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Flood risk insurability – are you exposed?
On 1 July 2013, barring unexpected developments, flood risk insurance for residential property will move to the open market leaving an estimated 200,000 properties exposed to the possibility of severe capital value reductions.
Read moreFinal curtain call
On 14 February 2013 the Court of Appeal in Miller v Sutton [2013] EWCA Civ brought to an end a long running campaign by Mr Miller against his former solicitor in relation to his failed business selling Jimi Hendrix CDs.
Read moreJCT Insurance Options: what's the right fit for fit-out?
Where a tenant is fitting out premises within a multi-occupied building, the JCT's standard insurance options are not always appropriate and, left unaddressed, place unintended and severe risks on the tenant.
Read moreSubstantively procedural: Delineating boundaries in cross-border litigation
In a recent decision, the High Court has ruled that the manner in which expert evidence should be given is to be determined by reference to the procedural law of the forum and not the applicable, substantive law governing the dispute.1
Read moreTake care of your letterhead ...
In UCB Home Loans Corporation Ltd v Soni & Co the Court of Appeal has found that a partner in a solicitor's firm was not liable under the S14 Partnership Act 1980 for fraudulent representations made by another partner to a mortgage lender.
Read moreLenders' contributory negligence - a blunted blade?
Notwithstanding the growing impact of limitation defences, many UK lenders' portfolios remain exposed.
Read moreClarification of solicitors' breach of trust claims in a re-mortgage situation
The Court of Appeal on 8 February 2013 in AIB Group (UK) plc v Mark Redler & Co [2013] EWCA Civ 45 has provided further clarification of the necessary ingredients to establish breach of trust by solicitors in a lender's claim.
Read moreThe Prudential decision – implications for taxpayers
The Supreme Court has refused to extend legal advice privilege ('LAP') to legal advice given by professionals who are not lawyers.
Read moreGoing viral: Supreme Court on YouTube
It has now been two weeks since the launch of the UK Supreme Court's YouTube channel.[1]
Read moreSecurity Trustee – fiduciary or mortgagee?
The High Court has recently given judgment in a case* relating to the duties owed by a security trustee to mezzanine lenders, in circumstances where the security trustee is enforcing security on behalf of senior lenders.
Read moreEngineer held liable for losses caused by the fall in property values
An engineer may be liable to his client for losses caused by a fall in property values. So held the Court of Appeal in the case of John Grimes Partnership Ltd v Gubbins.
Read moreLeO maximum monetary award increases – but at least it's final
The Legal Ombudsman – or LeO to its new friends – has today been granted the power to award £50k (up from £30k).
Read moreTaxpayer misled by HMRC amidst settlement confusion
It is normally very clear to both parties when a tax dispute has been settled by way of agreement, but this is not always the case, especially when the 'agreement' was based on a misunderstanding.
Read moreGovernment property, Kirstie and Phil style?
Ok, so Ms Allsopp and Mr Spencer haven’t quite been called in yet, but almost.
Read moreAnnual Review 2012/13
2013 is set to be a turbulent year across many classes of insurance business, especially those which will be affected by the Jackson Reforms revolution in the UK.
Read moreThe End of the British High Street?
2012 was a hard year for the retail sector but 2013 is shaping up to be an even tougher year for High Streets in the UK.
Read moreRICS guidance note on Risk
As a profession, surveyors (and their insurers) have been hit very badly as a result of claims arising from the credit crunch.
Read moreCourt dismisses interest rate swap misselling case
Green & Rowley v RBS1, the first reported case of its kind to come before the English court, saw Mr Green and Mr Rowley – property developers operating in a partnership (the "Claimants") – bring proceedings against the Royal Bank of Scotland (the "Bank"), alleging that they had been mis-sold an interest rate hedging product.
Read moreIs the Green Deal a great deal?
There is no denying the Green Deal has many advantages but consider the deal in relation to short term leases and it may not be as great as it initially seems.
Read morePermission to appeal denied in Walter Lilly v Mackay
Permission to appeal was refused on 24 January 2013 in the case of Walter Lilly and Company Limited v (1) Giles Patrick Cyril Mackay (2) DMW Developments Limited.
Read moreNew standard terms for Bar creating controversy
The Law Society yesterday issued a practice note on the new standard contractual terms for the supply of legal services of barristers. These rules are due to come into effect in January 2013.
Read moreThe Court of Appeal's decision in Henry v News Group Newspapers: costs budgeting
Costs budgeting is one of the key planks of the Jackson reforms due in force on 1 April 2013.
Read moreReport Card
We're casting our critical eye over the Government's employment law proposals and writing its school report.
Read moreFaith and Freedom
In a debate that has lasted several years, one of my colleagues and I have been at odds on the case of Lillian Ladele, the Islington registrar who refused to conduct civil partnership ceremonies.
Read moreSurveying the legal landscape
The Court of Appeal has handed down its much anticipated judgment on the admissibility of survey evidence in the long running trade mark dispute between Marks & Spencer and Interflora.
