Building Around A Tenant

How much redevelopment and refurbishment work can a landlord do when it has a tenant in occupation? The recent case of Timothy Taylor Limited v Mayfair House Corporation provides a useful reminder of the obligations owed by landlords to tenants where they want to carry out redevelopment works to a building around a tenant of part who remains in occupation.

Landlords with tenants in occupation must:

• comply with any express lease terms;
• act reasonably when exercising their right to build and
• take steps to minimise the amount of disturbance.

In this case:

• the works have been carried on since 2013;
• the tenant's premises are a high class art gallery in the ground and basement;