The tough obligations placed upon employers by health and safety regulations have been underlined by a case in which a police constable won compensation after cutting her thumb whilst dismantling a cannabis factory. Hampshire Police had spent £150,000 in unsuccessfully…
A barrister who took exception to the quality of building work he had commissioned found that the Court of Appeal did not agree with his contention that he should not pay a £35,000 retention. The barrister and his wife had…
Coffee-making machines using disposable ‘capsules’ of raw ingredients are becoming increasingly popular, so a row between two manufacturers of such systems was always on the cards. In the dispute, Nestec (a subsidiary of Nestlé) claimed that a rival system, manufactured…
A holidaymaker who slipped on a wet marble floor has won £8,500 in compensation for the injuries she suffered. The woman, who is in her 50s, was on a package holiday at a hotel in Tenerife when the accident happened…
When a building contract for a block of flats went wrong, leaving the new building with many defects, an architect who had no contract with the owners of the flats found himself in the firing line. When the block of…
In the light of an EAT decision, businesses should be prepared for employment tribunals to apply the Acas Code of Practice to dismissals for some other substantial reason (SOSR) where there is arguably an element of conduct or performance in…
Legislation increasing permitted development rights for business premises and the re-use of existing buildings has recently come into force. Key features include: Permitting the change of use of offices to residential. Allowing the flexible use of existing agricultural buildings. The…
A High Court case provides another reminder of the high hurdle that employees must overcome to demonstrate a repudiatory breach of contract. The court upheld a 12 month non-solicitation restrictive covenant in a senior insurance broker's contract, and awarded damages…
Landlords who seek a payment of rent in advance as a means of reducing the chance of a tenant defaulting on its liabilities under a tenancy agreement will be reassured by a Court of Appeal decision. The court held that…
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that a district nurse, who was summarily dismissed on capability grounds and then reinstated following a successful appeal, with full back-pay, was constructively dismissed when she resigned over the terms of her return…
