My wife and I are joint leaseholders of a flat on the ninth floor of a 10-storey block containing 64 flats. We’re in our eighties. 

We extended the lease in January 2024, and it was registered with HM Land Registry in January 2025.

While reviewing the lease recently, I discovered the landlord has constructed a new building on land falling within the area defined as the estate in my lease. 

The development comprises 20 starter-home flats and replaced 10 parking spaces, seven garages, and communal open space including grassed areas, trees, and hedges.

I was never consulted about, nor made aware of, any amendment to the lease to reflect this significant change to the estate. 

As I understand it, the lease is a binding contract and material changes to the estate would normally require agreement between the parties.

Planning records show that the application for the new building was submitted in 2018, when the site still consisted of garages, parking spaces, and communal land.

Despite the redevelopment, the definition of the estate in my lease has remained unchanged since the 1980s. 

It was unchanged when the previous leaseholder acquired the flat in 1992, when I purchased it in 2002, and again when I extended the lease in 2024, even though the new building had already been completed. The 2024 lease extension still refers to garages that no longer exist.

Residents of the new building now have exclusive use of a garden created on land that previously formed part of the estate shown in my lease plan. 

As a result, I have lost use of the parking spaces and enjoyment of the former communal open space.

I am concerned not only about the current implications, but also about potential difficulties when selling the flat in future. 

Although the Land Registry title plan now shows the new building, the lease itself still reflects the previous layout, including garages that no longer exist. I would be grateful for your advice on my legal position.

Jane Denton, of This is Money, replies: The aftermath of buying a leasehold flat can be stressful and full of unforeseen pitfalls. Some people have no trouble with their leasehold status, but for others it can be a nightmare. 

With developers seeking to cash in, it is becoming increasingly common to see existing estates of flats developed further. As well as new estates within estates springing up, in some case extra levels of flats are being added on top of existing ones. 

You or a solicitor will need to scrutinise your lease carefully. The crux of the matter centres on whether you as a leaseholder were granted rights over the estate in respect of the parking space and communal grounds, which now do not exist. 

If you were granted such rights, your landlord would have questions to answer in relation to the new development. 

But the lease may also have granted the landlord the right to alter and develop the estate. 

With many leaseholders facing problems, the government wants to radically change how flats are owned. 

Under its Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, new leasehold flats will be banned and replaced with commonhold, a system where residents collectively own and manage their buildings. 

James Naylor is a partner at Naylor Solicitors

James Naylor, a partner at Naylor Solicitors LLP, said: If I could give you a simple answer, I would. Unfortunately, the short answer is: it depends. The longer answer? It depends on the lease.

In this case, it really does. The starting point is to examine exactly what rights the lease grants and what powers the landlord retained. 

Particular attention should be paid to how the estate is defined, whether leaseholders were granted rights over parking areas, garages, gardens or other communal spaces, and whether the landlord reserved the right to alter, redevelop or build on parts of the estate. 

The terms of the 2024 lease extension may also be important, particularly as it was completed after the redevelopment had already taken place.

Did the lease grant you specific rights over the areas that have since been redeveloped, or did it merely identify them as forming part of the estate? 

That distinction matters because land can form part of the defined estate without leaseholders necessarily enjoying a right to use every part of it. 

Did the landlord reserve a right to redevelop those areas without obtaining the consent of leaseholders? Has the redevelopment interfered with any rights to parking or communal amenity space expressly granted under the lease? 

Put another way, was the landlord simply rearranging furniture within a room it still controlled, or did it remove something the lease had already promised to you?

It is worth remembering that a lease plan may become factually out of date following redevelopment. 

However, a plan that no longer reflects what exists on the ground is not, by itself, evidence that anything unlawful has occurred. 

Equally, however, if rights granted to leaseholders have been removed, restricted or substantially interfered with, there may be grounds to challenge the position. 

Planning permission would not necessarily answer that question, as planning rights and private leasehold rights are separate matters.

