Williams v Aviva Investors Ground Rent GP Ltd

Subject Matter

LANDLORD AND TENANT — Covenant — Service charge — Lease providing for tenant’s share of service charge to be percentage specified in lease or percentage determined by landlord — Provision permitting landlord to determine such percentage rendered void by statute — Whether lease to be construed as permitting First-tier Tribunal to determine percentage payable by tenant — Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (c 70), s 27A(6)

[2021] EWCA Civ 27; [2021] 1 WLR 2061; [2021] WLR(D) 37, CA

LANDLORD AND TENANT — Covenant — Service charge — Lease providing for tenant’s share of service charge to be percentage specified in lease or percentage determined by landlord — Whether provision permitting landlord to determine such percentage rendered void by statute — Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (c 70), s 27A(6)

[2023] UKSC 6; [2023] AC 855; [2023] 2 WLR 484; [2023] 2 All ER 797, SC(E)

Appellate History

Legislation Considered

Statutes

Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (c 70), s 27A(6)

Cases Considered

Cases considered in: Williams v Aviva Investors Ground Rent GP Ltd [2023] UKSC 6; [2023] AC 855; [2023] 2 WLR 484; [2023] 2 All ER 797, SC(E)

Cases considered in: Williams v Aviva Investors Ground Rent GP Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 27; [2021] 1 WLR 2061; [2021] WLR(D) 37, CA

Cases Cited

Cases cited in: Williams v Aviva Investors Ground Rent GP Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 27; [2021] 1 WLR 2061; [2021] WLR(D) 37, CA

Coventry and Solihull Waste Disposal Co Ltd v Russell [1999] 1 WLR 2093; [2000] 1 All ER 97, HL(E)

Egon Zehnder Ltd v Tillman [2019] UKSC 32; [2020] AC 154; [2019] 3 WLR 245; [2019] ICR 1223; [2020] 1 All ER 477; [2019] 2 BCLC 143; [2019] WLR (D) 395, SC(E)

Fairman v Cinnamon (Plantation Wharf) Ltd [2018] UKUT 421 (LC), UT

Flora v Wakom Ltd [2006] EWCA Civ 1103, CA

Gater v Wellington Real Estate Ltd [2014] UKUT 561 (LC); [2015] L & TR 19, UT

Joseph v Joseph [1967] Ch 78; [1966] 3 WLR 631; [1966] 3 All ER 486, CA

Morgan v Fletcher [2009] UKUT 186 (LC); [2010] 1 P & CR 17, UT

Oliver v Sheffield City Council [2017] EWCA Civ 225; [2017] 1 WLR 4473; [2017] WLR (D) 243, CA

R (D) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2010] EWCA Civ 18; [2010] 1 WLR 1782; [2010] WLR (D) 20, CA

Roberts v Countryside Residential (South West) Ltd [2017] UKUT 386 (LC), UT

Sutherland v Network Appliance Ltd [2001] IRLR 12, EAT(Sc)

Tindall Cobham 1 Ltd v Adda Hotels [2014] EWCA Civ 1215; [2015] 1 P & CR 5, CA

Windermere Marina Village Ltd v Wild [2014] UKUT 163 (LC); [2014] L & TR 30, UT

Cases cited in: Williams v Aviva Investors Ground Rent GP Ltd [2023] UKSC 6; [2023] AC 855; [2023] 2 WLR 484; [2023] 2 All ER 797, SC(E)

Bedford Court Mansions Ltd v Ribière [2017] UKUT 202 (LC), UT

Braganza v BP Shipping Ltd (The British Unity) [2015] UKSC 17; [2015] 1 WLR 1661; [2015] ICR 449; [2015] 4 All ER 639; [2015] 2 Lloyd's Rep 240; [2015] IRLR 487; [2015] WLR (D) 158; The Times, 6 April 2015; [2015] Pens LR 431; Case details, SC(E)

Brent London Borough Council v Shulem B Association Ltd [2011] EWHC 1663 (Ch); [2011] 1 WLR 3014; [2011] 4 All ER 778, Ch D

Carney v Herbert [1985] AC 301; [1984] 3 WLR 1303; [1985] 1 All ER 438, PC

Criterion Buildings Ltd v McKinsey & Co Inc (UK) [2021] EWHC 216 (Ch); [2021] EWHC 216 (Ch), Ch D

Daejan Investments Ltd v Benson [2013] UKSC 14; [2013] 1 WLR 854; [2013] 2 All ER 375; [2013] WLR (D) 94; Case details, SC(E)

Director of Public Prosecutions v Hutchinson [1990] 2 AC 783; [1990] 3 WLR 196; [1990] 2 All ER 836; The Times, 13 July 1990, HL(E)

Egon Zehnder Ltd v Tillman [2019] UKSC 32; [2020] AC 154; [2019] 3 WLR 245; [2019] ICR 1223; [2020] 1 All ER 477; [2019] 2 BCLC 143; [2019] WLR (D) 395, SC(E)

