Simplifying Inheritance Tax

The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) has published its first report in response to its major Inheritance Tax (IHT) review and has identified a number of administrative formalities that could be reduced in order to Read more…

November Employment Bulletin – Disability discrimination

Is it disability discrimination if an employer deals with an ill health retirement procedure badly? Not necessarily, the Court of Appeal has said. Mr Dunn was employed by the Ministry of Justice and he had Read more…

November Employment Bulletin – Limiting discrimination claims

Can a tribunal make an employee choose their ‘best ten’ allegations in a discrimination claim? Not usually, said the Employment Appeal Tribunal in Tarn v Hughes. Dr Tarn was a GP who brought claims for Read more…

November Employment Bulletin – Establishing disability

Is every medical condition a disability? And if an employee mentions a medical condition, does that mean the employer knew that the employee was disabled? Not necessarily, said the Employment Appeal Tribunal in Mutombo-Mpania v Read more…

What is happening in relation to the Inheritance Tax treatment of trusts?

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) have announced the opening of a consultation on the taxation of trusts first touted by the Chancellor last year. The consultation includes scrutiny of the way in which trusts can Read more…

Increase in probate fees back on the agenda

This week, it was announced that an increase in probate fees was back on the agenda following the shelving of initial proposals before the 2017 general election. New legislation would see a flat rate system Read more…

Autumn Budget 2018

In what might be the final Budget before Brexit, Chancellor Hammond announced an end to austerity.  Certainly the Budget appears to give more than it takes. However, given that it presumes a favourable Brexit deal, Read more…

October Employment Bulletin – ACAS guidance on overtime

Most employers use overtime at some point, to satisfy increased demands such as a large order or an unexpected increase in work. The new ACAS guidance explains the difference between voluntary and compulsory overtime. It Read more…

October Employment Bulletin – Constructive dismissal: the last straw

The law on constructive dismissal has been under the spotlight recently. Sometimes, employees claim constructive dismissal because of a ‘last straw’ which pushes them over the edge. The courts have recently considered whether a fair Read more…

October Employment Bulletin – Pay freezes

How easy is it for an employer to impose a pay freeze? In Abrahall v Nottingham City Council, the Court of Appeal decided that a group of employees had not ‘agreed’ to a pay freeze Read more…

Israel-Britain Chamber of Commerce: Eighth Annual Real Estate Event

Our Partner Avi Barr is currently in Tel Aviv and last night attended the Israel-Britain Chamber of Commerce’s Eighth Annual Real Estate Event. The evening focused on the UK real estate market and how to Read more…

Streamlining private sector development lending

Whilst there is no lack of interest in the funding of property and engineering developments in the UK, many developers are finding it much harder to progress deals with their funding parties. To an extent, Read more…

Reforming Leasehold Enfranchisement: Law Commission publishes consultation paper

Last month, the Law Commission published a consultation paper on proposals to reform the law relating to leasehold enfranchisement. The deadline to respond to the consultation is the 20 November 2018.   Why was the Read more…

Macmillan Coffee Morning 2018

Lawrence Stephens took part today in the national Macmillan Coffee Morning, raising money in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support to help in their vital work. Since launching almost thirty years ago, Macmillan’s coffee mornings have been Read more…

September Employment Bulletin – Whistleblowing: Protected Disclosures

Sections 43A-43L of the Employment Rights Act 1996 protect workers who report malpractice (a ‘disclosure’) by their employer and are then treated badly. For a disclosure to be protected it must contain ‘information’ which the Read more…

September Employment Bulletin – Discrimination arising from disability

An employer will not be liable for disability discrimination unless it knew about the employee’s disability (or should have known about it). But what if an employer disciplines someone for misconduct that they don’t know Read more…

September Employment Bulletin – Disciplinary action for high sickness absence

High sickness absence can place huge pressure on a business. How easy is it to take disciplinary action against a disabled employee for high sickness absence? The Employment Appeal Tribunal has looked at this issue Read more…

New Service Charge Code for commercial property transactions

This month, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (“RICS”) published a professional statement, titled “Service Charges in Commercial Property (1st edition)”, which set out a new Service Charge Code for commercial property transactions.   This Read more…

August Employment Bulletin – Itemised Payslips

The catchily named Employment Rights Act 1996 (Itemised Pay Statement) (Amendment) (No.2) Order 2018 requires businesses to provide all ‘workers’ with an itemised pay slip. Previously, only employees were entitled to receive itemised statements. Workers Read more…

August Employment Bulletin – Employee status and ‘umbrella contracts’

Can an individual who is employed as ‘bank staff’, with no guaranteed hours, be an ’employee’? Ms Lane-Angell worked for Hafal assisting vulnerable adults in police detention. Her contract said there were ‘no guaranteed hours‘ Read more…

August Employment Bulletin – Worker Status: Pimlico Plumbers

There has been a lot of publicity lately about the employment status of individuals working in the gig economy. Employees and workers have more rights than the genuinely self-employed, so individuals are pushing for this Read more…

Planning permission: when a house isn’t a home

How hard are planning permission conditions to lift? Recently, a planning inspector was asked to consider a request to remove a planning condition which restricted the use of a dwelling to holiday accommodation. The inspector Read more…

What happens if you die without a Will?

