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Layla Kelly

Manchester, United Kingdom

0 Testimonials
3 Case studies
0 Articles

Summary

Practice Areas:

  • Commercial Litigation
JMW Solicitors LLP

Layla qualified as a solicitor in 2010, joining her firm in April 2016 as an Associate in then Commercial Litigation Department. Layla deals all area of commercial litigation with particular expertise in property litigation matters and professional negligence disputes, acting for both individuals as well as corporate companies. Examples of Layla’s recent experience include advising on disputes relating to dilapidations, rights of way, forfeiture proceedings, Land Tribunal proceedings, landlord and tenant disputes and title insurance disputes as well as advising commercial lenders in relation to a range of claims including professional negligence disputes.

Previous Employment

DWF2015 - 2016

Senior solicitor

Boote Edgar Esterkin2013 - 2015

Associate

Boote Edgar Esterkin2010 - 2013

Solicitor

Neil Myerson LLP2009 - 2010

Solicitor

Neil Myerson LLP2007 - 2009

Trainee solicitor

Experience

Layla deals with a broad range of commercial litigation matters on behalf of both corporate and individual clients. She has particular experience in property litigation and professional negligence disputes.

Education

The University of Manchester

University

2006 - 2009

2.1

LPC

BPC Law School

2009 - 2010

LPC, distinction

Testimonials

This solicitor hasn't yet added any testimonials to their profile

Case Studies

Property disputes

Including disputes relating to dilapidations, rights of way, forfeiture proceedings, Land Tribunal proceedings, landlord and tenant disputes and title insurance disputes

Commercial lender claims

Including professional negligence disputes, actions alleging breach of mortgagee’s duties, defending claims alleging unfair relationships and mortgage enforcement proceedings

Multi-million pound property disputes

Successful applications for freezing orders and injunctions.

Articles

This solicitor hasn't yet added any articles to their profile

Published Cases

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Press Cuttings

Bridging Advisor - Can a counterclaim defeat a claim for possession?

Can a counterclaim defeat a claim for possession?

In the recent case of Thakker and another v Northern Rock plc [2014] the High Court considered an argument by a borrower that a lender did not have a legal right to possession unless and until it had complied with the Mortgage: Conduct of Business Rules (MCOB) as provided for by the FCA.

MCOB came into force on 31 October 2004 and sets out a number of principles by which residential mortgage providers should conduct their business. It also sets out certain rules for dealing with borrowers who are in arrears with their mortgage repayments.

Mr. and Mrs. Thakker were significantly indebted to Northern Rock, who commenced possession proceedings in order to recover their security. Mr. and Mrs. Thakker defended that claim and counterclaimed, alleging that Northern Rock had breached a number of the MCOB rules and they were therefore not entitled to take possession of the mortgaged property.

In so doing Mr. and Mrs. Thakker argued that the principles set down in the case of National Westminster Bank Plc v Skelton [1993] (i.e. that a borrower cannot normally resist a claim for possession by asserting a counterclaim which would be set-off against the mortgagee) should not apply to the regulatory regime set out in MCOB, which came into force after the decision in Skelton.

The Court rejected that argument. The Court held that there were two stages in possession claims:

1. Did the mortgagee have a right to possession?

2. If so, should the Court exercise its discretion to stay possession?

The Court held that a breach of MCOB would not result in the underlying transaction being void or unenforceable (by reference to section 151(2) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (now replaced by section 138E(2)). In the light of this provision the Court held that even if the breaches of MCOB could be proved, they could not defeat the mortgagee’s right to possession.  Any breaches may give rise to a loss resulting in damages and could then be considered as a matter of discretion so as to suspend execution of a possession order or to stay such an order, but would not defeat the claim for possession itself.

This case serves as a useful reminder of the general principle that a lender has an absolute right to possession which will not be defeated by a counterclaim. Of course, lenders should ensure compliance with the MCOB rules, a breach of which can result in regulatory and disciplinary action by the FCA and potentially a claim for damages by a borrower.

Attributed to Layla Kelly, an Associate with Bootes Solicitors in Manchester


Achievements

Awards

This solicitor hasn't added any award details yet

Associations & Memberships

Solicitors Regulation Authority - since 2010

Regulatory body for solicitors in England and Wales

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