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The firm was employed to design and build a road outside an airport. Construction work was slow and repeatedly delayed because of bad weather and unexpected issues. The main interruption was because of soil and groundwater contamination on site. When already two years behind schedule, the construction firm stopped working on the road in December
For those who fail, however, it can prove costly and demoralising. You can improve your chances of success by doing your homework before starting work or investing any money. Test your great idea You may think you have a great idea for a new business but are you sure other firms haven’t had exactly the
However, there has to be evidence of unlawful behaviour as opposed to the majority shareholders simply conducting business in a way contrary to the wishes of the minority. A recent case before the High Court involved a businessman who was a minority shareholder in an aviation company. He claimed that he had bought his shares
Tenants will be better protected from unscrupulous landlords and agents by a raft of new measures now coming into force, according to Housing Minister Kris Hopkins. Mr Hopkins said: “All tenants and leaseholders have a right to fair and transparent treatment from their letting agent. That’s why we will require all agents to belong to
The employee had originally been a self-employed financial adviser with several clients of his own. When he joined the company, he brought those clients with him in return for a substantial goodwill payment from his new employers. His contract included a restrictive covenant that prevented him from setting up a rival business within a year
New rules to prevent people taking out mortgages they can’t afford have now come into effect. One of the key changes is that in most cases, people will need to get help from an adviser before taking out a mortgage. This will help borrowers to better understand whether they can really afford their mortgage, both
The rising value of houses could turn inheritance tax into a major issue for thousands of families across the UK The problem is that the inheritance tax threshold has been frozen at £325,000 until 2018; by that time, house prices are expected to have risen by 25% It’s likely therefore that many people will
A group of male maintenance staff have won a sex discrimination claim after discovering that their female counterparts were being paid more than them. The situation arose when the Swansea Metropolitan University (SMU) merged with the University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD). The eighteen men were originally employed by the SMU on a weekly
A man has been told to pay his ex-wife a lump sum so that he can stop making annual payments once he has retired. The case involved a couple who had been married for 22 years before getting divorced in 2005. Both were qualified accountants, but the wife left work to raise their children. When
A father’s will has been declared valid despite a challenge from his daughter who was disinherited. The father had two sons and a daughter. After his wife died he went to live with one of his sons and his daughter-in-law. He transferred the proceeds of the sale of his house to his son. He later