Quite simply, if you do not have a Will in place, intestacy rules will determine where your assets pass upon death. The rules, which are contained in the Inheritance & Trustees Powers Act 2014, highlight Read more…

July Employment Bulletin – Knowledge of Disability

Do you have a duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 for an employee who believes he has a disability when you have no such evidence? Mr Toy worked as a probationery Read more…

July Employment Bulletin – Expectation to work long hours

As an employer you may require your employees to work longer hours from time to time to meet business needs. If you have a disabled employee who cannot work these hours, you may have to Read more…

July Employment Bulletin – Disability discrimination: the definition of cancer

Cancer is listed as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, providing sufferers with protection from discrimination. Employers must also make reasonable adjustments to a cancer sufferer’s job to remove any disadvantage they suffer as Read more…

Developers – be aware when entering into Overage Agreements

The recent case of London and Ilford Ltd v Sovereign Property Holdings Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ highlights the need for all developers to be cautious when entering into an Overage Agreement (OA). This decision shows Read more…

Is this the first step towards Rent Act Controls?

Government consultation on minimum three-year residential tenancy with a six-month break clause. With UK home ownership dropping to 63% last year and 8 out of every 10 tenants holding contracts of only 6 to 12 Read more…

Give a tenant a break

Break clauses are far more commonplace in commercial leases than they once were. They are also some of the most litigated provisions. In the case of Goldman Sachs International v Procession House Trustees, heard in Read more…

June Employment Bulletin – Dismissal of a pregnant employee

Do you have to reconsider a decision to dismiss an employee if you later find out she is pregnant? Ms Thompson was employed by Really Easy Car Credit, to do online telesales. She had worked Read more…

June Employment Bulletin – Redundancy Bumping

A redundancy arises when there is a reduction in the employer’s requirements for employees to carry out work of a particular kind. Sometimes an employee whose role is redundant can be redeployed into another role Read more…

June Employment Bulletin – Ignorance of Employment Rights

A woman who was paid 33 pence per hour as a domestic worker and was unaware of her right to the national minimum wage has been successful in her claim for constructive unfair dismissal under Read more…

In support of sub-contractors

‘Contractor’s assets insufficient to pay creditors’ – ‘Sub-contractors owed millions of pounds for work carried out prior to the firm’s liquidation’: such headlines are now horridly familiar. Construction insolvencies account for up to 20% of Read more…

Lawrence Stephens celebrates £6m construction and development deal between valued clients

6th June, London – Polyteck Group has been awarded a £6m construction and development deal by property investment company Anaspel, following an introduction from Lawrence Stephens. Lawrence Stephens has previously worked with both Polyteck Group Read more…

Landlords beware as Caridon Property Ltd v Monty Shooltz case reveals strict approach to Section 21 notices for possession

Residential landlords will be aware of the Section 21 procedure to regain possession of properties let on assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) under the Housing Act 1988. In October 2015, new rules were introduced by the Read more…

Lawrence Stephens Solicitors are proud to sponsor and participate in the Anderson Wilde & Harris Charity Golf Day 2018

This event takes place on Thursday 17th May 2018 at the Hartsbourne Country Club and will be raising funds for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and Barnardo’s Children’s Charities. Andrew Conway, Partner, said: “Our team Read more…

Lawrence Stephens exhibiting at J Trade 2018

Lawrence Stephens will be exhibiting at the upcoming J Trade Expo on 14th May 2018 at the Business Design Centre in Islington. J Trade is a ground-breaking industry networking event, bringing together Jewish construction, development Read more…

April Employment Bulletin – Duty to disclose relationships

The Supreme Court has decided that a head teacher, Ms Reilly, was fairly dismissed for gross misconduct, for failing to disclose to her school’s governing authority the fact that she had a close relationship with Read more…

April Employment Bulletin – HR and disciplinary action

The role of Human Resources in disciplinary proceedings continues to be a hot topic. Managers conducting a disciplinary investigation or hearing may need advice from HR. However, HR should confine their advice to technical matters Read more…

April Employment Bulletin – Sexual harassment at work

The Equalities and Human Rights Commission has issued a powerful new report called ‘Turning the tables: ending sexual harassment at work’. The report shares evidence from employers and employees of sexual harassment in the workplace Read more…