Hoteliers who put guests’ lives at risk by playing fast and loose with fire regulations can expect severe punishment. In one case, the owner of a newly refurbished bed and breakfast who persisted in a series of flagrant breaches despite a number of warnings received
Many employees, particularly in the care industry, are required to sleep in overnight at or near their workplaces in order to provide assistance if needed – but are they entitled to receive the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for hours spent in slumber? The Court of
It is very nearly always unfair to dismiss employees without affording them a right of appeal. The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) made that point in the case of a pizza restaurant employee who was sacked in the mistaken belief that his right to work in
You are entitled to object to your neighbours’ building plans, but wise homeowners always seek professional legal advice before doing so. In one case, which a homeowner who opposed construction of an extension next door ended up being ordered to pay his neighbours more than
Planning decisions would be entirely random if they were not based on published planning policies that are the product of democratic debate. Their importance was underlined by a High Court case in which a proposal to build 85 new homes in the countryside was sent
If your company is facing insolvency, it is vital to keep the interests of creditors at the forefront of your mind and a failure to do so can lead to criminal sanctions. The point was underlined by one case in which a businessman who withdrew
If you are facing disciplinary proceedings at work, it makes sense to contact a lawyer straight away. The point was made by one case in which a judge came to the aid of a consultant psychiatrist who faced accusations of gross misconduct after a young
Japanese knotweed is a pernicious nuisance that blights property values. However, a landmark Court of Appeal ruling has established that, if it encroaches onto your land from a neighbouring property, you are entitled to compensation. The case concerned two neighbours whose bungalows backed onto a
Tax is territorial and is only payable on income generated by a source within the UK. As a Court of Appeal ruling in a foreign loan case showed, however, a hinterland of legal complexity resides within that apparently simple statement. The case concerned a construction
The Equality Act 2010 requires every public authority to have due regard to the interests of the elderly, disabled, or any other group of people with protected characteristics. In a High Court case, a local authority’s failure to match up to that duty resulted in
