Employment Bulletin – December 2013
Read the latest copy of our Employment Bulletin addressing Tupe and Insolvency
News & Insights
Read our latest articles, news briefs and legal updates across all our different services.
Firm makes employee spend 12 months on garden leave
An investment company has upheld its legal right to make an employee spend 12 months on garden leave before taking up a post with a rival firm. The issue arose when the employee said he was resigning after working for the company as an investment adviser for 14 years. During that time, he had built
Landlord cannot increase rent despite property improvements
A landlord has lost his appeal to increase the rent on a property which had benefited from substantial improvements over two years. The issue arose after the landlord made a set of improvements in 2008. He applied to the Rent Control Committee to be allowed to increase the rent but was turned down. He made
Storage firm fails to prove breach of contract
A firm providing storage and distribution services has failed to prove that a commercial client was in breach of contract by not granting it exclusive rights as discussed during negotiations. The firm had nothing in writing to prove its claim and had to rely on oral agreements which were far from conclusive. The court heard
Cafe bar wins damages from rival firm with similar name
A cafe bar has won damages from a rival firm that set up using a similar name. Bocacina Ltd had operated a successful bar, restaurant and gallery inBristolsince 2005. It was sometimes referred to locally as the Bocabar or just Boca, and some of its meals and services were provided under the mark of ‘boca’.
More “sensitive” words become available for company names
The government is increasing the number of sensitive words that can be used in company names. Words such as Authority, Board, European, Group, National and International are being taken off the restricted list. It means businesses will be able to use them without getting prior permission from Companies House. However, words that could be misused
15,000 new homes bought under Help to Buy scheme
More than 15,000 people have signed up to buy a home under the government’s Help to Buy: equity loan scheme. Housing Minister Kris Hopkins said the figures showed there was a renewed confidence in the housing market. The scheme came into effect on 1 April 2013 and applies to new build properties only. To qualify,
Divorces may be set to rise as economy recovers
The divorce rate may be set to rise as the recession ends and the economy recovers, according to a survey of family lawyers. The survey, carried out by accountancy firm Grant Thornton, found that eight out of 10 lawyers felt that the recession had led to married couples delaying divorce proceedings. The reason is thought
Wife waited too long to seek better deal from husband’s will
People who feel they have not been properly provided for in a relative’s will can ask the courts to step in and grant them a larger share of the deceased person’s estate. However, unless there are exceptional circumstances, they usually have to begin proceedings within a six-month time limit. Failure to so do could mean
Father wins appeal over where his daughter should live
A father has won his appeal against a judge’s decision that his daughter should be sent back toSpainto live with her mother. The case involved a couple with four children. The father was British and the mother was Spanish. The family had spent most of their time living in theUK, but when the couple’s relationship