Catering College Wins Bumper VAT Rebate
In an important case for educational institutions, a college is in line for a bumper tax rebate after convincing the Upper Tribunal (UT) that haute cuisine served at its top quality in-house restaurant, run by
Race Abuse Victims ‘Should Not Be Over-Compensated’
In refusing to increase a £6,000 damages pay-out awarded to an Army chef after he was called a ‘dumb black b***ard’ by a sergeant, the Court of Appeal has underlined the importance of public perception
Court Guidance on Public Sector Equality Duties
In a case which gives useful guidance on the limitations of the scope of the equality duties owed by public authorities, a disability campaigner, who said that she would be effectively exiled from Colchester’s main
Farming Company Sisters High Court Schism
In a sad example of a family-orientated corporate structure proving anything but a panacea, the High Court has ordered the winding up of a farming company due to the inability of its directors – three
Supermarket Not Vicariously Liable for Attack on Customer
In a case which succinctly encapsulated the current state of the law on the vicarious liability of employers, an innocent customer who was savagely attacked by a petrol kiosk attendant on a supermarket forecourt has
Court Defines ‘Self-Contained Living Accommodation’
In the context of Council Tax, the High Court has emphasised that it is the physical characteristics of premises, not the intention of their owners, that is decisive when it comes to assessing whether they
What is a Consumer? High Court Ponders
In an important test case for the finance and insurance industries, the High Court is being asked to define what is meant by a ‘consumer’ as insurance brokers challenge the jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman
Neighbours’ ‘Campaign of Visceral Vilification’
A couple who waged a ‘campaign of visceral vilification’ against an elderly neighbour who defied them in a dispute over a right of way and a 12-inch-wide strip of garden have been ordered to pay
HMRC to Collect VAT Refunds on Gaming Machines
Following a recent Court of Appeal decision in its favour, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have announced that they will be seeking to recover repayments of VAT given to gaming machine operators between November 1998
Victim of Fraudulent Sales Pitch Wins £230,000
Victims of extravagant claims made by sales personnel can take encouragement from a case in which an accountant who was duped into ploughing money into a disastrous tax avoidance scheme won back more than £230,000