Before reaching any conclusions, the relevant documents should be examined. Only then will it be possible to assess whether the landlord was entitled to carry out the development, whether your rights have been adversely affected and whether there may be practical consequences when you come to sell.

And that brings us back to the beginning. The short answer is still: it depends. The longer answer is still: it depends on the lease. 

Whether the landlord acted within its rights, and whether you have any remedy, largely depends on what the lease says and the rights it grants.

Manjinder Atwal is the director of housing and property litigation at Duncan Lewis

Manjinder Atwal, director of housing and property litigation at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, said: Discovering that your lease refers to an estate layout that no longer exists is understandably concerning, particularly if you’re considering selling your flat at some point.

However, an out-of-date lease plan does not automatically mean your lease is defective or that your property has become harder to sell, although it is something that deserves a closer examination.

The starting point is your lease itself. While it defines the estate, many leases also give landlords the right to redevelop parts of an estate or make changes to communal areas. 

But if your lease grants you specific rights over parking spaces, garages or areas of open land, those rights cannot necessarily be taken away simply because the landlord decides to build on them.

What makes your situation unusual is the timing. The new building had already been completed when you extended your lease in 2024, yet the lease appears to describe an estate that no longer existed. That raises understandable questions about why the documentation wasn’t updated and whether the lease accurately reflects the current position.

Before assuming the worst, ask your landlord for an explanation. Find out whether there is a deed of variation, supplemental lease or any other legal document that records the redevelopment and explains how existing leaseholders’ rights were affected.

It is possible that the position has been regularised elsewhere, even if your lease itself wasn’t amended.

If no such documents exist, the next question is whether you have actually lost legal rights or simply lost amenities. There is an important distinction. 

A landlord may be able to alter the appearance of an estate if the lease allows it, but removing rights granted under a lease is a much more significant legal issue and cannot simply be done by default.

Given the value of your home, this is one of those situations where a relatively small investment in specialist legal advice could save a great deal of uncertainty later. 

A solicitor can review the lease, the Land Registry documents and the planning history to establish whether your rights have been affected and, if they have, what remedies may be available. 

If the landlord has exceeded the powers granted by the lease, you may be entitled to challenge the position or seek compensation. Either way, it is far better to resolve any uncertainty now than for it to become an issue when you come to sell.

Former government minister Nadine Dorries, who sat in front of Princess Beatrice at a church service, complained of the way her husband behaved and explained how she dealt with the situation

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A woman who sat in front of Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at a church service revealed her surprise at his behaviour.

Former Conservative government minister turned author Nadine Dorries claimed that the 42-year-old’s loud laughter had been “disrespectful” given they setting they were in.

It has been a big week for Beatrice’s family. She celebrates her 38th birthday today (Saturday, August 8), while her sister Eugenie gave birth to a third child earlier this week.

Writing in the Mail earlier this year, Nadine, who acted as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, was heavily critical of Edoardo and his behaviour.

Referring to him as Edo, she said that once she had given him a certain look that he became silent immediately.

She explained: “At a church service organised by a mutual friend, I found Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands seated behind me.

“Edo was laughing loudly and generally behaving like a disrespectful teenager so that, at one point, I turned round and gave him the evil eye that only a woman my age – and a mother – can bestow. To his credit, he got the message, pronto.”

Ahead of Beatrice’s birthday, Edoardo gave an insight into his life with the royal during a chat with The Gentleman’s Journal.

In response to a question about what his biggest luxury in life was, he said: “Experiences, travel and time with family.” Furthermore, when asked what his perfect holiday would be, he said: “Getting off the beaten track, disconnecting from emails and news, and spending time with my family.”

Edoardo shares two children with Beatrice, Sienna and Athena. Edoardo and Beatrice were recently pictured on holiday together with Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank in Athens, Greece.

Edoardo’s recent comments about his family come as speculation grows about what future there is for Beatrice and her sister within the royal fold.

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Earlier this summer the pair were spotted attending a royal wedding to see Peter Phillips marry his now wife Harriet. The move was notable as the pair had made fewer public appearances than other senior members of the Royal Family.

