Business Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 1964

36 Rights of parties on service of notice of objection. N.I.

(1) Where a tenant has served a notice of improvement on his landlord and either that landlord or a superior landlord has, within three months after such service, served on that tenant a notice of objection in respect of the notice of improvement, the tenant may either:—

(a) by notice served on the landlord or on such landlord and such superior landlord (as the case may require) withdraw the notice of improvement; or

(b) apply to the Lands Tribunal under this section.

(2) Where a tenant withdraws in accordance with this section a notice of improvement, that notice shall for all purposes be deemed never to have been served.

(3) Where a tenant applies to the Lands Tribunal under this section and the Lands Tribunal is satisfied that the improvement which is the subject of the application:—

(a) is of such a nature as, at the termination of the tenancy under which the tenant holds, would be calculated to add to the letting value of the premises comprised therein; and

(b) is reasonable and suitable to the character of such premises; and

(c) will not diminish the value of any other property belonging to the said landlord, or to any superior landlord of that landlord;

the Lands Tribunal may, subject to the provisions of this section, make an order (in this Part referred to as an “improvement order” ) authorising the tenant to make the improvement in accordance with the said notice of improvement subject to such modifications or conditions, if any, as the Lands Tribunal shall think proper to specify in that order.

(4) Where on an application to the Lands Tribunal under this section it appears that the notice of objection, which is the subject of the application, was served by a superior landlord and that the landlord duly served a notice of undertaking, and the Lands Tribunal is satisfied that but for this subsection an improvement order should be made, the Lands Tribunal may, in lieu of making an improvement order, authorise the landlord to execute the improvement in accordance with the notice of undertaking subject to such modifications or conditions, if any, as the Lands Tribunal may think proper.

(5) The Lands Tribunal shall not make an improvement order under this section until it is satisfied that all interested parties have notice of the proceedings and have had an opportunity to be heard, and any interested party appearing before the Lands Tribunal shall be bound by the proceedings.

(6) The tenant shall, at the request of any superior landlord or at the request of the Lands Tribunal, supply such copies of his notice of improvement as may be required.

(7) In considering whether an improvement is reasonable and suitable to the character of premises comprised in a tenancy the Lands Tribunal shall have regard to any evidence brought before it by or on behalf of the landlord or any superior landlord (but not any other person) that the improvement is calculated to injure the amenity or convenience of the neighbourhood.