Read moreCrown Prosecution Service announces major expansion of prosecutions for tax fraud
As announced in the national press this week (see e.g. the Financial Times Monday 21 January 2013) the Crown Prosecution Service ('CPS') has announced that it will increase five-fold the number of tax cases that it considers for criminal prosecution.
Read moreHave you notified a claim?
How precise do you need to be when notifying your professional indemnity insurers of a possible claim?
Read moreLegal advice privilege remains for qualified lawyers only
The Supreme Court has today rejected an attempt to extend legal advice privilege to legal advice given by professionals other than lawyers.
Read moreThe meaning of (commercial) words
Arguing over the meaning of words is an archetypal lawyerly activity and one which litigators accustomed to disputes over contractual construction know all too well.
Read moreAccountants' Duty of Care to Third Parties
In a welcome reminder of a long established principle, the High Court decision in the October 2012 case of Arrowhead Capital Finance Limited v KPMG
Read moreNEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract "Guidance Notes": more important than you realise for interpreting the ECC
Certain terms of the NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract ('ECC') are open to interpretation, and the recent case of E-Nik Ltd v Department for Communities & Local Government [2012] EWHC 3027 (Comm) has cast into doubt whether even something as routine as VAT is crystal-clear under the ECC.
Read moreVictory for the taxpayers in the Charlton case as the UT confirms that HMRC's discovery assessments were unlawful
The eagerly awaited decision of the Upper Tribunal ('UT') in HMRC v Charlton, Corfield & another [2012] UK FTT 770, has now been delivered.
Read moreThe dangers of being helpful with evidence…
Developers' fraud proceedings against Chartered Surveyors struck out as "unjust harassment"
Read moreEnforcing Insolvency Orders in England & Wales following Rubin v Eurofinance
The UK Supreme Court judgment in the conjoined cases of Rubin and another v Eurofinance SA and others and New Cap Reinsurance Corporation (in Liquidation) and another v AE Grant and others [2012] UKSC 46, which provides vital clarification on the effect of foreign insolvency judgments on the UK courts.
Read moreFSA market study into insurance add-ons 'shines a light' on competition
The FSA has recently announced details of a market study into general insurance add-on products in a bid to 'shine a light' on how competition operates within the 'relevant markets' for such products.
Read moreDevelopment incentives – but at what cost?
In light of what is starting to appear to be a wholehearted failure to persuade local communities to meet requisite housing targets, Nick Boles last week proposed self-proclaimed "bungs" to local communities.
Read moreFOS: Pit stop on the road to court?
As I reported in December, following the case of Clark v In Focus Asset Management and Tax Solutions, a complainant may now accept a maximum monetary award from FOS and then bring a civil claim through the courts to sue for the balance of their loss.
Read moreInjunctive relief in support of foreign proceedings: don't fall at the first hurdle
Following RPC Commercial Litigation Blog post "Granting interim relief in support of foreign proceedings: the expediency test revisited",...
Read moreFact stranger than fiction - taxpayer succeeds in challenging finding of fact before the Upper Tribunal
The Upper Tribunal (Arnold J) has allowed the taxpayer's appeal in Joseph Okolo v HMRC [2012] UKUT 416 (TCC).
Read moreLegal Ombudsman scheme rules revision
The Legal Ombudsman is about to make significant changes to its role, widening its current powers and coming into line with the role of the Financial Ombudsman.
Read moreBreach of trust: the new contributory negligence avoidance scheme for lenders
In the current climate, the majority of claims we are instructed to defend solicitors against, are being brought by lenders, in the conveying context.
Read moreNon-Party Costs Order against Solicitors acting on CFAs
In the recent case of Tinseltime Limited, the Defendants made an application for a non-party costs order against the Claimant's solicitor.
Read moreWhen a financial adviser will be liable for the full extent of a client's losses
For banks, investment advisers, and their professional indemnity insurers, the Court of Appeal ruling in Rubenstein v HSBC
Read moreBump-up claims: the next wave of US shareholder litigation against US-listed Chinese companies?
A growing number of US-listed Chinese companies have had enough of being sued by their American shareholders.
Read moreLIBOR Update
On 27 June, it was revealed that Barclays had agreed to pay fines totalling £290 million ...
Read moreThe Cost of Regulation in the Legal Profession
The Legal Services Board ("LSB") was created by the Legal Services Act 2007 and became fully operational on 1 January 2010.
Read moreThe need for checks and balances
A recent article in the Daily Telegraph Newspaper "How one family were brought to their knees by the Taxman" by Alasdair Palmer
Read moreGreen light for TNT's judicial review
Unperturbed by the High Court's initial dismissal of their attempt to judicially review HMRC's VAT exemption for postal access services provided by Royal Mail
Read moreSuing for the balance – High Court tips the scales the other way
In a shocking about-turn, the High Court yesterday handed down judgment holding that a FOS complainant may accept a maximum monetary award and then bring a civil claim in court to claim for the balance.
Read moreWill Planning Performance perform?
On 22 November 2012, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) published a consultation entitled 'Planning performance and the planning guarantee' setting out, amongst other things, how the Growth and Infrastructure Bill's proposals to enable planning applications to be made directly to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) would operate.
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