There is a common belief that fairness is a concept that pervades the law, including tax law. However, a recent tax case shows that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) do not necessarily agree. The case involved a man who joined…
If you employ a nanny, gardener or other household staff, from April 2013 you are required to join the ‘real time information’ (RTI) scheme set up by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). At the same time, the simplified deduction scheme…
In these straitened times, it is regrettably not uncommon for a buyer to withdraw from the purchase of a property after a legal agreement to purchase has been completed. When this happens, the vendor may be entitled to claim damages…
The EAT has decided that a disclosure of information after employment ends can be protected disclosure under the whistleblowing provisions of the Employment Rights Act 1996. The case confirms that a qualifying disclosure can be protected under whistleblowing law, whether…
A Jewish couple who married in a Jewish ceremony in 2006 and subsequently separated have obtained the approval of the family court to have the marriage dissolved under an agreement mediated by a Rabbi. After examining the procedures which would…
When a divorcee applied to have the financial settlement from her ex-husband amended, she could have little anticipated the problems that would ensue. The woman had divorced her husband in 2005 and the original financial settlement was the subject of…
Just because a term in a contract is breached does not necessarily mean that the contract can be rescinded, as was demonstrated by a dispute between a company that owned land and a wind farm company. The company that owned…
A recent High Court case shows the dangers of negotiating in a dispute without legal representation. It also illustrates that an agreement which disposes of an interest in land does not have to be in writing if the purpose of…
Asbestos is present in many buildings and is usually safe if left undisturbed. However, if it is disturbed and asbestos particles are released into the air and inhaled or ingested, it can cause fatal diseases. A contractor has been fined…
The Court of Appeal has overturned a decision of the lower court to hand out suspended prison sentences to two non-residents who failed to pay child maintenance as ordered by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (CMEC). One of the…
