Over five million cases of cybercrime and fraud occurred in 2016, according to the annual Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), making it the most common offence in the country. Professional firms must redouble their efforts to protect themselves…read more
FCA plans changes to professional indemnity insurance
The FCA is planning changes to its professional indemnity insurance (PII) rules for Financial Advisers. The proposals were revealed in a consultation paper on reforms to the industry’s lifeboat fund, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). The FCA says it…read more
Basement dig-downs require planning permission court rules
Homeowners planning basement dig-downs may require planning permission following a significant judicial ruling. The judge concluded that any basement extension requiring excavation and engineering works could not be built under ‘permitted development’ rules. Architects and surveyors designing dig-downs should advise…read more
Four out of ten professionals buy PII on price
Four out of ten (39{0a6a65c996ed4169444354e707b897cdb00dbefc1d0429e8febb9bf11027ba53}) professional firms say the cost of cover is the most important factor when selecting professional indemnity insurance. The standard of service provided by the insurance broker is also vital, with over one third (34{0a6a65c996ed4169444354e707b897cdb00dbefc1d0429e8febb9bf11027ba53}) rating…read more
Appeal court overturns £2m negligence claim against City firm
City law firm, Lewis Silkin has escaped a £2 million negligence award after the Court of Appeal ruled that the client’s loss was outside the solicitor’s scope of duty. Lewis Silkin’s former client, Timothy Wright, claimed that he had missed…read more
The Property Ombudsman put complaints data online
Consumer complaints about property agents will be available online. Consumer complaints about property agents will be available online following the launch of The Property Ombudsman’s (TPO) new member agent portal. Agents will be able to view the latest status of…read more
Small Extension of Time overturned all entitlement to Liquidated Damages
In a recent adjudication and subsequent Court ruling the Contact Administrator’s (CA) failure to follow/understand the operation of the JCT contract clauses caused the Employer to lose their right to Liquidated damages. In a recent adjudication and subsequent Court ruling…read more
High Court overrules Financial Ombudsman in £223k claim
The High Court has overruled the Financial Ombudsman Service, awarding a 96 year-old woman £223k for flawed inheritance tax advice. The case also provides useful guidance about when a person has ‘knowledge’ of a claim for the time-limits in bringing…read more
Refund of court fees scrapped by the Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Justice is to scrap the refund of court fees in the County Court and High Court from March 2017 for cases that have been settled or discontinued. The Government says refunds were costly to administer and that…read more