Fairman v Cinnamon (Plantation Wharf) Ltd [2018] UKUT 421 (LC), UT

Finchbourne Ltd v Rodrigues [1976] 3 All ER 581, CA

Gater v Wellington Real Estate Ltd [2014] UKUT 561 (LC); [2015] L & TR 19, UT

Gianfrancesco v Haughton (unreported) 6 March 2008, Lands Tribunal

K Group Holdings Inc v Chuan-Hui [2021] EWCA Civ 403; [2021] 1 WLR 5981; [2021] WLR(D) 179, CA

Kensington and Chelsea Royal London Borough Council v Lessees of 1–124 Pond House [2015] UKUT 395 (LC); [2016] L & TR 10, UT

Levitt v Camden London Borough Council [2011] UKUT 366 (LC), UT

Morgan v Fletcher [2009] UKUT 186 (LC); [2010] 1 P & CR 17, UT

North Shore Ventures Ltd v Anstead Holdings Inc [2011] EWCA Civ 230; [2012] Ch 31; [2011] 3 WLR 628; [2011] Bus LR 1036; [2011] 2 All ER (Comm) 1024; [2011] 2 Lloyd's Rep 45; [2011] BLR 757; [2011] WLR (D) 80, CA

Oliver v Sheffield City Council [2017] EWCA Civ 225; [2017] 1 WLR 4473; [2017] WLR (D) 243, CA

Roberts v Countryside Residential (South West) Ltd [2017] UKUT 386 (LC), UT

Rowner Estates Ltd, In re (unreported) 18 October 2007, Lands Tribunal

Ruddy v Oakfern Properties Ltd [2006] EWCA Civ 1389; [2007] Ch 335; [2007] 3 WLR 524; [2007] 1 All ER 337, CA

Schilling v Canary Riverside Development Pte Ltd (unreported) 6 December 2005, Lands Tribunal

Shersby v Grenehurst Park Residents Co Ltd [2009] UKUT 241 (LC), UT

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council v Skiggs [2006] 2 EGLR 87

Sutherland v Network Appliance Ltd [2001] IRLR 12, EAT

Tindall Cobham 1 Ltd & Ors v Adda Hotels (An Unlimited Company) & Ors [2014] EWCA Civ 1215, CA

Warrior Quay Management Co Ltd v Joachim (unreported) 11 January 2008, Lands Tribunal

Windermere Marina Village Ltd v Wild [2014] UKUT 163 (LC); [2014] L & TR 30, UT

Cases citing

Cases citing: Williams v Aviva Investors Ground Rent GP Ltd [2020] UKUT 111 (LC), UT

Braganza v The Riverside Group Ltd (LANDLORD AND TENANT - SERVICE CHARGES - lease providing for annual apportionment of cost of services by landlord's surveyor) [2023] UKUT 243 (LC), UT

Cases citing: Williams v Aviva Investors Ground Rent GP Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 27; [2021] 1 WLR 2061; [2021] WLR(D) 37, CA

G & A Gorrara v Kenilworth Court Block E RTM Company Ltd (LANDLORD AND TENANT - RIGHT TO MANAGE - covenants to pay a service charge - proportions) [2022] UKUT 90 (LC), UT (LC)

Hawk Investments Properties Limited v Diana and Christopher Eames & Ors [2023] UKUT 168 (LC), UT

Cases citing: Williams v Aviva Investors Ground Rent GP Ltd [2023] UKSC 6; [2023] AC 855; [2023] 2 WLR 484; [2023] 2 All ER 797, SC(E)

Bradley & Anor v Abacus Land 4 Ltd (LANDLORD AND TENANT - SERVICE CHARGES - apportionment - landlord's contractual obligation to act reasonably) [2024] UKUT 120 (LC), UT

Braganza v The Riverside Group Ltd (LANDLORD AND TENANT - SERVICE CHARGES - lease providing for annual apportionment of cost of services by landlord's surveyor) [2023] UKUT 243 (LC), UT

Deutsche Bank AG v Sebastian Holdings Inc [2024] EWCA Civ 245; [2024] 3 WLR 135; [2024] WLR(D) 121, CA

Douglas & Ors v RMB 102 Ltd & Anor (LANDLORD AND TENANT - SERVICE CHARGES) [2023] UKUT 207 (LC), UT

Hawk Investments Properties Limited v Diana and Christopher Eames & Ors [2023] UKUT 168 (LC), UT

Martin's Commercial Ltd v Cineworld Cinemas Holdings Ltd [2023] EWHC 1925 (Ch), Ch D

Commentary

Nearly Legal
Service charges – too late and too varied Case comment

Leasehold miscellany Case comment

UK Supreme Court Blog
New Judgment: Aviva Investors Ground Rent GP Ltd and another v Williams and others [2023] UKSC 6 Case comment