General Instructions

The assessment is in the form of a problem question, and it is open for 24 hours, from 20th April at 15:00 hours to 21st April at 15:00 hours.

You MUST submit it (online) BEFORE 15:00 on the 21st of April 2026.

You have been provided with the leasehold agreement relevant to this case one week ago.

The assessment grade is worth 50% of the overall module grade.

The assignment must be submitted as ONE Word document in Arial font size 11 and double line spacing.

The overall page limit is 6 pages (including footnoted references). A bibliography is not necessary, but you will have to reference all relevant cases.

Find here advice on how to write a response to the problem question.

Find here general information on how to write a response.

It is not possible to ask for an extension for this assignment.

Find here the grading criteria and expectations. The assignment will be marked anonymously.

F.A.Q. and revision resources here.

IMPORTANT: Read VERY CAREFULLY the assessment problem question. And answer DIRECTLY to the requests of the fictitious supervising partner. Do not include irrelevant material in your answers as there is a strict page limit.

Turnitin: You can submit your work as many times as you want before the deadline and you will be able to check your Turnitin score immediately after you submit your work. Only the last version of your submitted coursework will be marked.

Use of AI: In this assessment the student is permitted to use GenAI tools (or a proofreader or proofreading service) to proofread their work but not permitted to use AI tools in the creation of content for their work. For more information on AI use, please see https://ask.herts.ac.uk/ai-toolsLinks to an external site.

ASSESSMENT PROBLEM QUESTION

You are a paralegal at Sentinel law firm, and your Supervising Partner has sent you the following note.

From: Supervising Partner

To:     Paralegal

Date:  20th April 2026

Clients: Mrs. Linda Cooper, Ms. Maria Chen and Mr. Jorge Gonzales.

The above-mentioned individuals have approached me with their housing matters. They live in a block of flats called Sunshine Towers. Ms. Anita Hamad, the landlady of Sunshine Towers bought the property from Trustworthy Builders in 2020. Our clients are trying to resolve the following matters and want to know their rights and obligations in this regard, please provide reasoned advice on the following:

Flat 2: Mrs. Linda Cooper

Flat 2 was originally let by Trustworthy Builders Ltd. to Mr. Joshua Lemon on a 999-year lease from 1st of March 1994. The current tenant is Mrs. Linda Cooper to whom Mr. Lemon assigned the lease in 1997 with the freeholder’s consent. The assignment agreement was written up as a contract which Mr. Lemon duly signed and dated as of the 1st October 1997. Ms. Hamad has complained to Mrs Cooper about leaving her muddy bicycle in the corridor and leaving piles of her delivery boxes, which Ms Hamad claims is becoming a trip hazard.

Mrs. Cooper has withheld paying service charges since the 31st of December 2025, since Ms. Hamad is not carrying out repairs in the building. The lifts in the building have been functioning poorly, and at times the tenants have had to call emergency services to be rescued from stranded lifts. Ms Hamad is of the view that the lifts were installed by the previous freeholder and has informed the tenants that she cannot be held responsible for repairs. Not just Mrs. Cooper, but other tenants of the building also complain of the lifts. The residents are now mobilising to withhold paying service charges to Ms. Hamad, she has been reliably informed.

Flat 4: Ms. Maria Chen

Flat 4 was originally let to Mr. Zi Chen by Trustworthy Builders Ltd., on a 999-year lease from 5th of June 2003. Mr. Chen assigned the lease to his daughter, Ms. Maria Chen, with the freeholder’s consent in 2007. All formalities required for a 999-year lease were properly completed by all parties.

Ms. Chen has recently acquired two industrial scale cooling fans, to get through the heat waves of summer. Other tenants have complained that these fans are loud and are mostly running non-stop through the day and night, causing noise, and vibrations on the ground, both of which are transmitted to other residents in the building. Ms Hamad has let Ms. Chen know that the running of the cooling fans is a nuisance to residents and that she will be considering taking action against Ms. Chen for the noise disturbance caused by the industrial scale fans. Ms. Chen wants to know whether Ms. Hamad can legally carry through with her threat of action, and if so, how will it affect her.

Also, Ms. Chen has had enough, she has made up her mind for the longer term. She has stopped paying service charges for the last two months ago and she wants to sell her flat. She wants to have nothing to do with the property anymore. She wants advice on what her options are in this regard.

Flat 6: Mr. Jorge Gonzales

Mr. Jorge Gonzales moved into Flat 6 in October 2025. Ms. Hamad agreed that he can stay for 2 years. They did not sign a written agreement to this effect. Mr. Gonzalez agreed to pay a sum of £1,500 per month. Ms. Hamad had come to an arrangement with Mr. Gonzalez that she would enter the property weekly to ensure the flat was cleaned and any repairs needed could be done. Mr. Gonzales is having problems with the windows. He has recently informed Ms. Hamad that the double-glazed windows are steaming up and the bathroom has damp, and that Ms. Hamad is not keeping her end of the bargain. Ms. Hamad has informed him that she thinks Mr. Gonzales has tampered with the window seals. She also believes that the damp is because he keeps many indoor plants and wants to ensure optimum temperature for his plants. Therefore, it is up to him to sort out the steaming of the windows. Similarly, the bathroom damp is also Mr. Gonzales’s fault.

I need you to submit advice on all the above matters, with particular emphasis on the potential risks the clients may be exposed to should the breaches of covenant continue. Please also address the remedies available in respect of any breaches of covenant by the landlord, and outline the courses of action open to Mrs Linda Cooper, Ms Maria Chen, and Mr Jorge Gonzales.

I have already sent you the leasehold copy for Flats 2 and 4. See here