Topic: Business Law

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Apprentices are top gainers as National Minimum Wage rises

15th April 2015 | Business Law

Apprentices Top Gainers As National Wage Rises | Middletons Solicitors Apprentices will get the biggest pay boost when the National Minimum Wage increases come into effect in October. The adult rate will rise by 20p from £6.50 per hour to £6.70, a 3% increase. However, the rate for apprentices will rise by 57p to £3.30 per hour. The government says the larger increase is designed to make the pay rate for apprenticeships comparable to other choices for work. Ministers are also...

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Builders win damages from client over contract breach

4th February 2015 | Business Law

Builders Win Damages Over Contract Breach | Middletons Solicitors A contractor that was left more than £100,000 out of pocket when a customer cancelled a building project has been awarded damages by the High Court. The compensation was awarded even though the firm didn’t have a signed contract. The issue arose after the firm won a tender to build an extension to a house. During negotiations over final pricing, the customer was sent a blank copy of the proposed contract and the JCT...

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New law makes it easier to protect intellectual property

26th July 2014 | Business Law

Businesses will be able to protect their intellectual property rights more effectively across Europe and the rest of the world as new legislation comes into effect. The Intellectual Property Act received the Royal Assent on 14 May. One of its key features is that it enables the UK to implement the Unified Patent Court Agreement, which will make it possible to get a single patent covering most EU countries. Ministers estimate that this will save UK businesses up to £40m a year. The...

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New guidelines to tackle late payment problem

14th July 2014 | Business Law

New Guidelines Put Forward Tackle Late Payment Problems | Middletons Solicitors The problems small firms face with late payments from larger businesses is being tackled in a new set of guidelines put forward by the government. Hundreds of large firms have signed the Prompt Payment Code but many of them don’t always meet the standards required. Overdue invoices have been identified as one of the major problems faced by small firms and so Business Secretary Vince Cable has proposed a...

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Government help for women starting and growing businesses

10th June 2014 | Business Law

Government Help Women In Growing Businesses | Middletons Solicitors Female entrepreneurs are being helped to grow their businesses by a new set of government schemes. The measures are part of the Small Business: GREAT Ambition campaign which aims to help small businesses survive and thrive as the economy continues to recover. Part of the campaign is targeted specifically at female business owners, with various tools and benefits being made available. Female business owners in rural...

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Late payments lead to more insurance claims than insolvency

30th April 2014 | Business Law

Survey Shows That Late Payments Lead to More Insurance Claims Than Insolvency | Middletons Late payments now lead to more credit insurance claims than insolvency, according to a recent survey. In the first three quarters of 2013, 60% of claims were made because of a customer’s protracted default, with 40% because of customer insolvency. That is in contrast to 33% for protracted default and 67% for insolvency the previous year. Andrew Share of Coface UK, which carried out the...

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Coach firm wins competition claim against airport

14th April 2014 | Business Law

Coach Firm Wins Competition Claim Against Airport  | Middletons Solicitors  A coach firm has won a competition claim against an airport which abused its dominant position in the market for its own financial gain. The coach firm had operated a transport service between the airport and London Victoria for 30 years. When the contract ran out the airport operator conducted a ‘tender’ process. The firm claimed that in a meeting four months earlier, the airport operator hadn’t...

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Insurers win dispute with union over commission payments

4th April 2014 | Business Law

An insurance company has won a legal dispute with a trade union over commission payments on the sale of its services to new customers. The case involved Unite the Union and Liverpool Victoria Banking Services. They had an agreement whereby Unite allowed Victoria access to its members in order to market and sell services to them. In return, Victoria would pay Unite a commission on the sales it made to those union members. The dispute arose when Victoria began its own marketing...

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Government to consider tougher action against late payers

19th March 2014 | Business Law

The government is looking at ways to ensure that large businesses pay their suppliers on time. The Prompt Payment Code (PPC) was set up in 2008 to encourage companies to pay invoices within the agreed timescale. However, the PPC has been widely criticised for being ineffective. Recent research by YouGov revealed that 85% of small businesses were still experiencing late payment. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) say that many larger firms are still taking double the agreed amount...

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Are you ready to hand over your business in the right way?

13th March 2014 | Business Law

After many years building up a business, directors often worry about how to bow out successfully while ensuring that the firm continues to thrive. The key to ensuring a smooth succession is to start planning as early as possible ahead of your target retirement date. The first step is to hold meetings with those who will run the business when you leave so you can agree an exit strategy. If you own a large share of the business, the remaining partners or directors may need to raise money...

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