{"id":3405,"date":"2022-09-06T11:02:27","date_gmt":"2022-09-06T11:02:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rfblegal.co.uk\/?post_type=insight&p=3405"},"modified":"2025-11-14T13:26:38","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T13:26:38","slug":"fracasa-la-clasica-defensa-contra-el-deterioro","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/rfblegal.co.uk\/es\/perspectivas\/fracasa-la-clasica-defensa-contra-el-deterioro\/","title":{"rendered":"Fracasa la cl\u00e1sica defensa contra el deterioro"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rudi Ramdarshan and Marissa Lawrence were successful in obtaining possession of a high-value propiedad<\/a> in Westminster, despite the tenant being an Assured Tenant, the original tenancy being lost, and issues of disrepair<\/a> being raised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fondo<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The firm was instructed by one of its portfolio landlords in respect of residencial<\/a> premises in Westminster. The premises was a flat located in a building owned by Westminster Council, and which was located within a conservation area. The client was the owner of a long lease<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tenant had been occupying the property since 1997, at first under a fixed term assured tenancy, which upon expiry of the fixed term, became a statutory<\/a> periodic assured tenancy. The tenant had raised issues of disrepair which resulted in the client deciding to decant the tenant and fully renovate the property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the renovation, the tenant fell into arrears<\/a>. In February 2018, the landlord<\/a> served a section 8 notice on the tenant on the basis of rent arrears<\/a> relying on ground 10. Following expiry of the notice, the tenant remained in arrears and possession proceedings were issued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

La t\u00e1ctica del demandado<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A common tactic by defendants<\/a> when facing<\/a> possession proceedings based on rent arrears is to raise allegations of disrepair and to seek to suggest that such a sum reduces or extinguishes the rental arrears. In practice, despite the Court having the power to order possession at a first hearing summarily when faced with an unmeritorious defence, Courts are reluctant to do so without a factual enquiry which often means requiring expert and factual evidence<\/a>. This tactic can delay possession being granted for months if not years, all the while arrears are likely to continue to accrue. In addition, landlords are faced with having to shoulder the adicional<\/a> costs of a full trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to the claim for possession and arrears, the tenant issued a defence and counterclaim. The tenant included multiple claims<\/a> within her counterclaim, with a large portion being dedicated to alleged disrepair at the premises and damages flowing from the landlord\u2019s alleged breach<\/a> of duty under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the progress of litigation<\/a>, the landlord (through RFB and their agents) requested access to the premises in order to (1) investigate any alleged disrepair and (2) complete any remedial works required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pesar de que el inquilino concedi\u00f3 acceso a su propio experto en deterioro y al experto del propietario, la inquilina neg\u00f3 continuamente el acceso al propietario alegando que necesitar\u00eda que sus pertenencias fueran almacenadas a expensas del propietario. Las pertenencias de la inquilina almacenadas en el local consist\u00edan en voluminosas bolsas de basura negras que, seg\u00fan observ\u00f3 el perito del arrendador, ocupaban casi 70% del espacio del local.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

El propietario y sus agentes segu\u00edan afirmando que en todo momento estaban preparados, dispuestos y capacitados para llevar a cabo las reparaciones, pero el inquilino se negaba sistem\u00e1ticamente a acceder o cancelaba las citas concertadas con los contratistas, a menudo el mismo d\u00eda de la inspecci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

El juicio<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

En el juicio de este procedimiento, el inquilino y los agentes del propietario fueron interrogados sobre las cuestiones de la denuncia de los casos de deterioro, las solicitudes de acceso, la denegaci\u00f3n de acceso y el estado de los locales tras la renovaci\u00f3n anterior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his judgment, HHJ Luba QC found that he preferred the evidence put forward by the landlord\u2019s agents. HHJ Luba QC specifically commented on the tenant\u2019s treatment of the property, in particular that the excessive storage of black bin sacks would exacerbate any alleged issues at the premises. HHJ Luba QC also held that following the previous renovation, the Property was left in a good standard<\/a> of condition. HHJ Luba QC held that the deterioration in the state of the Property following the renovation was, on the balance of probabilities, more likely to flow from tenant misuse than any alleged breach of duty by the landlord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HHJ Luba QC orden\u00f3 que se anulara la totalidad de la demanda reconvencional del arrendatario, que inclu\u00eda la totalidad de la reclamaci\u00f3n por deterioro y da\u00f1os y perjuicios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Un resultado positivo sin duda, pero el cliente tuvo que soportar un retraso de 4 a\u00f1os desde la notificaci\u00f3n del requerimiento.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Validez de los aumentos de alquiler<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another<\/a> central element of the tenant\u2019s defence and counterclaim was that the landlord\u2019s rent increases had failed to follow the form set out in the tenancy agreement<\/a> and, as such, were invalid. The tenant included in their counterclaim a claim for the return of alleged overpaid rent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Las cl\u00e1usulas del contrato de arrendamiento relativas a los aumentos del alquiler eran las siguientes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEl alquiler que deber\u00e1 pagarse en virtud del presente Contrato ser\u00e1:-.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a.Hasta la primera Fecha de Revisi\u00f3n el Alquiler Inicial, y<\/p>\n\n\n\n

b.Durante cada Periodo de Revisi\u00f3n sucesivo una renta (\u2018la Nueva Renta\u2019) igual al mayor de:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I.La renta pagadera inmediatamente antes de la Fecha de Revisi\u00f3n m\u00e1s 5% de la misma;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

