Latest Legal News
One of the most important duties required of a company director is to keep, maintain, preserve and, if necessary, deliver up adequate accounting records. The High Court resoundingly made that point in imposing a seven-year directorship disqualification on...
Commercial landlords and tenants may contract out of the security of tenure provisions of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 , but only if certain conditions are met. One of those conditions came under close analysis by the Court of Appeal in a ruling that...
The value of many assets has been devastated by COVID-19 – but is that a good enough reason for setting aside divorce settlements agreed before the pandemic struck? A family judge considered that issue in a guideline case . The case concerned a...
When assessing whether tax mitigation schemes are effective, judges must interpret legislation in the real world and with regard to the likely intentions of Parliament. The Supreme Court made those points in a test case concerning schemes designed to avoid...
There will always be some who view anti-competitive business practices as an easy route to profits, but those who engage in them can expect deterrent punishments. In one case, a supplier of musical instruments was fined over £5 million for fostering a...
Judges often plead with divorcing couples to bury the hatchet rather than subject themselves to the financial and emotional self-harm of litigation. As a High Court case showed , however, such good advice is sadly not always heeded. The case concerned a...
Bad blood often exists between trade rivals, but is it an acceptable business practice for them to poke fun at one another? The High Court tackled that issue in the context of a trade mark dispute between tech giant Apple and Swiss watch manufacturer...
Building works to extend or improve your property may involve temporary incursions onto your neighbour's land, for which permission is required. In a case that showed the serious consequences of pressing ahead without such consent , partners in a medical...
Should potentially competitive business activities engaged in by charities be exempt from VAT? The First-tier Tribunal (FTT) confronted that issue in extending VAT exemption to supplies made by a restaurant where students with learning disabilities gain...
Every internet user has had the experience of mechanically scrolling through densely typed terms and conditions before being granted access to a website – but are they worth anything in law? The High Court tackled that issue in confirming an online...
It is sadly true that bankruptcy proceedings are sometimes used by perfectly solvent individuals for purposes other than seeking to satisfy their creditors or manage their debts. However, as a High Court case showed, alleging such conduct is one thing and...
Strict contractual rights, no matter how clearly defined, may be impliedly waived by conduct. That principle came under High Court analysis in a dispute concerning stalled plans for the construction of a space age engine testing centre. Trustees of a unit...
Many commercial tenants who are experiencing cash-flow crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been constrained to stop paying rent and are racing to restructure their debts – but where does that leave their landlords? The High Court squarely...
The advent of the internet means that spotless professional reputations, built up over decades, can be traduced at the click of a button. As one case showed, however, if you are on the receiving end of such treatment, you don't have to take it lying down. ...
The legal concept of habitual residence is a notoriously slippery one, but the ease of global travel has rendered it ever more important in the field of family law. The point was powerfully made by the case of an orphaned schoolgirl who was born in Britain...
Almost every business owner understands that feeling of desperation arising from cashflow problems. As a case concerning VAT due on a commercial property sale showed, however, treating tax liabilities as a can to be kicked down the road is never a sensible...
Commercial property leases can be long and complex documents, but it is often their most apparently simple clauses that give rise to dispute. That was certainly so in a High Court case concerning an airport hotel owner who was required to pay for its gas...
Providing personal guarantees as security for corporate loans is for many businesspeople simply a price that has to be paid to achieve commercial success. As a High Court case showed , however, signing such a document is a momentous step that should never...
The internet brings many benefits, but the widespread provision of software used in wholesale copyright infringement is decidedly not one of them. The High Court powerfully made that point in assisting record companies to stamp out the latest manifestation...
Sensible people accept that they have a moral responsibility financially to maintain their children, whether or not they are born in wedlock. As a High Court case showed , the extent of such responsibilities largely depends on needs, reasonable lifestyle...
Those who draft legislation cannot possibly foresee technological advances that may transform society in the future. In a case on point , the Court of Appeal considered whether VAT zero-rating, afforded to newspapers since pre-internet days, should be...
Entering into a lease, whether commercial or residential, without taking legal advice is, to say the least, highly unwise. A landowner who fell into that trap put himself at serious risk of an unwanted tenant moving into his newly built home. The man bought...
COVID-19 has without doubt drastically affected the fortunes of some very wealthy people. As a High Court ruling in a big money divorce case showed , however, the pandemic does not by itself amount to a good reason for failing to meet legal and financial...
So-called 'push payment' frauds – often involving bogus emails providing false bank account details – can be very convincing and represent a scourge on individuals and businesses alike. In a High Court case, a company alleged to have suffered one...
Internet domain names often change hands for large sums of money and disputes in respect of their ownership are an increasing source of litigation. A High Court ruling in one such case concerned a domain name which had strategic potential in the online...
It is not uncommon for neighbours with a shared right of way to be in dispute.
That could be the result of an annoying neighbour parking vans on a shared route into a commercial estate, or someone storing items blocking the path leading to your residential home. When you challenge the relevant individual, the answer invariably comes back: “It is my right of way too.”
Rather than out of sight, out of mind, these disputes are almost always in sight and on your mind, because you may see your neighbour every day. It is therefore essential to obtain quick, effective legal advice on your options so that the situation does not escalate or continue.
If a neighbour is interfering with your right of way, the Court can generally award you one or more of the following remedies in a legal action known as “private nuisance.”
- An injunction forcing your neighbour to cease the relevant interference. If the neighbour breaches an injunction, they may have to pay a fine or could even go to prison.
- A declaration from the Court as to the extent of the right of way.
- Damages from the Court for any financial loss you have suffered as a result of the interference. This is especially essential for businesses who may suffer significant losses if they are unable to access their premises due to an interference with a right of way.
- The Court could grant you the power to lawfully remove an item blocking the right of way. This is a crucial remedy in circumstances where the relevant neighbour may not be engaging with the legal process.
However, in order for a private nuisance claim to succeed, you will need to demonstrate to the Court that the interference with your right of way is “substantial.” You will almost certainly need independent legal advice on whether your circumstances pass that threshold test.
If a neighbour or anyone else is interfering with your right of way, please don’t hesitate to contact our George Gwynn for an initial no obligation conversation on 0121 355 0011 or at George.Gwynn@belllax.com.
