{"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":"a-classica-defesa-contra-a-degradacao-falha","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/rfblegal.co.uk\/pt\/percepcoes\/a-classica-defesa-contra-a-degradacao-falha\/","title":{"rendered":"A defesa cl\u00e1ssica da degrada\u00e7\u00e3o falha"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rudi Ramdarshan and Marissa Lawrence were successful in obtaining possession of a high-value propriedade<\/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

Antecedentes<\/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

As t\u00e1ticas do arguido<\/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

Apesar de a inquilina ter permitido o acesso ao seu pr\u00f3prio perito em estado de degrada\u00e7\u00e3o e ao perito do senhorio, recusou-se continuamente a permitir o acesso ao senhorio, alegando que precisaria que os seus bens fossem colocados num armaz\u00e9m, a expensas do senhorio. Os pertences da inquilina armazenados no im\u00f3vel consistiam em volumosos sacos de lixo pretos que, conforme observado pelo perito do senhorio, ocupavam quase 70% do espa\u00e7o do im\u00f3vel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O senhorio e os seus representantes continuaram a afirmar que estavam, em todos os momentos, prontos, dispostos e aptos a realizar quaisquer repara\u00e7\u00f5es, mas o inquilino recusava sistematicamente o acesso ou cancelava as marca\u00e7\u00f5es feitas com os empreiteiros \u2014 muitas vezes no pr\u00f3prio dia da inspe\u00e7\u00e3o.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O Julgamento<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No julgamento deste processo, o inquilino e os representantes do senhorio foram interrogados sobre as quest\u00f5es relativas \u00e0 comunica\u00e7\u00e3o de casos de degrada\u00e7\u00e3o, aos pedidos de acesso, \u00e0 recusa de acesso e ao estado das instala\u00e7\u00f5es ap\u00f3s a renova\u00e7\u00e3o 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

A ju\u00edza Luba QC ordenou que a totalidade da reconven\u00e7\u00e3o do inquilino fosse indeferida, o que inclu\u00eda a totalidade do pedido relativo ao mau estado do im\u00f3vel e aos danos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Um resultado positivo, sem d\u00favida, mas o cliente teve de suportar um atraso de 4 anos desde a notifica\u00e7\u00e3o.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Validade dos aumentos de renda<\/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

As cl\u00e1usulas do contrato de arrendamento relativas aos aumentos de renda eram as seguintes: -<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA renda a pagar nos termos do presente contrato ser\u00e1 a seguinte:\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a. At\u00e9 \u00e0 primeira Data de Revis\u00e3o, a Renda Inicial, e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. Durante cada Per\u00edodo de Revis\u00e3o sucessivo, um valor de renda (\u2018a Nova Renda\u2019) igual ao maior dos seguintes valores:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I. A renda a pagar imediatamente antes da Data de Revis\u00e3o, acrescida de 5% do seu valor;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

II. A renda que vier a ser determinada em conformidade com a subcl\u00e1usula 3 abaixo;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O O senhorio deve, antes de cada revis\u00e3o,<\/em> Data em que se deve notificar por escrito o inquilino do novo valor da renda para o per\u00edodo de revis\u00e3o.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ao longo dos anos, o inquilino e o senhorio tinham vindo a acordar o valor da renda antes do per\u00edodo de revis\u00e3o. O senhorio costumava escrever ao inquilino a informar que o valor da renda iria sofrer um aumento, ap\u00f3s o que o inquilino e o senhorio iniciavam negocia\u00e7\u00f5es para chegar a acordo sobre um novo valor de renda. Este valor era inferior ao que poderia ter sido exigido ao abrigo das disposi\u00e7\u00f5es do contrato de arrendamento.<\/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

A posi\u00e7\u00e3o do senhorio era a seguinte: (1) as partes podiam acordar separadamente um valor de renda diferente da f\u00f3rmula estabelecida no contrato de arrendamento e (2) o requisito de uma notifica\u00e7\u00e3o de aumento de renda n\u00e3o assumia a forma de uma notifica\u00e7\u00e3o desencadeadora (ou seja, o aumento de renda s\u00f3 se tornava v\u00e1lido ap\u00f3s a rece\u00e7\u00e3o de uma notifica\u00e7\u00e3o v\u00e1lida de aumento de renda). Em vez disso, a notifica\u00e7\u00e3o prevista no contrato de arrendamento era simplesmente uma nota informativa \u2014 para informar o inquilino sobre qual seria o valor da sua renda. A notifica\u00e7\u00e3o nem sequer exigiria que o senhorio indicasse o valor exato da renda \u2014 bastaria indicar o mecanismo a aplicar (seja por refer\u00eancia ao RPI ou a um aumento 5%, uma vez que o inquilino poderia calcular o valor por si pr\u00f3prio). Numa interpreta\u00e7\u00e3o estrita do contrato de arrendamento, a notifica\u00e7\u00e3o poderia ser entregue at\u00e9 \u00e0s 23h59 da noite anterior ao pr\u00f3ximo per\u00edodo de revis\u00e3o.   <\/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

A ju\u00edza Luba QC deu prefer\u00eancia \u00e0 interpreta\u00e7\u00e3o do senhorio relativamente \u00e0s cl\u00e1usulas de revis\u00e3o da renda do contrato de arrendamento e, como tal, determinou que a renda at\u00e9 ao per\u00edodo de revis\u00e3o em mar\u00e7o de 2018 tinha sido acordada entre o senhorio e o inquilino e fixada nos valores referidos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Posteriormente, na aus\u00eancia de acordo expresso, a renda aumentaria com base no \u00cdndice de Pre\u00e7os no Retalho ou no 5%, consoante o valor mais elevado. Tal resultou num aumento significativo da renda a partir de 2018. A ju\u00edza HHJ Luba QC considerou que a notifica\u00e7\u00e3o de revis\u00e3o da renda n\u00e3o era uma notifica\u00e7\u00e3o desencadeadora, mas sim, tal como afirmado pelo senhorio, uma nota informativa que estabelecia o m\u00e9todo pelo qual a renda seria aumentada, uma vez que o inquilino tinha confirma\u00e7\u00e3o expressa no contrato de arrendamento do valor da renda em cada per\u00edodo de revis\u00e3o, mediante a realiza\u00e7\u00e3o dos 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

Conclus\u00f5es<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Em 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 vontade<\/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

A senten\u00e7a da ju\u00edza Luba QC neste processo foi pr\u00e1tica e cuidadosamente ponderada, tendo concedido ao senhorio requerente a vit\u00f3ria h\u00e1 muito esperada. O caso demonstra que, embora os inquilinos possam recorrer a alega\u00e7\u00f5es infundadas de mau estado do im\u00f3vel para atrasar a entrega do im\u00f3vel, em \u00faltima an\u00e1lise, os tribunais ir\u00e3o ignorar essas alega\u00e7\u00f5es e ordenar a entrega do im\u00f3vel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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

Informa\u00e7\u00f5es adicionais<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Autores da not\u00edcia: 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