Latest News

Bankruptcy is a stressful event for the bankrupt, particularly when the trustee in bankruptcy decides to seek a contribution to the creditors from pension policies that have not yet vested, as happened in a recent case . The trustee in bankruptcy claimed...

A decision of the High Court that a provisional liquidator could be appointed following a 'without notice' winding-up application by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) should serve as a warning to companies whose VAT affairs are in arrears. The company in...

When there is a risk of confusion on account of the registration of a trade mark name similar to yours, prompt action is advised. Recently, well-known double glazing firm Anglian Windows noted that an application had been made by an unrelated company, which...

Reaching a settlement with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in a tax dispute will normally lead to a letter of offer being agreed with them and signed by the taxpayer(s). A recent case before the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) confirms the finality of such...

The risks associated with buying 'off plan' are illustrated by a recent case in which the owners of more than 100 flats in two blocks in Leeds found themselves facing a series of problems due to defective workmanship. Financial constraints meant that the...

Unpaid care home fees present a significant problem to care home owners across the country. A recent case dealt with a situation where fees were unpaid after the death of a man who had been receiving residential care. The owner of the care home claimed...

What happens to a tenancy when the tenant dies or a tenant couple split up has led to many legal cases over the years. A recent case dealt with a situation in which one of the tenants of a house wished to end the tenancy after splitting up with her...

Normally, a refusal to mediate will incur the displeasure of the court and can be expensive if the court decides that the legal costs were higher than need be because of the refusal. However, when a case is sound, mediation is not always the right answer,...

Big money divorce cases get into the news for a whole variety of reasons, but an allegation of sex discrimination is seldom one of them. However, this was one of the issues raised in a divorce case involving a high-flying wife who sacrificed her career to...

The basis on which stamp duty is charged is being changed in a move that will benefit most purchasers of property. The old system applied a single rate of stamp duty based on the value of the purchase. This 'single slab' system led to some creative...