UK Knowledge Collection | Real estate reform, contract termination, and ESG

The first phase of reforms under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 took effect on 1 May 2026. Our Insight explores the changes and their impact on operators of large residential portfolios, who may face particular challenges in respect of portfolio management, rent administration and possession strategy.

On the commercial property side, our webinar next month considers the ban on upwards only rent review, and what it means for new leases, lease renewals and live transactions, as well as the new transparency obligations over land with the introduction of a register of contractual control agreements.

A Court of Appeal decision has provided clarity on the difference between an indefinite contract term and a perpetual term, the former being capable of being terminated on reasonable notice and the latter not. It serves as a reminder that establishing the parties' true intentions as to the term and termination rights before signing is important.

The European Commission has published a report on the simplification of the Deforestation Regulation with a package of measures intended to significantly reduce the compliance costs for affected businesses. Our ESG Knowledge Update looks at this and other recent ESG regulatory developments in the EU and UK.

Recent Insights

English Court of Appeal finds licensee could terminate 'indefinite' trade mark licence on reasonable notice

The court distinguished "indefinite" from "perpetual", finding that the terms are not synonymous, and that an indefinite licence could be terminated on reasonable notice.
Read more >

Court of Appeal clarifies requirements for valid pay less notices

The court set out six principles for assessing the validity of pay less notices, which offer comprehensive guidance on their proper form and content.
Read more >

Deckers v Up & Running: Court of Appeal overturns Competition Appeal Tribunal's resale price maintenance infringement decision

The decision is an important development for brand owners operating selective distribution systems with online sales controls. It underlines the importance of economic and market context in assessing whether a given contractual restriction constitutes a "by object" infringement under the Competition Act 1998.
Read more >

Renters' Rights Act phase 1 reforms to private rental sector are now in force in England

Core changes include the abolition of fixed term assured and assured shorthold tenancies (for both new and existing tenancies), revised grounds for possession, restrictions on annual rent increases and bans on rental bidding and advance rent payments.
Read more >

ESG Knowledge Update

This month's edition features updates on sustainability and climate reporting, the circular economy, supply chain transparency, natural capital and sustainable finance.
Read more >

Events

Retail LAB

2 June | One London Wall | 08:30-12:30
The latest regulatory and legal market developments affecting retailers, e-commerce platforms and brands, including brand protection strategies, preparing for the changes under the Employment Rights Act, product safety, payments, and the Competition and Markets Authority's enforcement priorities under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act.
Register now >

London International Disputes Week 2026

Osborne Clarke's disputes team is supporting the following events at this year's global gathering of international disputes experts.
3 June, 09:00-18:30: The Arbitral Institutions Congress
3 June, 09:00-10:30: Broken contracts, broken trust: managing termination risk in international construction projects
3 June, 09:00-10:30: Crypto disputes without borders: global insights from the CFAAR Network
3 June, 11:30-13:00: International enforcement of judgments: recent developments, difficult issues and innovative strategies
3 June, 16:30-18:00: Bridging steppes and standards: Kazakhstan’s evolving dispute landscape
4 June, 09:00-10:30: Getting value from investigations: understanding essential steps and how is technology creating tangible efficiencies?
5 June, 11:30-13:00: Who speaks for arbitration: arbitration in the media and public discourse
Register now >

The quantification of delay claims: a legal and expert view

16 June | Halo, Bristol | 16:00-19:00
A practical discussion focused on the types of delay claims that typically arise on major energy and infrastructure projects, and the key principles underpinning entitlement to loss and expense, followed by networking drinks.
Register now >

Commercial property in flux: lease renewals, rent reform and land transparency in 2026

17 June | 09:30-10:30
Our experts will cover three of the most pressing issues for landlords, investors and occupiers of commercial property: statutory lease renewal, rent review reform and new transparency obligations over land.
Register now >

Pensions Coffee Break: inheritance tax and pensions

25 June | 11:00-11:30
From 6 April 2027, where a member of a registered pension scheme dies, some or all of the benefits paid by the scheme following their death may form part of their estate for inheritance tax purposes. Our experts will recap the current position, what is changing and how trustees and employers can prepare.
Register now >