Landlord and Tenant Act, 1931

PART VI.

Covenants in Leases.

Damages for breach of covenants to repair.

55.—Where a lease (whether made before or after the passing of this Act) of a tenement contains a covenant or agreement (whether expressed or implied and whether general or specific) on the part of the lessee to put or to keep such tenement in repair during the currency of such lease or to leave or put such tenement in repair at the expiration of such lease and there has been a breach of such covenant or agreement, the following provisions shall have effect, that is to say:—

(a) the damages recoverable for such breach shall not in any case exceed the amount (if any) by which the value of the reversion (whether mediate or immediate) in such tenement is diminished owing to such breach;

(b) save where the want of repair is shown to be due, wholly or substantially, to wilful damage or wilful waste committed by the lessee no damages shall be recoverable for such breach if it is shown that, having regard to the age and condition of such tenement, the repairing thereof in accordance with such covenant or agreement is physically impossible or that, having regard to the age, condition, character and situation of such tenement, the repairing thereof in accordance with such covenant or agreement would involve expenditure which is excessive in proportion to the value of such tenement, or that, having regard to the character and situation of such tenement, such tenement could not when so repaired be profitably used or could not be profitably used unless it is re-built, re-constructed or structurally altered to a substantial extent.