Commercial property landlords will be aware of the importance of EPC (Environmental Performance Certificate) on their building and the impacts it can potentially have on lettings. It is currently a legal requirement that commercial buildings must have a rating of at least an E before a new or renewal lease can be granted. However, with
The High Court has outlined what constitutes a business partnership in law following a dispute between a couple who ran a business together. The case involved Ms Burnett and Mr Barker. Barker had set up a business as a sole trader offering fire safety services at events. Burnett was working for a company that dealt
A worker at a pet food shop has won her claim of unfair dismissal after she raised concerns over her employer’s Covid protocol. Leah Best worked for Embark on Raw, a pet food retailer owned by husband-and-wife team David and Andrea Fletcher. In March 2020, during the beginning of the pandemic, measures were put in
The late payment problem is getting worse and is now threatening to destroy thousands of small businesses, according to a survey carried out by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The study of more than 1,200 business owners found that one in three businesses (30%) have seen late payment of invoices increase over the last
Introduction Ikea, Ocado, Next and Morrisons along with several other large employers have recently announced that unvaccinated UK employees, without a valid medical exemption, who take time off work to self-isolate will not be paid their normal ‘day rate’. Instead, they will be paid the legal minimum Statutory Sick Pay rate of just £96.35 a
The Court of Appeal has provided a helpful insight into how to deal with failures to comply with the right to manage procedure set out in the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. The issue arose in a case involving Eastern Pyramid Group Corp SA v Spire House RTM Co Ltd. The RTM company had served
The franchisor of a care home business has been granted an interim injunction against a franchisee for alleged breaches of their agreement. The case involved Senior Care at Home Ltd (t/as Right at Home UK) and Adult Home Care Ltd. Senior Care was the franchisor of the RIGHT AT HOME brand under which its franchisees
A businessman with an exemplary record has been disqualified from being a director after failing to question a VAT fraud at his company. The case involved the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and XE Solutions Ltd. Three of the company’s directors were disqualified for between 11 and 14 years under the Company
A supplier has failed in its bid to use a force majeure event as a reason to avoid repaying a customer after it failed to fulfil a contract. The issue arose after the two parties entered into a contract in February 2019 for the supply of sulphur diesel. In accordance with the contract, the buyer
A forklift operator who was sacked for attending work after his son contracted Covid has won his claim of unfair dismissal. He said he believed his son was just faking symptoms. David Lewis had worked for The Benriach Distillery Company for 23 years with a clean disciplinary and attendance record. In February 2021, his line