Contractual termination of leases: lessons from the Commonwealth - Part 1

In the first of a three-part article, the writers consider the extent to which the contractual termination of a lease by frustration and acceptance of a repudiatory breach has been accepted in Commonwealth case law, notably Canada, the United States and Australia.

Contractual termination of leases: lessons from the Commonwealth - Part 2

In the second part of this article, the writers examine how far the English courts have acknowledged the application of the doctrine of frustration and acceptance of repudiation in the leasehold context.

Contractual termination of leases: lessons from the Commonwealth - Part 3

In the final part of this article, the writers consider the interrelation between contractual termination and the various statutory provisions governing forfeiture and termination of a business tenancy under Pt II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. The article concludes by suggesting that termination by acceptance of a repudiatory breach is not only a welcome, but necessary incursion into leasehold law in order to provide tenants with the ability to end the lease in cases of serious landlord default.

A fresh look at S.54(2)

Examines the operation of the provisions of the Law of Property Act 1925 s.54(2) containing an exception to the rule that a deed is required in order to create a valid legal lease and conferring full legal status to short-term letting agreements created by parol, focusing on the requirements that the lease must take effect in possession and must be at the best rent reasonably obtainable without fine. Calls for the former of these two requirements to be amended and the latter abolished on the ground that they give rise to unnecessary complexity in the law and, in the case of the latter, uncertainty.

A house, not a home? Examining the use of the private rented sector to resolve homelessness in Scotland

Changes to homelessness legislation in post-devolution Scotland have resulted in an expansion of rights for homeless households seeking formal assistance from local authorities. These changes have led to Scotland’s homelessness arrangements being considered among the most progressive in Europe. In recent years, however, the Scottish Government has increasingly promoted homelessness prevention and Housing Options approaches as a means by which homelessness might be avoided or resolved without recourse to statutory rights. As part of that, they have promoted greater use of the private rented sector (PRS) as a key housing option, with the potential to meet the needs of homeless households. The arguments made to support use of the PRS have much in common with arguments for privatisation in other areas of social policy, notably greater choice for the individual promoting better welfare outcomes, and competition among providers encouraging improvements in quality of service provision. Critics have argued that such benefits may not be realised and that, on the contrary, privatisation may lead to exclusion or act to worsen households’ outcomes. This thesis considers the extent to which the PRS has been utilised in Scotland to accommodate homeless households, and the consequences of this for their welfare. The thesis uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. To examine trends in the use of the PRS, it presents quantitative analysis of the data on the operation of the statutory system and Housing Options arrangements, and of data from a survey of local authority homelessness strategy officers. To examine the consequences of this for homeless households, the thesis uses qualitative research involving face-to-face interviews with 35 homeless households across three local authority areas. This research considers the extent to which households’ experiences of homelessness, housing need and the PRS reflect the arguments presented in the literature, and how settled accommodation has impacted on households’ ability to participate fully in society. The research found an increasing but still limited role for the PRS in resolving statutory homelessness in Scotland, with indications that the PRS is being increasingly used as part of the Housing Options approach and as a means of resolving homelessness outside the statutory system. The PRS is being utilised to varying degrees across different local authority areas, and a variety of methods are being used to do so. While local authorities saw clear advantages to making greater use of the sector, a number of significant barriers including affordability, available stock and landlord preferences - made this difficult in practice. Research with previously homeless households in the PRS similarly found broadly positive experiences and views of the sector, particularly with regard to enabling households to access good quality accommodation in desirable areas of their choosing, with many households highlighting improvements relating to social inclusion and participation. Nevertheless, concerns around the security of tenure offered by the sector, repairs, service standards and unequal power relations between landlord and tenant persisted. As such, homeless households frequently expressed their decision to enter the sector in terms of a trade-off between choice and security.

