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My doctor isn’t listening to me, what can I do?
It can be distressing to feel that your doctor isn't listening to you, so here are some tips which can help in handling the situation. You should never be afraid to speak up if you feel something is wrong. We all know the NHS is under extreme pressure, especially during the winter months, but howeve....
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I’m looking for a property, and I see that flats are leasehold. What does this mean for me?
As you’ve noticed, flats are commonly owned on a leasehold basis, while houses are normally sold as freehold properties. In the UK, more than 2m people own leasehold properties. Many leases are granted on a 99-year basis, while some can run for as long as 999 years. If you buy a leasehold prope....
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A Planning Application has been made near my home/business premises, what can I do?
It can come as a shock to know that a Planning Application has been made near your home or business premises. Your first reaction might well be panic and a feeling of helplessness, and you may feel that if it goes ahead it will cause you problems and reduce the value of your property. The best advic....
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My aunt died and left everything to me in her Will, so why are the bank asking for probate?
It's good news that your aunt took the important step of making a Will, as this makes the administration of the estate much more straightforward. In making her Will, your aunt will have appointed someone to act as her Executor. There may be more than one Executor, and they will be named in the Will.....
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Directors disqualified for breaching invoice agreement
Two company directors have been disqualified after their firm breached the terms of an invoice discounting agreement (IDA). The company had entered into the IDA with the bank after falling into financial difficulty. The directors, one whom was the managing director, breached the IDA by r....
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Landlord was justified in refusing new business tenancy
A court has ruled that a tenant's breaches of contract in relation to business premises were serious enough to justify the landlord's decision not renew the lease. The case involved a landlord who owned a commercial and residential property. It was leased to a tenant with an agreement that it wou....
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Businesses still worried about cash flow and late payments
Late payment and cash flow remain two of the key problems faced by businesses in the UK, according to a recent survey carried out by credit card company American Express. The survey revealed that 95% of business owners and managers continue to prioritise efficient cash flow practices, and conside....
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Call for help to close loopholes in zero hours exclusivity ban
The government is calling on businesses, unions and employees to help it ensure there are no loopholes in the law banning exclusivity clauses in zero hours contracts. Ministers fear some unscrupulous employers may try to get round the ban by methods such as offering contracts guaranteeing one or ....
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Government shelves plans for online lasting powers of attorney
The government has shelved its controversial plans for an online system for creating lasting powers of attorney (LPA). The decision follows concerns raised by the Law Society and others that a fully digital system could be open to fraud and abuse. LPAs enable you to nominate someone in advance....
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Right to Buy discounts to increase for tenants
Council house tenants can now receive higher Right to Buy discounts following a government move to improve the scheme. Tenants in London can qualify for discounts of up to £102,700 off the value of their home. In other parts of the country the discount can be as high as £77,000. The discount....
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Licensee awarded £8m following breach of contract
A drinks company has been ordered to pay damages of £8m to a licensee following a breach of contract. The case involved a dispute over cordial and carbonated drinks. The parties had an agreement that the licensee could produce and distribute the products in Pakistan for a period of five years. ....
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Hertfordshire Care home operator fined following resident death
Borehamwood-based Life Style Care PLC has been fined a total of £85,000 and ordered to pay a further £48,000 in costs after a resident with clinical dementia was suffocated by an unsecure wardrobe. The resident at The Chase Care Home in Printers Avenue, Watford, suffered from a form of dementia....
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Time on call held to be ‘working time’ by tribunal
Two paramedics have won their claim that time spent on call away from the workplace should be classed as working time. The Working Time Regulations stipulate that employees are generally entitled to daily rest of 11 uninterrupted hours. The paramedics in this case were told they would have to ....
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NHS Trust guilty of Asbestos exposure
West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust has been fined £55,000 and ordered to pay £ 34,078 in costs after it was found likely to have exposed workers to potentially fatal asbestos material for more than a decade at Watford General Hospital, Hemel Hempstead Hospital and St Albans Hospital. ....
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Government approach to mediation ‘not good enough’
Leading family lawyers have expressed disappointment and concern at the government's approach to funding mediation sessions for divorcing couples. The Family Justice Minister, Simon Hughes, recently announced that separating couples will be entitled to one free mediation session as long as at lea....
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The cost of divorce in the UK
Durinng the summer , Aviva released a Family Finance reports, which outlines the cost of divorce in the UK. The statistics are interesting and outline why you should use an expert lawyer. The Office of National Statistics show that there are around 128,000 divorces or dissolutions annuall....
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Man awarded £10,500 after severing finger in hospital shower
A hospital registrar has been awarded £10,500 compensation after he had to have part of a finger amputated following an accident in a shower cubicle. The registrar had finished his shift at the hospital and decided to take a shower. The room was dark as there were no windows and no functioning l....
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Are you going to University? Ten things to consider
With many local school leavers off to university this autumn the Hertfordshire Mercury caught up with Peter Westbrook, a partner and head of the residential property team In his article Peter lists ten key things that should be considered. http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/things-consider....
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Hospital test failed to detect cervical cancer
A woman has received an initial £65,000 compensation after she developed cervical cancer following an incorrect test analysis by her doctors. The woman had a cervical smear test in 2004 and was given the all-clear. She was told to return in three years for another routine test. This was despite ....
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Man left infertile after hospital failed to diagnose his illness
A man has been awarded £1m compensation after doctors failed to recognise that a lump in his neck was cancerous. As a result of the misdiagnosis, he is unable to have children, and will suffer with pain and discomfort in his feet and ankles for the rest of his life. The man visited his GP in ....
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