A contractor has been found liable for the damage caused by a factory fire even though the client was partly responsible for what happened. The contractor had been hired to refurbish a factory roof. This required providing a suspended scaffold cage which contained gas-powered heaters. Part way through the contract a fire broke out causing
A distribution company has been ordered to pay damages to a perfume manufacturer after it failed to meet several requirements of a longstanding contract. The two parties had an agreement dating back to 2003. The relationship soured and so in July 2010, the manufacturer gave 12 months notice to terminate the agreement. The distributor responded
Chancellor George Osborne has announced two new schemes designed to help potential homebuyers who can afford to pay a mortgage but find it difficult to raise a large deposit. The measures were announced in the Budget. The first scheme is called Help to Buy: equity loan, and applies to new build properties only. It expands
Courts usually try to share marital assets equally during divorce settlements, but what happens if some assets don’t become available until several years after the separation? The issue arose in a recent case before the High Court. The husband had founded a successful company in the early years of the marriage. Both husband and wife
Prime Minister David Cameron has become a ‘Dementia Friend’ as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the illness and the traumas it can cause. The initiative is being promoted by the Alzheimer’s Society, the Department of Health and the Office for Civil Society. The number of dementia sufferers in the UK is set
Discrimination against mothers and pregnant women is still a major problem in the workplace, according to research by the charity, Working Families. It says 10% of the calls to its advice line are about maternity and employment issues. It believes this 10% is just the tip of the iceberg and that discrimination is still rife
The number of family disputes over wills has increased dramatically, according to research carried out by the Independent newspaper. Its figures show that the number of actions in the High Court challenging provisions made in wills has increased by 700% over the last five years. The number of cases seeking to have entire wills declared
A buyer who pulled out of a house purchase has been ordered to pay compensation for the fall in value that took place in the two years after the deal fell through. The buyer had argued that forfeiting his deposit should be adequate compensation, but the Court of Appeal disagreed. The case involved a buyer
A father has been granted parental responsibility for his son despite being denied direct contact with the boy. The Court of Appeal held that the two issues should be dealt with separately. The case involved a couple who had a son during a brief relationship. They had split up before the boy was born but
Q – I am 58 years facing a divorce and I am told my spouse can make a claim against my pension. Is this true? A – Yes. There is an Act of Parliament called the Welfare Reform & Pension Act 1999 which says pensions can be shared. Q – But that’s not fair.