News

Business News

Will Your Premises Be Shown The Yellow Card
10 March 2010
Following an evaluation of the impact of the Licensing Act 2003, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced earlier this year that it would be introducing a card alert scheme designed to give licensing authorities which choose to adopt it a new... - Read

Consumer News

Family Court Must Limit Itself to Matters at Hand
09 March 2010
It is a cardinal rule in court proceedings in the UK that both parties to a disagreement must have a fair chance to state their side of the argument. This is particularly important in family cases, which are often complex and invariably emotionally charged... - Read

Business News

Safe Working at Height
09 March 2010
A recent prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) serves as a warning to company directors and business owners of the importance of implementing comprehensive, safe systems for working at height. David Boulton worked for... - Read

Disability Discrimination by Association - Complying with EU Law
05 March 2010
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has handed down a far-reaching judgment in the long-running case of Coleman v Attridge Law, which concerns the interpretation of the EU Equal Treatment Framework Directive and its impact on disability legislation in the... - Read

Consumer News

When is an Agreement Not an Agreement? - When it is With The Tax Man
04 March 2010
Getting your tax right can sometimes be complex and it is often the case that when HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigate a taxpayer, they find that there are irregularities. When these result in an underpayment of tax, HMRC will normally levy interest... - Read

Business News

Good Faith and Errors in Documents
04 March 2010
If you enter into a business contract in good faith and it subsequently transpires that the contract was incorrectly authorised or otherwise invalid from the perspective of the other party’s internal regulations, where do you stand?... - Read

Consumer News

Care Orders - The Correct Test
03 March 2010
Under the Children Act 1989, a court may only make a care order or a supervision order if it is satisfied that the child concerned is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm. In a recent case, the Court of Appeal overturned... - Read

Business News

Selling Your Business - Tax Considerations
02 March 2010
With many companies suffering from the effects of the recession, business owners looking for an exit are thick on the ground. One problem those in this situation face is that if their business is in a fairly weak financial position, it is difficult to take a... - Read

Consumer News

Decision to Expel Pupil Upheld by Courts
26 February 2010
The parents of an independent school pupil have lost their appeal against a judge’s decision to dismiss their claim that their son’s expulsion from the school amounted to a breach of contract and warranted injunctive relief and the payment of... - Read

Who Gets the Family Home?
24 February 2010
Family break-up is always complicated and when there is a property involved, things can get very complex indeed. In principle, when a couple are cohabiting (not married or in a civil partnership) the property belongs as of right to... - Read

Business News

Landlord Pays Price for Failing to Inform Tenant
24 February 2010
If a landlord has concealed or misrepresented facts, it can be ordered to pay a departing commercial tenant compensation for any damages or loss sustained by the tenant that arise as a result of having to quit the premises. The... - Read

Consumer News

Furnished Holiday Lettings - Time is Running Out
23 February 2010
Owners of properties used for furnished holiday lettings (FHLs) are reminded that the tax regime relating to these is set to change significantly (for the worse) next April. Under the current tax regime, such businesses have advantages for both Income Tax... - Read

Business News

Sickness and Holiday Leave
19 February 2010
The EU Working Time Directive lays down minimum health and safety requirements for the organisation of working time. The purpose of the entitlement to paid annual leave is to enable a worker to rest and to enjoy a period of relaxation and leisure. The... - Read

Consumer News

Crime is With You for Life
17 February 2010
It is widely thought that once a conviction is ‘spent’, it is erased from ‘the system’ and simply ceases to exist. Regrettably for those who may have a youthful indiscretion or two on their record, this is not so, as is illustrated by... - Read

Business News

Companies Act Changes - Purchase of Own Shares
16 February 2010
There has been confusion about some of the changes in company law brought in by the Companies Act 2006, which was fully implemented on 1 October 2009. One of the more beneficial changes for companies wishing to reorganise their share capital (perhaps... - Read

Consumer News

Will Writer in the Dock
15 February 2010
The trial of an unqualified will writer took place in Bristol recently when a 45- year-old man was charged with the theft of £800,000 from a succession of elderly clients. The man had duped childless elderly people into inserting... - Read

Divorce Arrangements Overturned When Judge in Error
12 February 2010
When dividing family assets on separation or divorce, judges sometimes make some surprising decisions. Where these are erroneous or unfair, they can be overturned. In a recent case, a judge ruled that in order to achieve a ‘clean... - Read

Business News

Moving Target Causes Headache for Contractors
12 February 2010
A recent case illustrates how complex building disputes can become when there are changes ‘on the fly’ to the work being carried out and the related paperwork does not keep pace. In the case in point, a contractor’s... - Read

Guidance on Preventing Workplace Harassment and Violence
10 February 2010
New guidance giving practical advice to businesses and employees on preventing workplace harassment and violence has been published following European level agreement between employer and trade union organisations on the necessity of raising awareness of... - Read

Consumer News

Property - Slow Improvement in Market Conditions
09 February 2010
Lending for residential property purchases has increased significantly in recent months – the July figure of £16 billion showing a 26 per cent rise over June. August and September have both shown gross mortgage lending of about £12.5... - Read

General News

Ambiguous Terms in Insurance - When Wrong is Right
08 February 2010
Insurers often try to give themselves ‘wiggle room’ to contest claims, which is one reason why they put so many questions in proposal forms. Over the years, the courts have established that where such a question is ambiguous, the legal... - Read

Immigration - Shortage Occupation List for Tier 2
04 February 2010
The Government has accepted in full the recommendations of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) for a revised shortage occupation list for Tier 2 of the points-based system of immigration. The new list applies to all certificates of sponsorship assigned on... - Read

Consumer News

Better LPA Forms
02 February 2010
The Office of the Public Guardian has responded to criticisms of its overly complex forms for creating a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) by issuing new and simplified forms. An LPA allows a person to give a friend, relative or trusted... - Read

Business News

Japanese Knotweed - The legal implications
01 February 2010 - Read

Employment Law - What to expect in 2010
01 February 2010
The government is introducing some changes to employment law this year, they include changes to sick notes and paternity leave... - Read