Speaking about what this meant for their ongoing strategy to the Express, brand and culture expert Nick Ede said it was good move for them to be more visible and be part of the wider visible Royal Family.

He said: “I think as a strategy it’s a good idea for them now to be visible – they haven’t done anything wrong and they are part of a big family.

“To see them celebrate with their friends and family was a good thing and in the long run its establishing them as being present and in the moment and not shying away due to their parents problems.”

Zendaya and Tom Holland were spotted on a date night in London this week, just days after they reportedly hosted a private wedding bash at post English hotel. 

The 29-year-old actress and 30-year-old actor looked loved up as they a spin in a charming vintage forest green Jaguar.

The Euphoria star looked effortlessly stunning in a white tank top and full face of matte makeup complete with a berry-colored lip stain. 

Holland, meanwhile, wore a blue T-shirt with a white collar and a dark baseball cap while navigating the vintage vehicle. 

In addition to their recent wedding, the pair are also riding high with the smash success of their new Spider-Man movie Brand New Day, which scored the biggest first week in box office history, grossing more than $500 million in the US alone.  

The lovebirds first met while filming Spider-Man: Homecoming back in 2016. 

The Euphoria star looked effortlessly stunning in a white tank top and full face of matte makeup complete with a berry-colored lip stain

The pair tied the knot earlier this year in an intimate understated ceremony earlier this year. 

However, the couple is said to have spent £500,000 (about $674,550) on a second, lavish wedding at the five-star Beaverbrook Hotel in Surrey, England, this past Tuesday.

Guests and staff at the venue were banned from using their phones as a preventative measure for potential leaks.

The sprawling, 370-acre property boasts 56 rooms and suites and its on-site Japanese restaurant has hot air balloon-styled dining tables.

Zendaya and Holland recently wrapped their Spider-Man: Brand New Day press tour, during which the actress flashed her wedding ring for the first time.

In March, Zendaya’s longtime stylist Law Roach let slip that she and Holland secretly tied the knot during a red carpet interview at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards.

After months of silence, the UK native finally confirmed the news in an Esquire UK interview.

The low-key couple kept their romance private for years before going public in 2021. 

This week, Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal revealed she asked the stars not to date after they were cast as lead characters Peter Parker and MJ in the film.

She told Variety: ‘I say this to all of them, and no one ever listens to me!’ before adding that husband and wife are ‘pretty happy together.’

The 29-year-old actress and 30-year-old actor were out in a charming, vintage, forest green Jaguar

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Holland wore a blue T-shirt with a white collar and a dark baseball cap while navigating the 70s-era vehicle

After previously tying the knot earlier this year in an understated ceremony, the newlyweds are said to have spent £500,000 (about $674,550) on a second, lavish wedding at the five-star Beaverbrook Hotel in Surrey on Tuesday 

A-list guests at Zendaya and Holland’s exclusive wedding included Timothee Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, and Robert Downey Jr.

In total, there were 250 attendees at the three-day celebration, with some arriving in helicopters. 

Sources told The Sun the bride and groom elicited ‘tears of joy’ from their loved ones over their ‘beautiful and emotional’ speeches to each other.

Guests enjoyed champagne, played croquet on the grounds, and dined on Japanese food – and even had a pool party.

In a nod to Holland’s Marvel superhero, the day incorporated a red and blue lights display.

A rehearsal dinner took place on Monday, a day before the wedding, with Holland’s chef brother Sam, 27, holding down best man duties.

An insider dished: ‘The ceremony was so beautiful and romantic. Tom and Zendaya aced their speeches as well – they were both very funny but also very emotional.

‘There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. They’re incredibly hard-working and lovely people, and this stunning wedding has capped off an amazing year for them.’

Experts are warning against eating too much of this food type

Protein is a vital part of human diet needed to build muscle, repair tissue and power the chemical reactions that keep our bodies functioning. New products are constantly being thrown onto shelves offering protein in a variety of forms from on-the-go drinks to fortified cereal and even protein water.