II.La renta que se determine de conformidad con el subapartado 3 siguiente;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

En el arrendador deber\u00e1 antes de cada Revisi\u00f3n<\/em> Date give written notice to the Tenant of the New Rent for the Review Period\u201d.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lo largo de los a\u00f1os, el inquilino y el propietario hab\u00edan acordado el alquiler antes del periodo de revisi\u00f3n. A menudo, el propietario escrib\u00eda al inquilino para comunicarle que el alquiler iba a aumentar, tras lo cual el inquilino y el propietario entablaban negociaciones para acordar un nuevo alquiler. Este alquiler ser\u00eda inferior al importe que podr\u00eda haberse reclamado en virtud de las disposiciones del contrato de arrendamiento.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the counterclaim, the tenant alleged that (1) the rent increases were invalid as they did not follow the formula set out in the tenancy agreement and (2) rent increase notices<\/a> were required to be sent out to the tenant in advance of the review date, informing the tenant of the new rent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

La posici\u00f3n del arrendador era que (1) las partes pod\u00edan acordar por separado un alquiler que difer\u00eda de la f\u00f3rmula establecida en el contrato de arrendamiento y (2) el requisito de una notificaci\u00f3n de aumento del alquiler no adoptaba la forma de una notificaci\u00f3n desencadenante (es decir, el aumento del alquiler s\u00f3lo ser\u00eda v\u00e1lido tras la recepci\u00f3n de una notificaci\u00f3n v\u00e1lida de aumento del alquiler). M\u00e1s bien, la notificaci\u00f3n prevista en el contrato de arrendamiento era simplemente una nota informativa que comunicaba al inquilino el precio del alquiler. La notificaci\u00f3n no habr\u00eda exigido que el arrendador estableciera el alquiler exacto, sino simplemente el mecanismo que se aplicar\u00eda (ya fuera por referencia al RPI o a un aumento del 5%, ya que el arrendatario pod\u00eda calcularlo por s\u00ed mismo). Si se interpreta estrictamente el contrato de arrendamiento, la notificaci\u00f3n podr\u00eda realizarse hasta las 23:59 de la noche anterior al siguiente periodo de revisi\u00f3n.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the tenant\u2019s cross-examination at trial, she admitted that it was the usual course of action for herself and the landlord to privately agree the rent which was to be paid<\/a>, which was lower than that which she accepted could be due under the tenancy agreement. The tenant also admitted that the rent which she had was by way of housing<\/a> benefit and discretionary housing payments. The tenant still asserted she should be entitled to the return of any unpaid rent and would then privately liaise with the housing benefit office to determine who would keep the overpayment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HHJ Luba QC prefiri\u00f3 la interpretaci\u00f3n del propietario de los t\u00e9rminos de revisi\u00f3n del alquiler del contrato de arrendamiento y, como tal, orden\u00f3 que el alquiler hasta el per\u00edodo de revisi\u00f3n en marzo de 2018 fue acordado entre el propietario y el inquilino y se fij\u00f3 en esas cifras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A partir de entonces, a falta de acuerdo expreso, el alquiler aumentar\u00eda o bien por referencia al \u00cdndice de Precios al Consumo o bien en 5%, el que fuera m\u00e1s alto. El resultado fue un aumento significativo del alquiler a partir de 2018. HHJ Luba QC sostuvo que el aviso de revisi\u00f3n del alquiler no era un aviso de activaci\u00f3n, sino, como afirmaba el propietario, una nota informativa que establec\u00eda el m\u00e9todo por el cual se incrementar\u00eda el alquiler, ya que el inquilino ten\u00eda confirmaci\u00f3n expresa en el contrato de arrendamiento de cu\u00e1l ser\u00eda el alquiler en cada per\u00edodo de revisi\u00f3n completando los c\u00e1lculos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of further relevance, during the tenant\u2019s cross-examination, it was discussed what position the tenant would be left in if the rent were to increase beyond that payable immediately before March 2018. The tenant stated that if the rent increased beyond that figure, they would not be able to afford the rent and would have to explore the possibility of obtaining part-time employment<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusiones<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

En summary<\/a>, this case was beleaguered by several factors which would frustrate and complicate even the most straightforward of rent arrears possession cases. As Property Litigators will<\/a> know, the combination of the legal aid defendant and a disrepair counterclaim often spell delay in the mind of Claimant Landlords, and it is all too common to see unmeritorious disrepair counterclaims being taken all the way to trial due to parties refusing to make reasonable concessions, and indeed the Court\u2019s backlog meaning listing dates for a trial for disrepair are often a long wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

La sentencia de HHJ Luba QC en este caso fue pr\u00e1ctica y muy meditada, y concedi\u00f3 al propietario demandante su tan esperada victoria. El caso demuestra que, si bien los inquilinos pueden utilizar alegaciones infundadas de deterioro para retrasar la posesi\u00f3n, en \u00faltima instancia, los Tribunales cortar\u00e1n el ruido y ordenar\u00e1n la posesi\u00f3n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Informaci\u00f3n adicional<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Autor de la noticia: Marissa Lawrence | Rudi Ramdarshan<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3406,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[81],"class_list":["post-3405","insight","type-insight","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-litigation-team-dj"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t