The Ministry of Justice has recently confirmed that the law on distress will be abolished. Whilst the law of distress is considered by many to be anachronistic, it has nonetheless proven a very useful tool for commercial landlords over the…
An EAT decision provides a reminder that the context in which offensive words are spoken is all-important in a claim for religious harassment. The EAT held that an employment tribunal had been right to reject a Catholic sub-editor's religious harassment…
Insolvent tenants can be a major headache for landlords. For example, when a corporate tenant goes into administration, the landlord needs to obtain the consent of the administrator, or of the court, to forfeit the lease. This is because administration…
Changes in the system for dealing with child maintenance claims will soon be fully implemented, with cases currently dealt with by the Child Support Agency being transferred to the Child Maintenance Service. As part of this arrangement, a new formula…
One of the most difficult aspects of divorce is often the negotiation of the financial settlement: this can be particularly thorny when there are substantial sums involved. Often, assets are held indirectly, in companies or trusts, which can add to…
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…