However, the boom in protein products could mean some people are eating more than they should, according to a new scientific review. Published in the Cell Press Blue journal, the study discovered that for certain people, having less protein could improve their health and in some cases even extend their lifespan.

Dudley Lamming, the paper’s corresponding author, University of Wisconsin-Madison, said according to News Medical: “It’s absolutely crystal clear that there are benefits of protein to muscle growth and exercise response of active individuals.

“But because most people are relatively sedentary, many people are likely consuming more protein than they actually need, which probably has negative health consequences.”

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Eating more protein intake has been historically linked to better muscle growth, weight loss and protection against age-related muscle loss in older adults. It’s an essential part of a diet and most people are getting their recommended amount each day, which is 0.75g of protein for each kg of body weight according to the British Heart Foundation.

But most of these benefits only actually start when the people combine their protein intake with actual exercise and other diet changes like cutting calories.

The new analysis confirms that simply replacing calorific snacks with protein bars but not changing your activity habits likely won’t lead to any improvement and could even be damaging.

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The researchers looked at more than 350 papers to explain how restricting protein could improve health and longevity. Lamming revealed: “These studies show that the amount of protein sedentary people are eating today may have negative health consequences, at least at the population level.”

The expert suggested that going forward, health experts shouldn’t be urging people to eat a certain amount of protein based on their age, but rather how much exercise they do.

He said: “Recent recommendations have encouraged people to eat more protein, but they’ve also encouraged people to exercise more. We probably need to personalize protein recommendations based not just on age, but also on how physically active people are.”

The limited-edition Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino transforms the cult autumn favourite into a chilled bottled drink for the first time, giving fans a new way to enjoy the iconic flavour without visiting a coffee shop.

Priced at £2.20, it will be available in Sainsbury’s, SPAR and other major retailers while stocks last.

Starbucks is expanding its ready-to-drink range with the launch of Starbucks® Matcha Latte and Starbucks® Strawberry Matcha Latte, alongside the limited-edition Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino® (Image: Starbucks)

The drink blends Starbucks coffee with smooth milk and the chain’s signature pumpkin spice flavour, wrapped in a bottle decorated with pumpkins and autumn leaves.

Alongside the seasonal launch, Starbucks has expanded its permanent ready-to-drink range with two new beverages priced at £2.

The Starbucks Matcha Latte combines milk with premium matcha for a smooth, earthy flavour, while the Starbucks Strawberry Matcha Latte adds a fruity twist to the popular green tea drink.

Charlotta Oldham, Marketing Director EMEA at Starbucks, said: “With these new additions to our ready-to-drink range, we’re giving consumers more choice than ever before. Our new Matcha Latte range celebrates the distinctive taste and ritual of matcha… while our Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino captures the comforting, nostalgic flavours that have become synonymous with the arrival of autumn.”

Starbucks launches nationwide illustration competition

Starbucks launches its new illustration club (Image: Starbucks)

As well as expanding its drinks range, Starbucks has launched a new nationwide competition giving customers the chance to have their artwork displayed across the UK.

The Starbucks Illustration Club invites people to turn one of the brand’s iconic takeaway cups into a piece of art by drawing directly onto it and sharing a photo on Instagram.

The competition is being judged by British-Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori, who will mentor the overall winner.

Starbucks is expanding its ready-to-drink range with the launch of Starbucks® Matcha Latte and Starbucks® Strawberry Matcha Latte, alongside the limited-edition Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino® (Image: Starbucks)

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The winning design will feature in a nationwide outdoor advertising campaign, while nine runners-up will also have their artwork showcased.

Research commissioned by Starbucks found 72% of Gen Z and Millennials consider themselves creative, while 79% of UK adults say creativity helps them express themselves.

Yinka Ilori said: “Creativity doesn’t have to start in a studio or with a blank canvas. It can begin with something as simple as an everyday object, a spark of inspiration or a doodle over a coffee.”

