Read our latest articles, news briefs and legal updates across all our different services.
A recent case before the Court of Appeal highlights the need for landlords to ensure that they have protected deposits from former fixed term tenants who went on to acquire statutory periodic tenancies. Failure to do so could result in penalties and prevent the landlord from serving notice for possession. The case involved a tenant
An accountant must pay £943,000 damages to a client after giving him negligent advice about saving tax during the sale of a business. The case involved a successful entrepreneur who was in the process of selling his company for £8.5m. He was liable to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on 10% of that figure. He engaged
The Government is introducing new measures which it says will both simplify and strengthen company reporting. The reforms mean that annual reports will include additional information on human rights issues, gender representation across the company and disclosures on greenhouse gas emissions. Ministers say the changes are designed to address concerns that reports from public listed
One in six small to medium-sized enterprises (SME) are worried that financial pressures could see them go out of business within the next year, according to global insurer Zurich. The figures are contained in Zurich’s SME Risk Index for Quarter 4 of last year, in which YouGov questioned decision makers at more than 500 businesses.
An insurance firm has been granted an injunction preventing a former employee from revealing some of its valuable and confidential information. The court heard that the employee had been unhappy at the firm for some time before she finally handed in her notice. During her employment she had sent confidential documents to her personal email
The Government wants to allow more business development applications to be fast tracked through the planning process. Currently, only applications that have a national significance such as transport, water, waste or energy projects can benefit from fast-tracking. Planning Minister Nick Boles wants to extend the system to help businesses grow as quickly as possible. He
The Government is introducing new legislation designed to clarify the rights of consumers and businesses. Ministers say the Consumer Rights Bill will streamline complicated legal issues currently contained in eight different sets of regulations. Under the draft Bill consumers will have the right to: get some money back after one failed repair of faulty goods
Machins Solicitors LLP’s Company and Commercial team is happy to announce the start of a working relationship with Tacit Fusion, a relationship that is sure to mutually benefit both organisations’ clients. Under the arrangement Machins will provide legal support and advice to Tacit Fusion clients when required, helping them to protect and exploit their intellectual
The Ministry of Justice has announced that Employment Tribunal fees will be introduced on 29 July this year. From that date, subject to the necessary Parliamentary approval, employees wishing to bring a claim to a tribunal will have to pay fees on a sliding scale depending on the nature of the claim and the number
Non-competition covenants can be a helpful way to protect your business by restricting an employee’s ability to set up a rival company and poach some of your customers. They have to be drawn up with great care, however: if the restrictions are not tight enough they may not be effective; but if they are too