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Two landlords have won a long-running dispute with their local authority over renting homes in multiple occupation (HMOs) to students. The issue arose after the authority imposed conditions on the HMO licences prohibiting the use of attic bedrooms for sleeping because the roof slope meant they were smaller than what it considered acceptable for a
A bodybuilder who appeared on the television show Gladiators as ‘Warrior’ infringed a company’s trademark when he used that stage name to sell nutritional supplements. The company that took legal action over the infringement, KBF Enterprises Ltd, manufactured sports nutrition products and supplements. From November 2010, it had used several registered marks including the word
An employee with a blood phobia was not subjected to disability discrimination when he was required to escort patients to and from hospital wards. Andrew Brangwyn was an occupational therapy technician with South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust. He had a phobia about blood, injections and needles. In January 2011, he was informed that he had
The number of businesses becoming insolvent rose by nearly 20% in the year to September. The retail sector was among the worst affected with nearly 400 outlets, including high profile casualties like House of Fraser, having to cease trading over the summer. It’s thought high business rates, uncertainty over Brexit and tensions over international trade
The High Court has ruled that the owner of a property was liable for council tax after the tenant renting it fled suddenly. At the end of 2016, there was a fire at the premises and it was discovered that it had been used for producing large quantities of cannabis. The tenant disappeared, having not
The High Court has ruled that investors who had been persuaded to place money in a joint venture as a result of deceit should be compensated as if the failed project had not happened. The investment had been undertaken by Kea Investments Ltd, which placed £129m in a joint venture vehicle. The court ruled that
The naming of Sir Philip Green as the businessman trying to prevent his identity being published over sexual and racial harassment claims has thrown the spotlight on workplace Non-Disclosure Agreements. The issue arose after five employees at Sir Philip’s Arcadia group made allegations about his “discreditable conduct”. All the complaints were settled before any details
Prime Minister Theresa May has announced plans for a series of measures to remove the barriers facing ethnic minorities in the workplace Mrs May has launched a consultation on ethnicity pay reporting in response to the recent Race Disparity Audit, which revealed significant disparities in the pay and progression of ethnic minority employees compared to
A compliance officer with an international bank who was “side-lined” after having a baby has won her claims of maternity and sex discrimination. Jagruti Rajput joined Commerzbank AG in London as a senior compliance advisor in 2012. By 2015 she was being considered as a possible candidate for head of department. In 2016, she went
A company has been found liable for an assault by its managing director after a Christmas party that left an employee with brain damage. The incident happened after the director, John Major, organised and paid for a Christmas party for staff at Northampton Recruitment Ltd. After the party he arranged for taxis to take some