Martin Partington: Spotlight on the Justice System

On July 1 2013, the Property Chamber of the First-Tier Tribunal came into existence, the latest step in the transformation of the tribunal system which followed the recommendations on the Leggatt Review of Tribunals in 2001. This particular reform had been delayed, despite recommendations from the Law Commission that the former Residential Property Tribunal should be brought within the reformed Tribunal structure.

The new Chamber brings together Rent Assessment Committees, Leasehold Valuation Tribunals, Residential Property Tribunals, Rent Tribunals, Agricultural Land Tribunals and the jurisdiction of the Adjudicator to HM Land Registry.

The Chamber is divided into three:

• Residential Property
• Land Registration
• Agricultural Land & Drainage

The types of case dealt with by the Property Chamber include:

Residential Property

• some disputes about private sector rents
• some disputes about residential leasehold management, including the payability of service charges
• valuation for enfranchisement and lease extension
• disputes about the right to buy where a property is considered to be particularly suitable for the elderly
• disputes about park homes
• appeals against local authority notices about the condition of a property and appeals about Houses in Multiple Occupation

Land Registration

• references from the Chief Land Registrar
• applications from the public to rectify or cancel documents relating to registered land
• appeals from Land Registry decisions relating to Network Access Agreements and any other application, matter or appeal under the Land Registration Act 2002

Agricultural Land & Drainage

• disputes between agricultural tenants and landlords arising from tenancy agreements
• applications in respect of certain drainage disputes between neighbours.

For further information, go to http://www.justice.gov.uk/tribunals/property-chamber

For the Law Commission report go to http://lawcommission.justice.gov.uk/publications/land-valuation-and-housing-tribunals.htm