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Those who fall victim to anonymous fraudsters may think there is nothing that can be done once their money has disappeared, but the courts have powers at their disposal which may assist. In a recent case involving bitcoin fraud , the High Court granted a...
Following recent changes to the law and a consultation last year, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) has updated its statutory Code of Practice on requests for flexible working, replacing the previous version published in June 2014. ...
The Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 gives qualifying leaseholders the right to join together to buy the freehold of their properties – a process known as collective enfranchisement. A recent case demonstrated that this right...
Tenants who are faced with unexpected demands in respect of repair costs would be well advised to seek legal advice. In a recent case, leaseholders of units of student accommodation successfully argued that they were not liable to pay service charges in...
There are times when it is incumbent on an Employment Tribunal (ET) to consider a point of its own accord if the parties in the case have not raised it. In a recent case, a postal worker successfully argued before the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) that...
While the courts have a range of powers to set aside orders, they will only exercise them in limited circumstances. In a somewhat surprising case that has attracted much comment, the High Court declined to set aside a final order of divorce that had been...
Disputes about rights of way often arise between owners of neighbouring residential properties, but can also be an issue for property developers. In a recent case, a property company successfully applied for declaratory relief that current and likely future...
Following concerns last year about delays in processing probate applications, recent figures from HM Courts and Tribunals Service show that waiting times for grants of probate are continuing to improve. The average time from submission of a probate...
When attempting to resolve a dispute, careful drafting of any agreement is essential to protect your position in the event of further argument. A recent High Court case concerned whether a settlement of adjudication enforcement proceedings prevented one of...
It is incumbent on taxpayers to make sure they fully comply with their obligations to file returns and pay any tax due. The point was illustrated by a recent case in which a taxpayer whose return had not been received by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) failed...
A person who performs a voluntary role may nonetheless meet the definition of a 'worker' under Section 230(3) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 , depending on the individual circumstances. Recently, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) ruled that a man who...
If a person lacks the capacity to make a will for themselves, it is possible to make a statutory will for them by applying to the Court of Protection. When seeking to vary such a will, however, the Court of Protection Rules 2017 require that beneficiaries...
Companies engaged in projects that qualify as research and development (R&D) can claim significant Corporation Tax deductions on qualifying expenditure. However, the rules on what qualifies as R&D are comprehensive and it will be necessary to show...
The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 , which amends the Employment Rights Act 1996 , was previously scheduled to come fully into force on 1 July 2024, but this has now been delayed until 1 October. The Act requires employers to pass on all tips and...
Tenants of poorly maintained properties are not powerless and have the ability to apply for rent repayment orders where issues with the property amount to offences committed by the landlord. The First-tier Tribunal (FTT) recently ordered the landlord of an...
Comparative advertising, where a product is advertised in a way that references a competitor's product, is only permitted subject to conditions laid down in Regulation 4 of the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008 . In a recent...
Disagreements between separating couples all too often result in litigation that substantially reduces the assets available to them, as was illustrated by a case that recently reached the High Court. At issue was whether awards made by arbitrators in...
Arguments about what someone promised before their death can lead to significant legal costs. However, if faced with a claim against the estate, there may be steps the beneficiaries or executors can take to reduce the risks, as a recent High Court case...
The Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 gives leaseholders the right to buy the freehold of their properties in certain circumstances, a process known as collective enfranchisement. While landlords may not welcome leaseholders...
There are often very specific rules that must be complied with in order to claim tax reliefs, but if a small mistake arises, the courts may be able to provide assistance. In a recent case, the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) found that an investor was entitled to...
