Long-term sick leave can be a headache for employers, but it is absolutely vital that workers are given every opportunity to get better and return to work. In one case that proved the point, a teacher who was off work…
The following changes to the National Living Wage (NLW) and the National Minimum Wage (NMW) came into effect on 1 April 2017: The NLW for those aged 25 and over increased from £7.20 per hour to £7.50 per hour; The…
On 6 April 2017, the way in which apprenticeships in England are funded changed. Some employers are required to pay a new apprenticeship levy, and there will be changes to the funding for apprenticeship training for all employers. The levy…
Boundary disputes are well known for their ability to create acrimony and long-running legal proceedings, the cost of which is often disproportionate compared with the value of the land in question. In one case in which compromise sadly proved elusive,…
When the marriage of a wealthy couple broke up, the English court had the opportunity to consider the impact of two pre-nuptial agreements the couple had made before they wed. The couple, both Swedes, married in 2000 and had had…
When a lease come to an end, the 'dilapidations clause' makes the tenant liable to restore the let premises to the same state they were in when the tenant first occupied them. It is established law that when a…
It may come as a surprise to some property owners that estate agency fees are often payable regardless of whether a buyer is introduced by the agency concerned. A property investor found that out the hard way after the Court…
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are obliged to keep individuals’ tax affairs secret - but confidentiality generally does not survive an appeal. Exactly that happened in one case in which well-known actor Martin Clunes sought to set off the cost…
Valuing shares is notoriously difficult and is generally a matter of taking a reasonable view of what a hypothetical buyer might pay. That was the approach taken by the Court of Appeal in putting a price on a minority shareholding…
Disputes between neighbours can be agonising, both emotionally and financially, but taking advice at an early stage can swiftly draw the sting. In one case where matters were allowed to get out of hand, a pensioner was left at risk…
