0
Tom acted for the freehold owner of a modern mixed use development of flats and offices in the City of London in opposing an application by the tenants of the flats to vary their leases under section 37 if the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987. They wanted to make the freeholder responsible for repairing and maintaining the entire structure, to replace arrangements under which a tenant owned management company has to manage the residential parts. The tenants also sought extensive other variations of what they regarded as onerous insurance and other provisions. The landlord opposed the application, and obtained an expert valuation report as to the effect these variations would have on the value of the reversion. Once this was served, the tenants first sough an adjournment of the hearing and then withdrew their application. The freeholder owner then applied for and obtained an order for costs against the tenants on the ground that they had acted unreasonably. Tom Jefferies acted for the landlord, instructed by Black Graf LLP.
