Commercial Client Articles

Financial penalties imposed on a company’s former director after he breached a settlement agreement were harsh but still enforceable. That was the decision of the High Court in a case involving Permanent Ltd and Greenhill Industrial Holdings Ltd v...

The landlord of an unlicensed house in multiple occupation (HMO) has been ordered to repay the full amount of universal credit she received from the local authority to meet the rent for people in need of emergency accommodation. The property had five...

The Countrywide estate agency group has won a contract dispute involving the £38m sale of one of its subsidiaries. The court heard evidence that Countrywide had agreed to sell its subsidiary, Lambert Smith Hampton Limited (“LSH”), to John...

A surgeon who accidentally set one of his patients on fire during an operation has won his case of unfair dismissal and been awarded £67,000. Dr O Iwuchukwu worked at City Hospitals Sunderland, part of South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation...

A director who had conducted the affairs of a night club in a way that had unfairly prejudiced a minority shareholder has been ordered to make an interim payment to her of £200,000. The figure could be much higher once a further hearing takes place. ...

The ban on tenants being evicted by bailiffs, which was imposed because of the Covid19 pandemic, has been extended until 31 March. Exemptions remain in place for the most serious circumstances that cause the greatest strain on landlords as well as other...

Two partners in a failed business have been told that the liquidator can call upon them to pay nearly £600,000 between them for the partnership’s liabilities and the expenses of the winding-up. The issue arose after the liquidators had applied...

Creditors of the Café Nero chain have been granted the right to an expedited trial to enable them to recover full compensation for unpaid rents. The case involved several commercial landlords who were challenging the validity of the way Nero had...

The Supreme Court has ruled that Uber drivers should be classed as workers rather than as self-employed. The distinction is crucial as it means drivers gain significant employments rights such as entitlement to the minimum wage and holiday pay. The...

A possession notice didn’t have to include a landlord's name and address where it was signed by the landlord's agent; it was sufficient to give the name and address of the agent. That was the decision of the Court of Appeal in a case involving...