Robert Hay KC Blog

February 9, 2017

Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic) likely to apply where tenant provides a service

Where a tenant provides services from leased premises in accordance with the permitted use the lease is likely to be a “retail premises lease” and therefore governed by the Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic). In every case it is necessary to identify precisely the service being provided, consider what activity is permitted under the lease…
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June 23, 2016

Controversy resolved – but more tenants under 15 year leases lose protection of Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic)

Leased premises that are “retail premises” within the meaning of s.4(1) of the Retail Leases Act 2003 are excluded from the operation of the Act where the lease term is 15 years or longer and other conditions are met. See: ss.5(1)(c) and 4(2)(f) and the Ministerial Determination dated 23 August 2004. The Ministerial Determination has…
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June 10, 2016

AirBnB guests occupied apartment under a lease

VCAT recently held that a tenant had not breached a lease by permitting users of AirBnB to stay in the tenant’s apartment. The landlord argued that the tenant had breached the lease by subletting the apartment in breach of the lease. The landlord sought possession of the apartment. The cornerstone of a lease is that…
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June 2, 2016

Valuers must furnish detailed reasons for rental determinations under Retail Leases Act

Valuers determining the “current market rent” rent under leases concerning retail premises must ensure that the valuation: contains “detailed reasons” for the determination; and “specify the matters to which the valuer had regard in making the determination”. See: s.37(6)(b) and (c) of the Retail Leases Act 2003. Both requirements must be met; a determination that…
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March 21, 2016

Tan v Russell now on austlii

Last seek I published a post about Eng Tan and Chen Lo v Thomas Russell [2016] VSC 93. At that time the case did not appear on austlii. The case is important because it decided that a termination notice given under s.31 of the Sale of Land Act 1962 (Vic) could not be given to…
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March 15, 2016

Real estate agent not authorised to accept termination notice given under s.31 of Sale of Land Act 1962

A purchaser of land in Victoria may terminate the contract “at any time before the expiration of three clear business days” after signing the contract. See: s.31(2) of the Sale of Land Act 1962 (Vic). The termination notice must be “given to the vendor or his agent” or left at an address specified in the…
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February 17, 2016

Vendor not entitled to interest on unpaid contract price where contract terminated

Vendors who terminate contracts for the sale of land on the ground of a default by the purchaser often claim interest on moneys that have not been paid calculated from the date of the breach to the date of termination. Clause 25 of the general conditions of the standard form of contract concerning the sale…
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February 3, 2016

Unfair term provisions provide tenants with a new weapon

Tenants with less than 20 employees will soon have a new weapon in disputes with landlords as a result of amendments to the Australian Consumer Law: they will be able to challenge a term in a lease that is “unfair”. The legislation effecting the changes, the Treasury Legislation Amendment (Small Business and Unfair Contract Terms)…
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August 25, 2015

Hopeless proceeding can result in a cost order under Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic)

The weakness of a party’s case in a retail tenancy dispute can be taken into account in determining whether or not it has “conducted” a “proceeding in a vexatious way” that would entitle the other party to a cost order under s.92(2) of the Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic). Part 10 of the Act contains…
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May 1, 2015

Landlords likely to consider gross leases

Today I commented on an advisory opinion given by the President of VCAT, Justice Garde, in which His Honour decided that: (a) a landlord could not recover from a tenant the costs of complying with essential safety measure requirements imposed on the landlord under the Building Act 1993 and its regulations; (b) a landlord…
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