The impact of energy performance certificates on the rental and capital values of commercial property assets: some preliminary evidence from the UK

This paper focuses on the effect of energy performance ratings on the capital values, rental values and equivalent yields of UK commercial property assets. Of which a small number are also BREEAM rated, the study is based upon 708 commercial property assets held in the IPD UK Universe drawn from across all PAS segments. Incorporating a range of controls such as unexpired lease term, vacancy rate and tenant credit risk, hedonic regression procedures are used to estimate the effect of EPC rating. The study finds no evidence of a strong relationship between environmental and/or energy performance and rental and capital value. Bearing in mind the small number of BREEAM rated assets, there was a small but statistically significant effect on equivalent yield only. Similarly, there was no evidence that the EPC rating had any effect on Market Rent or Market Value with only minor effects of EPC ratings on equivalent yields. The preliminary conclusion is that energy labelling is not yet having the effects on Market Values and Market Rents that provide incentives for market participants to improve the energy efficiency of their commercial real estate assets.

Determinants of satisfaction amongst tenants of UK Offices

Purpose – Corporate Occupiers require offices and services which meet their business needs, whilst landlords must attract and retain occupiers in order to maximise occupancy and rental income. The purpose of this research is to help landlords and corporate occupiers understand each other better, in order to achieve a mutually beneficial relationship. Design/methodology/approach - This paper analyses interviews with 1334 office tenants in the UK, conducted over an 11-year period, to investigate determinants of occupier satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy. Structural equation modelling and regressions are performed using respondents’ ratings of satisfaction with many aspects of occupancy as explanatory variables. The dependent variables include satisfaction with property management, value for money, overall occupier satisfaction, lease renewal intentions and occupiers’ willingness to recommend their landlord. Findings - The aspects with most impact on occupiers’ satisfaction are the office building itself, its location and amenities, and also communication with their property manager, a belief that their business needs are understood and the property manager’s responsiveness to occupiers’ requests. Occupiers’ loyalty depends mainly upon feeling that their rent and service charges provide value for money, an amicable leasing process, the professionalism of their property manager and the Corporate Social Responsibility of the Landlord. ‘Empathy’ is crucial to occupiers’ willingness to recommend their landlord, and clear documentation and efficient legal process improve occupiers’ perception of receiving ‘Value for Money’. Research Limitations - The sample is skewed towards occupiers of prime office buildings in the UK, owned by landlords who care sufficiently about their tenants to commission studies into occupier satisfaction. Practical implications - This research should help to improve the landlord – tenant relationship, benefitting the businesses that rent property and helping building managers understand where to focus their efforts to achieve maximum effect on occupier satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy. Originality/value - There has been little academic research into the determinants of satisfaction of occupiers of UK commercial property. This large-scale study enables the most influential factors to be identified and prioritised.

54 rue DuBalcon

Travail créatif / Creative Work

54 rue DuBalcon

Travail créatif / Creative Work

Facteurs environnementaux associés à un asthme mal maîtrisé chez les enfants montréalais

Problématique : Plusieurs expositions résidentielles ont été associées à la prévalence de l’asthme. Toutefois, peu d’études populationnelles ont examiné la relation entre ces facteurs et un asthme mal maîtrisé chez l’enfant. Objectif : Évaluer les facteurs environnementaux résidentiels associés à un asthme mal maîtrisé chez les enfants montréalais âgés de 6 mois à 12 ans. Méthodes : Les données sont tirées d’une enquête transversale menée en 2006 sur la santé respiratoire d’enfants montréalais âgés de 6 mois à 12 ans (n=7980). La maîtrise de l’asthme a été évaluée chez les enfants avec un asthme actif au cours de l’année précédent l’enquête (n=980) selon des critères recommandés par les lignes directrices canadiennes sur l’asthme. Les rapports de prévalence (RP) et les intervalles de confiance (IC) à 95 % caractérisant l’association entre les facteurs environnementaux, incluant la présence d’allergènes, d’irritants, d’humidité et de moisissures, et le risque d’un asthme mal maîtrisé ont été estimés à l’aide de modèles de régression log-binomiale. Les sujets avec une maîtrise acceptable de l’asthme ont été comparés à ceux dont la maladie était mal maîtrisée. Résultats : Des 980 enfants avec un asthme actif au cours de l’année précédant l’enquête, 36 % ont rencontré au moins un des critères des lignes directrices canadiennes suggérant un asthme mal maîtrisé. Les caractéristiques de la population associées à un asthme mal maîtrisé sont : un plus jeune âge, des antécédents d’atopie parentale, une faible scolarisation de la mère, une mère d’origine étrangère et le statut de locataire. Après ajustement pour l’âge de l’enfant, l’atopie parentale et l’exposition à la fumée de tabac au domicile, une intensité de trafic élevée à proximité du domicile (RP, 1,35; IC 95 %, 1,00-1,81) et la localisation au sous-sol de la chambre de l’enfant ou de sa résidence (RP 1,30; IC 95 %, 1,01-1,66) étaient associées à un risque accru d’asthme mal maîtrisé. Conclusions : Une maîtrise sous-optimale de l’asthme semble être associée à l’exposition au trafic routier et à des conditions d’humidité excessive et probablement de moisissures. Cette dernière exposition étant plus fréquente, elle a probablement un plus grand impact en matière de santé publique.

