Gatehouse Chambers Brew: Renters Reform Bill (Video)

Dispute arises where one of those causes is the result of the employer's action or omission and the other is the result of the contractor's.

During the National Conversation, tenants identified repairs and maintenance as their top priority, with the quality of their homes coming a close second.

The UK Government has unveiled the next phase of the Renters' Rights Act 2025, introducing a mandatory private rented sector database launching December 2026 and transferring rent increase dispute resolution from tribunals to the Valuation Office Agency. These reforms will fundamentally reshape compliance obligations for landlords across England, requiring registration of all rental properties with annual fees and updated enforcement mechanisms.

Section 21 has been abolished for new possession action from 1 May 2026, but landlords who need to sell with vacant possession still have a route. Ground 1A of the amended Housing Act 1988 allows a landlord to recover possession where a genuine sale is intended, but it comes with a four-month notice period, restrictions on reletting and remarketing, and potentially significant penalties for misuse.

The UK Government's Commercial Payments Bill is rapidly advancing toward becoming law, with the proposed ban on cash retentions in construction contracts now scheduled for third reading in October 2026.

Recent case law suggests that documents sent by recorded delivery post are likely to be deemed served even if it can be shown that they are unlikely to have been received by the addressee

The prospect of a third runway at Heathrow Airport has resurfaced, bringing uncertainty to communities across West London and the Thames Valley about homes, property values and future planning. This guide examines how the compensation framework operates for affected homeowners, identifies critical gaps in protection during the years between policy approval and construction, and explains why reform is needed to address the human and financial costs of prolonged infrastructure uncertainty.

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The High Court decision in Cork v Smith exposes how AI hallucinations in legal practice can trigger professional negligence claims when solicitors fail to verify AI-generated research.

A High Court judgment clarifies the scope of the implied covenant of fitness for human habitation under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, confirming that older case law remains authoritative and that a single defect can render an entire dwelling unfit. The decision provides crucial guidance on when landlords must remedy damp, mould, and structural defects, and significantly limits the availability of 'tenant lifestyle' defences.

A mentoring scheme opens applications for its sixth intake, targeting underrepresented groups at the Bar including women, minority ethnic backgrounds, and those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.

The Upper Tribunal's recent decision in UK v Secretary of State for the Home Department examines two cases where legal practitioners submitted AI-generated hallucinated authorities in immigration proceedings. The judgment establishes critical standards for professional supervision, verification procedures, and confidentiality obligations when using artificial intelligence tools in legal practice.

These case summaries first appeared in LexisNexis' Insolvency Case Alerter. They represent some of the more interesting insolvency decisions to have been published recently.

The Privy Council was asked to consider whether the appellant, Tianrui IHC Ltd a minority shareholder ("Tianrui") enjoyed personal standing to claim against a company when the directors of the company allot shares.

The Court held former BHS directors jointly and severally liable for £110 million in equitable compensation due to breaches of duty, causing continued trading and increased company deficiency. This clarifies Sequana-related compensation.

Hello and welcome to the June edition of the Gatehouse Chambers property newsletter. The team seem to have had a particularly good showing in the Upper Tribunal and High Court recently, as well as dealing...

In this podcast, Charles Bagot KC of Gatehouse Chambers and Janine Clark, Partner at Clyde & Co in Brisbane, explore the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in personal injury claims.

Dispute Resolution analysis: The Court of Appeal has rejected 40 years of "received wisdom" among company law practitioners and has held that a limitation period of either twelve or six years...