of a 'house' under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967, valuation for flat lease claims and service charges. 

Charge by release looseleaf services: Approximately 2 updating release published per annum.