Leasing Insider | Versus (Aust) Pty Ltd v A.N.H. Nominees Pty Ltd [2017] VCAT 859
Versus (Aus) Pty Ltd (the Tenant) leased retail premises located in Church Street, Brighton from A.N.H. Nominees Pty Ltd (the Landlord). The Tenant operated a lingerie business from the premises from June 2006 until the Tenant vacated in May 2011. The premises was affected by water and moisture ingress which resulted in excessive mould within […]
ReadmoreLeasing Insider | PG Kazis Nominees P/L v Bakers II P/L & ORS [2018] SADC 48
PG Kazis Nominees Pty Ltd (the Landlord) entered into a retail lease with Bakers II Pty Ltd (the Tenant). The term of the lease was for 5 years commencing on 1 March 2003 with options for two further terms of five years each. The Tenant exercised the first option to renew which expired on 28 […]
ReadmoreLeasing Insider | William Buck (Vic) Pty Ltd v Motta Holdings Pty Ltd (Building and Property) [2018] VCAT 15
William Buck Pty Ltd (the Tenant) entered into a lease with Motta Holdings Pty Ltd (the Landlord) which required the tenant to pay land tax in respect of the premises. After entering into the lease and paying significant sums of land tax to the Landlord, the Tenant subsequently claimed that the lease fell under the Retail […]
ReadmoreA snapshot of the changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997
On 6 September 2018 the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill 2018 was passed by Parliament and included more than 130 reforms which aim to increase protection for renters. The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2018 (RTAA) is due to come into effect progressively and completely, by 1 July 2020 and will amend the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 […]
ReadmoreVictorian Municipal Councils to facilitate for finance rectification costs of combustible cladding
The Building Amendment (Registration of Building Trades and Other Matters) Bill 2018 introduces reforms to the Victorian Local Government Act 1989 to allow residential owners and owners corporations to access low cost finance to fund the cost of removing combustible cladding. Following the recommendations of the Victorian Cladding Taskforce, these reforms will introduce Cladding Rectification […]
ReadmoreThe sun sets on developers using Sunset Clauses
Developers are in the firing line again as the Victorian Government seeks to restrict the ability of developers to terminate an “off the plan” contract of sale. The Sale of Land Amendment Bill 2018 (Vic) (Bill) was introduced to the Parliament by the Minister for Consumer Affairs on 21 August 2018. The Bill seeks to […]
ReadmoreNew Cladding Laws – A Guide for Building Owners
The Building and Other Legislation (Cladding) Amendment Regulation 2018 introduces a new regime for identifying and assessing the risk of cladding products on privately owned buildings in Queensland. The regulation is the Queensland government’s response to the Grenfell Tower fire and the subsequent work of the Queensland Non-Conforming Building Products Audit Taskforce. Who is affected? […]
ReadmoreLease or Licence?
It is common in developments where the developer does not own the land that a developer will enter into a development agreement with the land owner coupled with a construction lease or licence to occupy and construct on the land. The ability to occupy the land is crucial to undertaking the development and if the […]
ReadmoreRecent VCAT decision sets out the limits to when a planning permit can be amended
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has considered the limits to when a permit can be amended under section 87A of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 (the Act) in the recent decision in Alkero Development Pty Ltd v Stonnington CC (Red Dot) [2018] VCAT 1120 (Alkero). This decision provides useful guidance to developers […]
ReadmoreAre you ready for the GST withholding regime?
Changes to the payment of GST on new residential property are due to take effect from 1 July 2018. The changes are an administrative measure which although not imposing a new tax, do have significant ramifications for property developers as it will impact the settlement process and cash flow. The changes apply to sales of […]
ReadmoreUse of electronic signatures
Most documents used in day-to-day business can be signed electronically in Australia. The Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000 (ETA) governs electronic transactions in Victoria. Electronic signatures The ETA does not contain a prescribed definition of what would be an ‘electronic signature’. Therefore, an electronic signature may take the form of an image of an individual’s […]
ReadmoreThe Dangers of Side Letters
Introduction Whilst not a brand new case, we have chosen to review ACN 151 368 124 v Pro-Pac Packaging (Aust) Pty Ltd 20171 because it highlights the dangers of an increasing trend in our industry – use of the side letter to get around formal document negotiation deadlocks and deadlines. Unfortunately the case highlights that […]
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