Re-thinking commercial real estate market segmentation

Investments in direct real estate are inherently difficult to segment compared to other asset classes due to the complex and heterogeneous nature of the asset. The most common segmentation in real estate investment analysis relies on property sector and geographical region. In this paper, we compare the predictive power of existing industry classifications with a new type of segmentation using cluster analysis on a number of relevant property attributes including the equivalent yield and size of the property as well as information on lease terms, number of tenants and tenant concentration. The new segments are shown to be distinct and relatively stable over time. In a second stage of the analysis, we test whether the newly generated segments are able to better predict the resulting financial performance of the assets than the old dichotomous segments. Applying both discriminant and neural network analysis we find mixed evidence for this hypothesis. Overall, we conclude from our analysis that each of the two approaches to segmenting the market has its strengths and weaknesses so that both might be applied gainfully in real estate investment analysis and fund management.

Uso múltiplo dos recursos naturais da várzea por camponeses no Baixo Amazonas

A estratégia do uso múltiplo dos recursos naturais da várzea no Baixo Amazonas tem sofrido constante ameaça principalmente nos últimos 70 anos, devido a pressões resultantes das mudanças no mercado regional, como os cultivos comerciais, da intensificação da pesca comercial e da expansão da criação extensiva de gado e búfalo. Frente a esta problemática, a tese objetivou analisar as respostas de adaptação dos camponeses ao ambiente de várzea de acordo ao acesso ao fator de produção terra, às influências do ambiente e da paisagem, e a sua inserção ao mercado, na várzea do Baixo Amazonas, Santarém, no período de 1941 a 2002. Conhecer as respostas de adaptação das comunidades camponesas nos momentos de tensão é de extrema importância para o ecossistema da várzea, detectar alterações na estratégia do uso múltiplo dos recursos naturais. Os dados foram coletados em duas comunidades camponesas na várzea pertencentes a sub-região do Urucurituba, mesoregião do Baixo Amazonas, microregião de Santarém na região oeste do estado do Pará. As comunidades de Piracãoera de Cima e Piracãoera de Baixo foram selecionadas por possuirem uma alta restinga; estarem relativamente próximas ao centro urbano de Santarém, e produzirem culturas anuais em sistema intensivo, evidenciado em pesquisa anterior. Foram constituídos dois grupos de famílias camponesas de acordo com o acesso a terra, as Não- Arrendatárias e os Arrendatárias. A amostra composta de 57 famílias, correspondeu a 36% do total da população das duas comunidades. De acordo com este processo, a amostra foi constituída por 31 famílias Não-Arrendatários, e 26 Arrendatárias. Para aprofundar a análise procedeu-se a estratificar das famílias por sistemas de produção. Foram denominados sistemas de produção A, B e C, as quais apresentavam as seguintes características: O Sistema de Produção A prioriza a criação animal, médios e grandes animais, dentre o uso múltiplo dos recursos; o Sistema de Produção B: prioriza a agricultura, dentre o uso múltiplo. Neste sistema considera as famílias que criam, ou não, o gado bovino, e o Sistema de Produção C que prioriza a pesca, e a agricultura em menor proporção.Embasado no método participativo, as entrevistas as famílias foram realizadas com o auxílio de um questionário previamente estruturado e testado pelo IPAM/Santarém, com adaptações propostas por Costa (1995) para reconstituir historicamente a agricultura, a pesca, a criação de grandes animais, e o pomar caseiro. Após analisar as informações obtidas procedeu-se a Análise da Intensificação Agrícola, da eficiência Agrícola e a da eficiência dos sistemas de produção A, B e C nos dois grupos de camponeses concluímos que: A restrição ao fator de produção terra não condicionou a que os camponeses usassem mais intensivamente a terra. As famílias que arrendam terra não possuem sistemas agrícolas mais intensivos. A intensificação agrícola não influenciou negativamente na produtividade agrícola ao longo do tempo, não influenciou na eficiência dos sistemas de produção, nem tão pouco no uso múltiplo dos recursos. A intensificação da agricultura não influenciou o uso múltiplo dos recursos, porém, houve um redirecionamento da força de trabalho, entre a pesca e agricultura, principais atividades produtivas, para manter a unidade produtiva em funcionamento. Uma atividade libera mão-de-obra como uma forma de investimento a outra atividade. Os recursos financeiros obtidos na pesca ajudam na aquisição dos elementos de capital necessários para a atividade agrícola, e a adquirir os produtos industrializados no mercado para a família. Por outro lado, a renda proveniente da agricultura financia a pesca no verão e no inverno com a aquisição de gelo, alimentos para as viagens na pesca. Até iniciar a produção agrícola, a pesca mantém a família com a aquisição de produtos para serem consumidos, e a adquirir os elementos de capital. Em síntese, concluímos que os campesinos da várzea do Baixo Amazonas seguem a lógica do lucro, ao mesmo tempo se resguardando de fracassos por meio do uso múltiplo dos recursos através da diversificação de atividades e produtos.

