Party walls and the joint responsibilities that go with them are frequently a bone of contention between neighbours. That was certainly so in an instructive High Court case concerning the flank wall of a house that adjoined a communal garden. The house had formerly been
Traders who engage in commercial practices that are likely to mislead an average consumer are subject to criminal sanction – but what if the ‘customer’ concerned is not a consumer but a trading standards officer? The High Court considered that issue in a case of
So-called cash-for-crash frauds have cost the motor insurance industry billions and it is ultimately honest drivers who have to pay that cost in the form of higher premiums. However, a High Court case in which three men involved in a staged accident were handed stiff
When divorcing couples have contributed equally to their marital fortune, the general rule is that assets will be split 50/50. However, as one ‘big money’ case showed, it is not always as simple as that and complications can arise in respect of wealth that has
Rights to daylight really do matter to homeowners and, if you feel that yours is under threat, you should consult a solicitor right away. The point was powerfully made by a case in which the High Court heeded an objector’s concerns and overturned planning permission
Companies go through good times and bad and, when their debts mount, specialist lawyers are adept at ensuring that matters are dealt with in an orderly fashion and that creditors get the best possible deal. Exactly that happened in one case in which High Court
If a retailer permits a bank to install an ATM on part of its premises, does the plot of land concerned form a separate entity for the purposes of non-domestic rates? In a case with substantial financial and other implications, the Court of Appeal has
Prisoners inevitably suffer a loss of liberty, but all their other human rights are unaffected by their incarceration. In a case on point, the elderly mother and sister of a remand prisoner who took his own life won £17,500 in compensation from the Ministry of
Self-employed people are responsible for sorting out their own tax affairs and a little professional assistance in doing so can pay dividends in the end. That, however, certainly did not happen in one case in which a military historian who failed to declare income of
It may seem unromantic, but it really does make sense for couples who live together to see a solicitor so that the basis on which they occupy their homes can be put into writing. One case in which that sadly did not happen involved a
