Central London Property Trust entered into a 99 year lease starting on September 29, 1937 for a block apartments to High Trees House at a base of rent of £2,500 a year.
World War II ran from 1939 to 1945. Germany bombed London heavily during the war, and it was impossible to fully rent the apartments. In light of this, Central London property promised to reduce the annual rent from £2,500 to £1250. The parties made no other changes to the contract.