The danger of tick box valuations was highlighted in a recent professional negligence case involving a firm of property surveyors. The court outlined what should happen when issues arose during valuations that could not be fully explained using automated systems. The case involved a firm called E.Surv Ltd which had been commissioned by an American
The Government has announced new proposals to make it easier for consumers and small firms to take action against unfair business practices. The new measures were announced by the Competition Minister Jo Swinson who said: “Actions like price-fixing or imposing unfair trading terms can really harm businesses, particularly small businesses, and restrict their ability to
A director has been given a 28-day suspended prison sentence after defying court orders during a dispute with another company. His fellow director was fined £1,000 for his part in the offences. The two men were directors of a company that leased premises to a business tenant. A dispute arose which led to the tenant
Planning permissions for new homes rose by 36% in the third quarter of last year, according to figures released by the Home Builders Federation (HBF). The increase followed the introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) last April, which gave local authorities more power over what is built in their areas. There were 33,881
Overview A Settlement Agreement is a legally binding contract that is used to settle employment disputes. They can also be called Termination Agreements or Compromise Agreements. In return for receiving a sum of money and/or benefits the employee or ex employee agrees not to pursue claims against the employer. A Settlement Agreement is designed to
We regularly advise employees on settlement and compromise agreements. This service is available from our Luton and Berkhamsted offices. Appointments can also be offered in Hemel Hempstead. Further information on our service and answers to some frequently asked questions can be found here.
The Court of Appeal has imposed the maximum penalty possible on a landlord who failed to comply fully with the requirements of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS). The issue arose after the landlord took action against a tenant for rent arrears. The tenant brought a counterclaim denying rent arrears and seeking repayment of the deposit.
The chances of a home sale falling through can be reduced if buyers and sellers act early. When a sale or purchase falls through both the buyer’s and the seller’s time and money can be wasted. We are an accredited member of the national Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS), says that buyers and sellers
The High Court has ruled that a group of engineering consultants were not negligent when advising on a major development – even though they failed to predict some important issues. The consultants had been asked by the commissioners of a drainage authority to explore options for upgrading a pumping station. They carried out research with
Businesses are being urged to make sure their websites comply with consumer protection law ahead of the Christmas period. The warning from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) comes after it carried out a review of 156 websites to check if any were in breach of the Distance Selling Regulations (DSRs). It found that 62