House prices in England rose by 3.7% in the year to April – taking the average property value to £243,639. Wales showed an annual price rise of 4.4%, with the average home valued at £156,495. The South West was the fastest growing region with an annual growth rate of 6.1%, up from 5.3% in the
A father has failed in his bid to have his son returned to the UK from Spain. In refusing his application, the High Court gave some useful guidance on how to determine a child’s habitual country of residence when parental disputes arise. The case involved a couple who met in the UK but then moved
When agreeing break clauses on commercial properties it’s important to ensure the terms are clear and unambiguous. Otherwise costly disputes can arise, as happened in a recent case involving Goldman Sachs and Procession House Trustee Ltd. Goldman had taken out a lease for a term of 25 years from 1999, at a rent of over
The Supreme Court has ruled in favour of a heterosexual couple who want to enter into a civil partnership as an alternative to getting married. The judgment follows a long running legal battle involving Charles Keidan and his partner Rebecca Steinfeld, who live in London. The couple want a legally recognised relationship but are uncomfortable
A woman who was dismissed amid confusion over whether two of her male colleagues had mistakenly drunk some of her cystitis medication has been awarded £19,000 compensation. The Employment Tribunal held that in cases like hers, menopausal symptoms could be a disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. The case involved Mandy Davies,
The Court of Appeal has provided useful guidance on when an employee can claim constructive unfair dismissal based on a “final straw” event following a series of related grievances. The issue arose in the case of Harpreet Kaur who worked for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. There was an altercation between Ms Kaur and another
A meat company has been granted an injunction preventing a former employee misusing its confidential information about customers and product prices. The court heard that the company supplied fresh meat to commercial catering customers. One of its employees resigned after working as a sales executive for two-and-a-half years. During his employment, he had direct contact
Prime Minister Theresa May has announced a new drive to use technology and artificial intelligence to tackle debilitating diseases like dementia. Speaking at the beginning of Dementia Week, organised by the Alzheimer’s Society, Mrs May said: “The United Kingdom will use data, artificial intelligence and innovation to transform the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of
The Court of Appeal says a pre-nup agreement between a divorcing couple should be upheld even though the wife claimed she had not been properly advised about its implications when it was drawn up. The case involved a husband and wife who were both Swedish but spent most of their 21-year marriage living in England.
Nearly 70,000 first-time buyers have benefited so far from the abolition of stamp duty on homes costing less than £300,000. The figures, released by the government, cover the period up to 31 March this year. The changes to stamp duty were made by Chancellor Philip Hammond in the autumn Budget last November. The stamp duty