Rest Breaks at Work Rules
Rest breaks at work are important to support employee wellbeing, optimise workforce performance and, in many work environments, ensure safety. As such, employers have to give their workers appropriate breaks and opportunities for rest while at work. As an employer, if you fail to meet the minimum legal requirements, or to offer a suitable compensatory […]
How Long Does Conveyancing Take with No Chain?
Understanding how long conveyancing will take can help with the overall buying process, such as giving notice on a tenancy or planning renovation work and booking removal services or furniture. If you’ve found the property you want to buy, or have accepted an offer to sell, the likelihood is you will want to get moving […]
What Happens When a Commercial Lease Expires?
The legal position of a tenant when their commercial lease expires will depend on whether their lease is subject to the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. Commercial tenants usually remain in a property when a lease has expired because they are still negotiating the terms of a new, renewed lease with the landlord or they […]
Premises Licence Application Guidance
If your business or organisation is involved in a licensable activity, including the sale and supply of alcohol, you will need a premises licence or other similar authorisation from the licensing authority. Below is a practical guide to making a premises licence application and some of the considerations that should be made. What is […]
Responding to a Data Subject Access Request
If you’re an employer, it is important that you understand your data protection obligations to avoid enforcement action and potential reputational damage. In this guide, we look at how to respond to a data subject access request (DSAR) from an employee, and explain when the right of access applies, when it can be refused and […]
Do You Need a Dog Boarding Licence?
If you’re thinking about starting up a dog boarding business, apart from putting in place suitable accommodation and arrangements to care for other people’s beloved pets, you will also need a licence from your local council. This is to help ensure the health and welfare of any animals in someone else’s care when operating for […]
Executor Not Communicating With Beneficiaries?
An executor not communicating with beneficiaries following the death of a loved one can often feel alarming, creating unnecessary angst during an already emotionally difficult time. It can therefore be useful, from the perspective of the beneficiaries, to know how best to approach this and what can be done to resolve any issues, where necessary. […]
How to Make a Personal Licence Application
Under the Licensing Act 2003, every sale of alcohol from licensed premises in England and Wales must be authorised by a personal licence holder. The following guide looks at the eligibility criteria when making a personal licence application, as well as some of the practical challenges you might face when applying for a personal alcohol […]
Making a Claim Against an Estate after Distribution
Once a deceased’s estate has been distributed to the beneficiaries, it is often too late to assert any right to that estate. However, even though there are time limits for making a claim against an estate, the court can still exercise some discretion if a claim is brought out of time. It may also be […]
What is a Patent?
The law provides a number of ways for people to protect their intellectual property. With your IP protected, you can fully capitalise on the commercial potential your invention or idea, while preventing exploitation from others. Patents are one such type of intellectual property protection. In this guide, we outline what a patent is, what is […]
What is Passing Off?
Passing off is when one party, whether intentionally or unintentionally, offers services or goods in a way that makes the purchaser believe they are buying from another party. This is seen as a misrepresentation that can damage the goodwill, profit and reputation of a person or business. Passing off is similar in principle to trademark infringement, except […]
Can You Make An Unfair Dismissal Claim?
As an employee, you have the right not to be dismissed unfairly. This means employers have to follow the correct procedure, or you may be eligible to make an unfair dismissal claim for compensation. A dismissal could be deemed unfair if the employee was dismissed for a reason which was not fair, if the employer […]
Self Employed Mortgage Guide
One of the downsides of having your own business is that applying for a mortgage can seem a more challenging process than if you were employed. The following guidance looks at the key criteria for getting a self employed mortgage, including which documentation you will need to show to potential lenders and the steps you […]
Bullied At Work? Advice For Employees
Employees are protected by law from being bullied at work. But it’s not always easy to know what your rights are and how to enforce them. If you are feeling emotionally distressed or professionally vulnerable because of the unwanted discriminatory behaviour of others, you may even get to the point where you feel you have […]
Age Discrimination in the Workplace (Your Rights)
Age discrimination or ageism in the workplace is a form of unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. Employers are under a legal duty to prevent age discrimination in the workplace. The Equality Act 2010 states individuals must not be discriminated against at work because they are (or are not) a certain age or in […]
Partnership Agreement (Terms to Include)
Before entering into a business partnership, you should ensure the terms of the partnership are agreed and documented. Written partnership agreements are typically complex documents, containing a broad range of terms and clauses to cover all manner of eventualities which may not seem conceivable in the early days of the business, but a well-drafted agreement […]
Guide to UK Obscenity Laws
The obscenity laws in the UK are not limited to a single piece of legislation, nor indeed any one criminal offence. Following the introduction of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 — the first statute to criminalise the publication of obscene material — there are now a number of obscenity-related offences under several different pieces of […]
Short Term Study Visa (Learn English in the UK)
The short term study visa is an immigration route specifically designed for students aged 16 or over wanting to undertake an English language course in the UK of between 6 to 11 months at an accredited institution. The rules relating to short term study visas are set out under Appendix Short-term Student (English language) of […]
Why Ladies Night is Illegal: Nightclub Policy & Equality Act
From refusing entry to groups of men to offering discounted drinks for women, nightclubs risk breaking the law with discriminatory policies that could see them face claims for discrimination. Nightclub policies & discrimination: what the law says While nightclubs may have a general right to refuse entry, by law they have to ensure […]
Tier 2 General Visa Guide
The Tier 2 (General) visa is now closed to new applicants, and has been replaced by the Skilled Worker route. This article relates to the requirements for the old Tier 2 visa. If you are making a new visa application, you should apply under the Skilled Worker route. What is the Tier 2 (General) Visa? […]