Harvey Harding

False personal injury claimant seen cage fighting on DVD

by Harvey Harding January 8, 2014 Personal Injury

A man who made a substantial personal injury claim has avoided jail he was later seen on DVDs taking part in cage fighting competitions. Raymond Smith, from Dublin, admitted giving false information about injuries he suffered in a car crash. He claimed he had suffered a debilitating back injury when another driver went into the […]

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Rail workers to claim compensation for unfair dismissal

by Harvey Harding January 8, 2014 Employment Law

An Employment Tribunal has ruled rail workers who lost their jobs when a large company went into administration were unfairly dismissed. Rail infra-structure company Jarvis collapsed in March 2010 resulting in over a thousand job losses. An Employment Tribunal in Leeds has decided that the dismissals by Jarvis Rail Ltd were unfair. It also ruled […]

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Asbestos compensation claims decision welcomed

by Harvey Harding December 19, 2013 Personal Injury

The government’s decision not to change the way asbestos-related compensation claims are made has been welcomed by lawyers and campaigners. But asbestos victims and their supporters have condemned the government’s decision to cite the Mesothelioma Bill as one of the grounds for imposing legal costs on mesothelioma sufferers. A consultation to speed up the settlement […]

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Landlords rent arrears worry over benefits tenants

by Harvey Harding December 19, 2013 Conveyancing

The number of landlords letting to people on benefits has halved in the last three years, according to data from the National Landlords’ Association. The figure has fallen from 46% to just one in five (22%). Seven out of 10 landlords who do let properties to people benefits said they have experienced problems with rent […]

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First time buyer lending reaches six year high

by Harvey Harding December 18, 2013 Conveyancing

The number of mortgage loans given to first-time buyers this October was the highest since November 2007, new data from the Council of Mortgage lenders has revealed. There were 26,800 loans to first-time buyers in October, an increase of 16% on September and up 33% compared to October 2012. The loans added up to £3.7bn […]

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Landlord prosecution highlights tenant dangers

by Harvey Harding December 12, 2013 Property

The prosecution of a private landlord who let out a ‘filthy’ house highlights the dangers faced by tenants, the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) has said. Ravinder Singh Takhar, 57, who was 248th in the 2005 The Times Asian Rich List, was prosecuted under the Housing Act and Local Government Act. He admitted six […]

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E-cigarette firm to support worker’s unfair dismissal case

by Harvey Harding December 11, 2013 Employment Law

A worker could take his employers to an Employment Tribunal claiming unfair dismissal for smoking an e-cigarette while operating a truck. Paul Scott, of Carshalton, south London was fired from Viridor, the waste disposal company, in October. Mr Scott says he was smoking an E-Lites e-cigarette, something he thought he was allowed to do, but Viridor […]

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Landlords are not responsible for empty homes

by Harvey Harding December 11, 2013 Conveyancing

The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) has labelled the notion that landlords are deliberately leaving properties empty as ‘nonsense’. There are an estimated 700,000 empty homes in England – 270,000 of which have been empty for over six months. This has lead to criticism of the private rented sector with claims that some landlords are choosing not to […]

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Employment tribunal victory for ‘harassment’ vicar

by Harvey Harding December 5, 2013 Employment Law

A vicar who claims he was the victim of harassment has won an Employment Tribunal which could have a huge impact on the way the Church of England treats its clergy. Rev Mark Sharpe said he and his family endured abuse and intimidation from parishioners after moving to Hanley Broadheath in Worcestershire, in 2005. He […]

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Legal aid underspend criticised by Labour

by Harvey Harding December 5, 2013 Legal Aid

The Labour Party has criticised justice secretary Chris Grayling for pressing ahead with legal aid cuts despite an underspend on the budget last year. Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan insists the government is wrong to claim legal aid costs too much in a bid to justify cutting £220m from the budget. Mr Khan pointed to […]

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