Resisting lease renewal – landlord grounds of opposition under the 1954 Act

This session provides a practical guide to the grounds on which a landlord can oppose renewal of a business tenancy under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, with particular focus on ground (f) and recent case law. It will help practitioners assess the prospects of opposing or defending renewal, identify the evidence and strategy required, and advise clients on the risks, costs and timescales involved.

Topics covered include:

• The seven grounds of opposition under s.30(1), including the mandatory and discretionary grounds
• Ground (f): demolition and reconstruction – the statutory test, firm and settled intention and evidential requirements
• Recent case law on ground (f) and its practical implications
• The s.31A defence and its impact on renewal disputes
• Landlord and tenant tactics – evidence, strategy, negotiation and settlement
• Litigation risks – costs, timescales and managing client expectations