Lonestar Properties Limited v Laurence Lecacheur & Anor

Facts

Nos. 12 and 14 Abercorn Place, London NW8 are two adjoining buildings forming part of a longer terrace of Grade II listed properties in the St John's Wood conservation area. Each building contains two self-contained maisonettes, and above them, spanning the top floor of both, is a single penthouse flat known as No.12-3, accessible only from No.12. The maisonettes are let on long leases granted in 2005 and the penthouse on a lease granted in 1985. Mr and Mrs Lecacheur hold the lease of No.14A; both maisonettes at No.12 and the penthouse belong to Mr Silkin and Mrs Burianova, who occupy that space as their home and own 60% of the shares in the freeholder, Lonestar Properties Limited. An earlier decision of the First-tier Tribunal published on 5 March 2024 determined that the lessees of No.14 were under no obligation to contribute to the cost of works carried out to No.12, so that service charges of almost £12,000 demanded in 2022 were not payable. Mr and Mrs Lecacheur then applied under Part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 for the appointment of a manager, complaining of long-delayed repairs to No.14, unreasonable service and administration charges and breaches of the RICS code. On 22 December 2025 the FTT appointed Ms Tsvetkova as manager of both buildings. Lonestar appealed with permission.