A firm has been fined £10,000 after making a slight change to its name without telling HM Revenue & Customs. The firm, which doesn’t want to be identified, was originally a partnership but then decided to restructure as a limited company. It added Ltd to its name but didn’t realise that it was suppose to
A managing director has been held personally liable for his company’s infringement of a rival’s trademark. The case involved two companies with similar names that both specialised in soil testing services. Geolabs Ltd had a series of trademarks including the name, ‘Geolabs’. It complained that another company, Geo Laboratories, had infringed that trademark by trading
The problem of rent arrears is increasing with 49% of landlords saying that they have experienced difficulties in the last 12 months, according to the National Landlords Association (NLA). Looking to the future, 37% of landlords are worried that they will experience more arrears in the coming months. NLA research shows that an average landlord
A company has won an injunction preventing a former employee and his new firm from using some of its confidential documents. The employee had left Churchill Retirement Living Ltd to work for a rival company called McCarthy & Stone Retirement Lifestyles Ltd. While working for Churchill, the employee was subject to contractual duties relating to
The Government is backing efforts by the Small Business Economic Forum (SBEF) to tackle the ongoing problem of late payment of invoices. Ministers are urging companies to sign up to the Government Prompt Payment Code. So far, more than 1,100 businesses have done so. They represent an estimated 60% of the total UK supply chain
The Government wants to scrap some planning restrictions to encourage more start-up businesses and attract shoppers back into town centres. Ministers want to make it easier for new ‘pop-up’ shops to use vacant high street premises until a more permanent tenant can be found. Under the current system, there are planning rules that restrict the
Government ministers have welcomed proposals to boost the private rented sector by easing planning restrictions and encouraging investment. Housing Minister Grant Shapps says the report compiled by Sir Adrian Montague provides a blueprint for building more good quality homes. Most of the private sector in the UK is managed by individual landlords. This is likely
Employees will soon have to pay £1,200 to bring an unfair dismissal claim to an employment tribunal. The new fee arrangement will be introduced next summer and follows widespread consultation with business leaders and trade unions. Currently, employees don’t need to pay to make a claim. This has led to complaints from some businesses that
An NHS clerical worker has won her appeal that she should be paid the holiday pay she accrued while on sick leave for a year. Janet Larner had been signed off work with ME and depression, and had six months leave on full pay followed by another six months on half pay. While she was
The High Court has provided a welcome boost for landlords wishing to avoid paying rates on empty commercial property. Currently, business rates are charged on nearly all non-domestic properties such as shops, offices and factories while they are in use. Properties with a rateable value of less than £2,600 are exempt from rates when they