Short term lettings: avoiding the pitfalls

Empty property is bad news for landlords. It costs money in maintenance and rates, as well as being a possible target for vandals and squatters. To maximise income from property, landlords may wish to seize opportunities for short-term lettings to fill gaps between long-term arrangements. But as Simon Ellis, commercial property expert with Ware & Kay Solicitors in York & Wetherby explains, it is vital to get the paperwork right. ‘If a potential tenant wants to get into your property and start trading and paying rent immediately, you may be tempted to skip the formal paperwork, but this can lead to real problems as business tenants can quickly acquire the right to stay on, which could get in the way of your long-term plans for the property’ explains Simon . ‘The good news is that as…

Business sales and service transfers: when TUPE applies

Business Sales Lawyers Malton, York, Wetherby Where the whole or part of a business is sold, or a contract for the provision of services is transferred, the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) may apply. If this is the case there will be an obligation to inform, and in some circumstances consult, affected employees. Failure to do this will usually mean employees are entitled to compensation. Transferring employees’ employment contracts will transfer across to the new business on substantially the same terms and conditions, and any dismissals made because of the transfer which do not have a genuine economic, technical or organisational reason entailing a change in the workforce will be viewed as automatically unfair by an employment tribunal. Given the risks, specialist legal advice should always be taken as Gillian Reid, employment law…

Social media: snooping in the recruitment process

Recruitment processes can only tell you so much about a job applicant. If an individual is active on social media, surely it is prudent for recruiting employers to examine their online profile to find out more? The practice of on-line screening is becoming widespread but, as Gillian Reid, employment law specialist at Ware & Kay in York, Wetherby and Malton explains, employers need to be careful about when they screen and what they do with the information they obtain. ‘You cannot assume that just because an individual’s social media profile is publicly accessible that you can use it in the recruitment process’, says Gill. ‘Whenever and however you obtain information about an individual for recruitment purposes, data protection law requires you to balance the individual’s right to respect for private life against your need to obtain…

Wrapping up rules on inheritance tax

Wrapping up rules on inheritance tax Christmas is a time for giving, but for many farming families with the prospect of reduced subsidies and much uncertainty ahead, the idea of an expensive festive period can cause concern. However, the end of the year can also be a good time to review your overall finances, re-evaluate your estate and, and if they have not already been used, a useful way to use your annual allowances to reduce your estate for inheritance tax purposes. Gifts of money are usually very well received, but it is important to understand the inheritance tax implications in the long run, especially if a large retrospective tax bill could upset the apple cart and put the future continuation of the farm into jeopardy. But if you are in a fortunate position, lifetime giving…