How to enter

• Buy any hot drink from a Starbucks store.
• Create an original illustration on the cup.
• Photograph your design.
• Share it on Instagram tagging @StarbucksUK.

The competition is open until 21 August, with winners announced on 7 September.

Labrinth was the quiet man – the mastermind producer and songwriter behind an endless stream of hit records, films and critically acclaimed TV scores. He was the golden boy, a go-to for pop stars like The Weeknd, Beyoncé, Madonna, and Rihanna. He was not someone known for making trouble. So it was a shock, earlier this year, when he posted an expletive-laden, all-caps message to Instagram announcing he was walking away from the US teen drama series Euphoria, his record label, and the entire music industry. “F*** COLUMBIA,” he wrote. “DOUBLE F*** EUPHORIA. IM OUT [sic]. THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT.”

That since-deleted post landed just a month before the much-delayed third and final season of Euphoria. The musician, real name Timothy McKenzie, had been enlisted by show creator Sam Levinson to score the first two seasons, then the third – only now Labrinth was to be joined by Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer. In early interviews, he seemed excited at the prospect, telling one journalist: “A lot of the compositions I’ve fallen in love with have been his, so it’s weird that I get to even just be in the presence of this scoring god.” But by April, he’d pulled his music from the show, and Zimmer received sole credit for the season three score.

If you’d been paying attention to Labrinth’s solo album Cosmic Opera Act I, released at the beginning of this year, you might have noticed allusions to his discontent long before the Instagram post. On the dark, dramatic “Implosion”, he observes in a menacing mutter: “And they mark us out of 10/ In a game we’ll never win/ Chasing all this fame/ Till we meet our bitter end.” What could he be talking about?

Labrinth laughs when I bring up those intriguing lyrics. “I was definitely in a transition period,” the 37-year-old says. “I think every artist has been in that place where they’re like, what the hell is all this? As I’m getting older, too, I feel like everything you were conditioned to find important is actually kind of stupid.” We’re meeting at a smart cocktail bar in King’s Cross. For a while, it seemed unlikely that this interview would happen – I was initially told that Labrinth was “done” talking about Euphoria, about all of it. But then he released another album, Cosmic Opera Act II, in May – four months after its predecessor – and it felt like he did, in fact, have more to say.

I would have understood if he were cagey from the beginning, given recent events. Instead I find him to be relaxed, upbeat, and very funny. Labrinth was raised by gospel-loving parents in Hackney with his eight siblings; he’s maintained his London cool despite flitting between here and the home he shares in LA with his wife and three children. Cool being the operative word: it’s a heatwave day, but the fashion-forward Labrinth looks effortless in an all-black ensemble and tinted shades, like a chic scientist. He’s excited at what he feels is a new era for the music industry, with fewer gatekeepers: “They were like, ‘Play ball, bitch, follow these rules…’ I think that doesn’t exist in the same way.” Now, he thinks, it’s more of an even playing field, at least in the sense that artists are freer to release music how and when they want.

This was where Cosmic Opera Act I – his first solo album in three years – came in. He began writing it years ago, inspired by his love of Star Wars and composer John Barry, famed for his James Bond soundtracks: “I was always messing around with scoring, and I wanted to make a record solely on my laptop, by myself.” Clearly, he had a lot to get off his chest. His disillusionment with the industry creeps into Cosmic Opera’s jittery, ominous sound, but it is also glaringly evident in the lyrics, which call back to when he first started, and where he finds himself now. His career took off in 2010 with Tinie Tempah’s Brit Award-winning debut single “Pass Out” – which he co-wrote and produced – he was then signed to Syco, the record label owned by reality TV svengali Simon Cowell. A string of chart hits followed, from his debut solo single “Let the Sun Shine” to further Tinie collaborations, “Frisky” and “Earthquake”.

“I’ve got mad respect for the guy,” Labrinth says of Cowell. “The way he shows up [for artists] is very different to what people saw on TV. He’s got foresight – he sees potential, even if it’s something far from what he knows.”

