York - 
03 September 2021
Residential property
The pandemic has seen record numbers of us undertaking DIY projects or getting tradesmen in to improve our homes. Our enthusiasm shows no sign of abating either, with the waiting list for builders stretching into next year. Ware & Kay agrees this trend is likely to continue. Here we look at some of the issues, and how to ensure your home improvements do not cause problems when you later put your home on the market. Planning permission, do you need it? Not all alterations require planning permission. Generally, you will only need it if your proposed works constitute development. This has a special meaning under planning rules. It includes structural alterations and the sort of work a builder would ordinarily do. Non-structural work to the interior, like repainting the walls or replacing window frames, does not…
03 September 2021
Employment advice
The last 18 months have seen employers turn on a dime to keep their business on track, while guarding the health and wellbeing of staff and customers. While flexibility has been key, it has also been important to update and comply with frequently changing health and safety policies. ‘However, many companies have struggled financially and in order to get their business back on track there will be a keen focus on performance and productivity,’ says Gillian Reid, a Solicitor in the employment team with Ware & Kay. With the future of the business at stake, managers may not be able to be quite so lenient with staff if targets are not being met and may need to dust off their disciplinary and performance management procedures. As Covid restrictions loosen in different ways in different sectors, then…
30 August 2021
Employment advice
This article covers: Social Media No Jab, No Job Discrimination & Hypersensitivity UK Right to Work Hybrid Working Social Media Can your social media posts get you into trouble at work? You may have heard that England lost the 2020 Euro final 3-2 on penalties. Heart breaking - but then the racist tweets began. Arrests have followed and a high-profile estate agents suspended an alleged racist tweeter. Does your organisation have a social media policy? Doubling down on privacy settings isn’t always the solution – screenshots can easily be taken and shared Workers should check their posts for discriminatory remarks and harassment If a worker claims unfair dismissal, the Employment Tribunal must consider three aspects of the employer’s conduct as set out in the test in British Home Stores -v- Burchell…
20 August 2021
Employment advice
Some sectors, such as healthcare and construction, rely on a ready supply of temporary staff, and it is a rare business that does not need to use agency workers from time to time. The rights of agency workers have been under considerable government scrutiny recently, and changes are on the horizon that will affect any business which uses a temp agency. Gillian Reid, employment law expert with Ware & Kay in York & Wetherby, outlines the current employment rights for agency workers’, how you can reduce risks to your business and the future changes expected in 2021. Agency workers’ rights Here is a summary of the most significant rights for agency workers: access to staff facilities, such as a canteen or work gym, on no less favourable terms than other comparable staff unless you…
17 August 2021
Commercial property
As more aspects of business move online, there is a drive to do everything digitally. The process of buying and selling property has always relied heavily on paper, but there has been huge change over the last decade and more can now be done online. Commercial property investors want to take advantage of this, but the law on signing electronically is still in transition. Getting a signature wrong could mean a deal is void, so it pays to get legal advice on when an electronic signature will be valid. ‘In an increasingly digital world, business owners are sometimes surprised when they are asked to sign property documents with pen and ink’ says Andrew Little Commercial Property Solicitor with Ware & Kay in York & Wetherby. ‘This isn’t just lawyers being old-fashioned – there are still rules…
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