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Law Commission Report on the Electronic Execution of Documents

Following our blog back in September 2018 on the Law Commission Consultation (available here), the Law Commission has now issued its report on the electronic execution of documents.The report confirms that current laws permit electronic signatures, but that the law is not very accessible to non-lawyers and businesses. The aim of ... Continue reading

Employment Tribunal: Vegetarianism is Not a Philosophical Belief

A recent employment tribunal, in Conisbee v Crossley Farms Ltd and others, has found that vegetarianism is not a “philosophical belief” under the Equality Act 2010. Interestingly, however, the tribunal suggested that veganism is more likely to be protected under the Act.Mr Conisbee, who is vegetarian, resigned from his ... Continue reading

Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019 Now in Force

The Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019 (‘the Act’) came into force on 01 September 2019 and applies to Wales only. The aim of the Act is to reduce the “hidden” costs that a tenant can face at the start of their tenancy.This Act is similar to the Tenant Fees Act 2019 (which affects England only), but there are key differe ... Continue reading

New Laws on Non-Disclosure Agreements - What Will They Mean for You?

Non-Disclosure Agreements or ‘NDAs’ have become something of a touchy subject in recent years owing to their increasingly frequent appearances in high-profile cover-ups and abuse scandals. In particular, NDAs are said to be widely used to cover up allegations of unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace and ... Continue reading

Government Publishes Section 21 Consultation

Earlier this year, the Government announced that it was outlining plans to abolish ‘no-fault evictions’ permitted under Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 in England. Under the current law in England, landlords can evict tenants (giving them eight weeks’ notice) at any time after the fixed-term contract has come to an end, witho ... Continue reading

Welsh Government Consult on Extending Minimum Notice Period for a No-Fault Eviction

Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 currently gives landlords in England and Wales the right to serve a notice on their tenant giving them 2 months’ notice to leave the property. Tenants must have been in occupation for four months before a landlord can serve this notice on the tenant.Section 173 of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act ... Continue reading

Government Responds to Consultation on Leasehold Reform

The Government issued a consultation in October 2018 to seek views on how it can implement changes in the leasehold sector in England to tackle exploitative practices.The Government’s response to the consultation has now been published: ‘Implementing reforms to the leasehold system in England’ as has its response to the ‘Housing ... Continue reading

Supreme Court Ruling on Estate Agent's Commission

Agent’s Commission Payable but Reduced for Not Complying with the Estate Agents ActAn important ruling was recently handed down by the Supreme Court in Wells v Devani [2019] UKSC 4, which concerned a dispute between an estate agent and seller which arose when the seller refused to pay the estate agent’s commission following comp ... Continue reading

Court of Appeal Ruling on Enhanced Maternity Pay and Shared Parental Leave

In May of this year, the Court of Appeal delivered an important decision for employers who enhance maternity pay but do not mirror that enhancement for employees taking shared parental leave.The current legal position is that it is up to employers to decide whether or not to enhance contractual pay to employees on shared parenta ... Continue reading

Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019 Receives Royal Assent

The Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019 (‘the Act’) received Royal Assent on 15 May 2019 and is due to come into force in Wales on the 01 September 2019.The purpose of this Act is to make costs more transparent and to make the private rented housing market in Wales more accessible to tenants who often struggle to meet up ... Continue reading

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