Cowell’s gut instinct proved correct. Labrinth quickly became one of the most in-demand figures in the industry, writing songs on The Weeknd’s Grammy-nominated breakthrough Beauty Behind the Madness, and an Oscar-nominated entry on the 2019 Lion King soundtrack. Early fans likely associate him with a throbbing, synth-heavy sound – the same one he brought to the Euphoria score – but he also excels in a fragile, piano-based vulnerability. His 2014 single “Jealous” was so moving that Adele used it to make her cry while shooting her “Hello” music video. “Snot going everywhere,” she told one interviewer. “I can’t cope with that song. You could play it at my kid’s birthday and I’d burst into tears.”

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Levinson clearly recognised his talents too, inviting him to score what would become a cultural phenomenon that made Labrinth an international star along with the show’s cast – Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Hunter Schafer, Jacob Elordi. The show generated plenty of controversy for its depictions of drug use, nudity and violence, but it was praised for its acting and, of course, the music. Labrinth won an Emmy for “All of Us”, featuring vocals from Zendaya, and brought her out to great fanfare at Coachella festival in 2023.

So where did it all go wrong? He knew the question was coming, but suddenly Labrinth falters, unsure of how much to say. “I think I got tired of everything – that industry stuff we were talking about, the way people approach doing business,” he says slowly. Working on season two was also a very different experience to season one: more money, more people, more pressure. “It’s just the way everything was handled wasn’t great for me, and I got frustrated with that because I’ve seen that in music and film,” he says. “Let’s be clear, when I work for someone, I work for them, so how they want to use the music doesn’t matter.” It’s everything outside the creative process that he dislikes: “Going to an awards ceremony and everyone’s either high or s***-faced, in their suit and tie, and they’re all drained.”

At the time, he meant it when he said he was quitting: “For real like, I’m finished with this s***, I’m gonna go sell coconuts in the Caribbean and never talk of being an artist again,” he says. “But I think I was very angry [about the Euphoria situation], and my wife was like, ‘Babe, just take a minute’.” He praises her for reminding him about what really matters, asking him, “‘Why do you want to be bigger?’ Like, I don’t know, because loads of people told me I should want to be bigger?!”

He’s still with his record label, but he’s not spoken with Levinson since. Interviewed by Rolling Stone, the director said he “didn’t know” what had happened and praised Labrinth as “an incredible collaborator… who really built the foundation of the sound of Euphoria.” But he added that he’d decided to take a different approach to the film’s soundtrack in season three.

Labrinth shrugs when I quote this back to him. “Everyone does their press run how they do it,” he says. “I’m not looking for anyone to validate what I’ve said. I’m not trying to cover anything up or save myself. I said what I said.”

There’s a song on Cosmic Opera Act II that I adore, “Bouncy Castles & Trampolines”, that expresses a yearning to get back to a more innocent time: “Whatever happened to being young and careless?/ Super Soakers and figurines/ Keep me young, please keep me dreaming.” On the same album there’s “Prostitute”, containing the lyrics: “Money on the dresser/ I’m a prostitute/ No Vaseline/ This is how they do.” He giggles when I tell him that lyric made me shudder. His wife had the same reaction: “That’s how visceral it is, though, right?” he asks. “We’re literally being pimped out by the same people supposed to [help] us.”

He planned on taking a break, but there’s no way he can sit still for long. He keeps a Korg synthesiser next to his bed. “I keep creating projects that I’m excited about, and there’s the same old big s*** – collaborations, whatever,” he says. “I feel very focused on making something that feels meaningful to me.” He still wants to see change in the industry, a world where artists make things and collaborate for the fun of it, not because they’re trying to further their own careers. “We need to rewire the way artists even think about all of this,” he says. “Everyone’s thinking about how to turn themselves into a franchise or a legacy, turning their passion into a business. If you made no money off this, would you still want to do it? You need to ask every artist that question.” But I don’t need to ask Labrinth that. I already know the answer.

‘Cosmic Opera Act II’ is out now