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Consultation Paper on the General Law of the Landlord and Tenant

Consultation Paper on the General Law of the Landlord and Tenant

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fixtures. Given that this is subject to <strong>the</strong> parties’ agreement <strong>the</strong>Commissi<strong>on</strong> takes <strong>the</strong> view that <strong>the</strong> provisi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> secti<strong>on</strong> 17 in thisrespect are sound as “default” provisi<strong>on</strong>s. There are, however, somepoints which should be clarified.4.16 One is that <strong>the</strong> two m<strong>on</strong>th period should not be availablewhere <strong>the</strong> tenant vacates <strong>the</strong> premises before <strong>the</strong> period expires. TheCommissi<strong>on</strong> takes <strong>the</strong> view that <strong>the</strong> tenant should be required to takeaway all property bel<strong>on</strong>ging to him when <strong>the</strong> demised premises arevacated. The l<strong>and</strong>lord should have <strong>the</strong> right to remove <strong>and</strong> store forsafe keeping, after <strong>the</strong> tenant vacates <strong>the</strong> premises, any items which<strong>the</strong> tenant had <strong>the</strong> right to remove before vacating <strong>the</strong> premises <strong>and</strong>should be entitled to dispose <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, if not claimed within, say, 14days <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tenant’s vacati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> premises. The cost <strong>of</strong> storageshould be recoverable from <strong>the</strong> tenant, <strong>and</strong> be payable before itemsare returned <strong>on</strong> reclaim <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m by <strong>the</strong> tenant or should be deductible,toge<strong>the</strong>r with any o<strong>the</strong>r expenses incurred, from any proceeds <strong>of</strong>disposal before <strong>the</strong>se are paid over to <strong>the</strong> tenant.4.17 It should also be made clear that <strong>the</strong> tenant’s right <strong>of</strong>removal is carried forward in any renewal or extensi<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> a tenancy, 35<strong>and</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tinues to apply where a lease is varied, 36 subject again to what<strong>the</strong> parties may expressly agree. The current positi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong>ly seemsclear where <strong>the</strong> tenant secures a statutory new tenancy or reversi<strong>on</strong>arylease under <strong>the</strong> provisi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>L<strong>and</strong>lord</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tenant</strong> (Amendment)Act 1980. 374.18 Secti<strong>on</strong> 17 excludes <strong>the</strong> right <strong>of</strong> removal where items havebeen installed by <strong>the</strong> tenant “in pursuance <strong>of</strong> any obligati<strong>on</strong> or inviolati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> any agreement in that behalf”. It should, perhaps, bemade clear that this is subject to <strong>the</strong> terms <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tenancy, so that it isopen to <strong>the</strong> parties to agree that <strong>the</strong> tenant may remove items installedin accordance with an undertaking or obligati<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tained in <strong>the</strong>agreement for lease or lease itself.353637This general propositi<strong>on</strong> seems to have been accepted by <strong>the</strong> Englishcourts: see New Zeal<strong>and</strong> Government Property Corporati<strong>on</strong> v H M & S Ltd[1982] Q B 1145. Cf Deeble v McMullen (1857) 8 ICLR 353.See paragraph 2.24 above.Because such tenancy or lease is deemed to be a “graft” <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> old <strong>on</strong>e: seesecti<strong>on</strong>s 27 <strong>and</strong> 39 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1980 Act.81

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