Integrated pest management in multi-story public housing for the elderly in Houston, Texas

Integrated pest management is a viable alternative to traditional pest control methods. A paired sample design was utilized to measure the effect of IPM education on the number of cockroaches in a 200 unit, seven story public housing building for the elderly in Houston, TX. Glue traps were placed in 71 randomly selected apartments (5traps/unit) and left in place for two nights. Baseline cockroach counts were shared with the property manager, maintenance/janitorial staff, service coordinator, pest control professional and tenant representatives at the end of a one day “Integrated Pest Management in Multi-Family Housing” training course.^ There was a significant decrease in the average number of cockroaches after IPM education and implementation of IPM principles (P < 0.0003). Positive changes in behavior by members of the IPM team and changes in the housing authority operational plan were also found. Paired t-tests comparing the difference between mean cockroach counts at baseline and follow-up by location within the apartment all demonstrated a significant decrease in the number of cockroaches.^ Results supported the premise that IPM education and the implementation of IPM principles are effective measures to change pest control behaviors and control cockroaches. Cockroach infestations in multi-story housing are not solely determined by the actions of individual tenants. The actions of other residents, property managers and pest control professionals are also important factors in pest control.^ Findings support the implementation of IPM education and the adoption of IPM practices by public housing authorities. This study adds to existing evidence that clear communication of policies, a team approach and a commitment to ongoing inspection and monitoring of pests combined with corrective action to eliminate food, water and harborage and the judicial use of low risk pesticides have the potential to improve the living conditions of elderly residents living in public housing.^

Regional differences regarding land tenancy in rural Rwanda, with special reference to sharecropping in a coffee production area

This paper examines land tenancy systems and tenant contracts in Rwanda, with respect to socioeconomic contexts. Our research in southern and eastern Rwanda produced data suggesting that land borrowing with fixed rents has been generally practiced, and that rent levels have been low in comparison to expected revenues from field production. In the western areas of coffee production, however, the practice of sharecropping has recently appeared. This system is advantageous to landowners, as they are able to acquire half of the harvests; in addition, the fixed rent levels in this region are much higher than those of other regions. In the southern and eastern regions, because land borrowing with fixed rents has been the only tenancy pattern and rent levels have remained low, the economic situation should be interpreted in the context of a continuing traditional Rwandan land tenure system. In contrast, in the western coffee production area, the soaring of fixed rents and the emergence of sharecropping have been brought about by high pressures for land use, which were caused not only by a population increase but also by the development of cash crop production and the existence of a labor exchange system. The increase in rent levels has therefore been offset by a corresponding increase in agricultural productivity.