An Englishman’s home is his castle and, depending on the terms of their leases, that applies to tenants as well as freeholders. However, in an instructive ruling, the High Court has decided that a social housing landlord was entitled to access a sheltered flat in
When it comes to workplace disciplinary proceedings, slavish following of rules is no replacement for common sense. In a case where the latter was sadly lacking, a bus driver who was sacked after failing a random drug test succeeded in unfair and wrongful dismissal claims
When can a bankrupt’s estate be said to have been finally distributed? The Supreme Court has decisively answered that question, at least under Scottish law, in enabling a former bankrupt to retain the majority of the £56,000 compensation he received after being mis-sold payment protection
Workplace disciplinary proceedings are always tense and it is vital to remember that their reasonableness is likely to be examined in detail by Employment Tribunals (ETs) after the event. In a case on point, a carpenter who was sacked after being accused of describing gay
What is a landlord? The answer to that question may appear obvious. However, as a guideline Court of Appeal decision showed, the issue can be far from straightforward in circumstances where a great many homes are occupied under subleases. The freeholders of a block of
Where people fail to make professionally drafted wills, so-called heir hunters provide a valuable service in tracking down potential beneficiaries. However, as a High Court case showed, their activities are unregulated and they cannot always be relied upon to act with the utmost care and
Foreign judgments that are registered in England can be enforced against assets in this country in just the same way as domestic judgments. However, as a High Court ruling showed, such registration is not automatic and will only be permitted where it is just and
Complex tax frauds frequently span the globe and involve numerous participants, thus making it difficult to distinguish the guilty from the innocent. In a case on point, a global metals refining company was saved from a multi-million-pound loss after its lawyers succeeded in convincing the
Negligence on the part of hospital staff can be hard to prove – but that need not stop specialist solicitors winning substantial compensation for disabled clients. In a case on point, a 10-year-old girl who was stricken by a devastating infection when just a few
Insurance policies are worthless unless you understand and abide by their terms and conditions. However, in a guideline case, the Court of Appeal ruled that a waste processing company did just that and was entitled to an indemnity against catastrophic fire damage. The cause of
