Monday 27 February 2012

Injury at school leads to compensation payment

Compensation recovered for a child who was injured in a PE class which was improperly supervised by a teacher.

The Defendants had denied liability for a number of years and the case involved having to employ a leading expert on physical education within schools. 

For further details on this or indeed any other personal injury claims contact:




Simon Bransby at simonbransby@m-j-p.co.uk or call 01603 877064

Injury with saw leads to compensation payment

Five figure sums recovered for 2 Claimants, one of whom was not properly trained in the use of a saw, and suffered serious injuries to his hand and another, a cleaning lady who recovered compensation when she tripped over a “Henry” style hoover which she was using and fell down stairs.


The cleaning lady was a particularly interesting case as she was a foreigner and often required the help of an interpreter. 

For further details on this or indeed any other personal injury claims contact:


Simon Bransby at simonbransby@m-j-p.co.uk or call 01603 877064

Hair Extension compensation claim


Compensation recovered for a model who had hair extensions applied which caused her hair loss and aggravation of her scalp.  The award included loss of earnings for missed modelling sessions as well as a cancelled holiday. 



This was quite a complicated claim as there was a clear dispute between the parties as to the facts of the case. The Claimant said that she had relied upon the hairdresser’s experience and expertise in telling her what the best product was to give her the effect that she wishes for but they failed to take into account a number of factors, carry out a strand test, properly counsel her about the risks.

The hairdresser then ignored her complaints that there was a problem for too long meaning that by the time the extensions were removed they had caused irritation to her scalp and hair loss, requiring use of hair growth tablets, special shampoo and precluded her from being able to use a hair dryer, or any hair products such as hair spray, hair gel and such like. Inspite of the dispute as to the facts of the case and continued denial of liability, upon taking the case to court the Defendant backed down and paid the claim on a full liability basis (although without making such an admission).

If you have suffered in this way and require a free and no obligation consultation with us please email Simon and we will be happy to help. 

Simon Bransby at simonbransby@m-j-p.co.uk or call 01603 877000

Sunday 19 February 2012

How much holiday can I take?

There is a minimum right to paid holiday; if you work five days per week you are entitled 28 days for someone working five days a week. This is capped at a statutory maximum of 28 days for all working patterns. Part-time workers are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata. You start building up holiday as soon as you start work. If you started work on or before 25 October 2001 (14 April 2002 in Northern Ireland) there are no legal rules about how your holiday builds up

Your employer can control when you take your holiday and provide in your contract for you to have more holiday than you are entitled to under current law. You get paid your normal pay for your holiday. Once you finish a job, you get paid for any holiday you have not taken.  Bank and public holidays can be included in your minimum entitlement. You continue to be entitled to your holiday leave throughout your ordinary and additional maternity leave and paternity and adoption leave.

You must give your employer advance notice that you want to take holiday. This notice should be at least twice as long as the amount of holiday you want to take.

Your employer can refuse permission for your holiday as long as they give you notice which is at least as long as the holiday requested. So to refuse a request for a week's leave, they would have to tell you a week in advance. Your contract may set out other rules about when you can take your holiday. This is allowed so long as the rules don't effectively prevent you from taking holiday at all.

In light of a recent European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling, the following is applicable if you become ill during your holiday or just before you were due to take it. You can ask to convert the period of holiday concerned to sick leave and ask to take the missed annual leave at a later date.

Statutory annual leave cannot be replaced by a payment in lieu except where the worker's employment is terminated (Regulation 13(9) Working Time Regulations 1998). Employers are able to make a payment in lieu of any additional, contractual holidays, as long as this provision is contained in the employee’s contract.

Regulation 13(9) prevents the carry-forward of the four-week element of statutory leave entitlement.

Maternity leave and holiday entitlement

Holiday entitlement continues during maternity leave.  Some employees may ask to take their statutory holiday either before or at the end of the maternity period depending on how much holiday statutory holiday entitlement is available.  As statutory holiday is taken through the notice procedure above if employer and employee are in agreement then the unused holiday entitlement can be taken when the employer and employee agree.   There may be a problem taking statutory holiday at the end of the maternity if this means the unused statutory holiday is carried over into the next holiday year.  If this were to happen then if the holiday is not taken before the end of the holiday year the employee loses the holiday, as it is unlawful to carry forward any of the unused statutory holiday.  Essentially therefore the holiday should be taken before maternity leave commences.

Check however as if the employee has had holiday before the maternity leave commences and there is only contractual holiday due then providing the contract provides for the contractual holiday to be carried forward and or salary to be paid in lieu then there should be no problem.

Morgan Jones and Pett are solicitors who provide legal advice and services to clients based in England and Wales and who can be contacted on 01603877000 or via email at davidpett@m-j-p.co.uk

Monday 6 February 2012

What is a Home Buyers Report?

This is a survey of a property you may be looking to buy that’s much more detailed than the basic valuation. It’s for your benefit, rather than the mortgage lender.

It will highlight potential problems with a property, such as subsidence, damp or woodworm. This can help you decide whether to go ahead or not with the purchase, or whether to look to renegotiate the price.

It is always a sensible (and we would say essential) precaution to have a survey of your purchase property especially if the property is an older build. 

A recent Which? Survey disclosed:

‘Those who missed problems spent an average of £2,500 putting them right. One in ten spent more than £10,000. Mark Morris from Newbury told us: ‘Since moving in, I’ve found the rot and damp was much worse than I thought. I’ve also spent several hundred pounds making the electrics safe.’ A quarter said that if they’d known in advance, they would have tried to renegotiate the price, and more than one in ten said they wouldn’t have bought at all'.

Morgan Jones and Pett are solicitors who provide legal advice and services to clients based in England and Wales and who can be contacted on 01603877000 or via email at davidpett@m-j-p.co.uk

Wednesday 1 February 2012

Government to support buyers of new build homes

The Government has today announced it will in March launch a scheme which is aimed at those looking to purchase new-build homes.  

The ‘NewBuy Guarantee scheme’, will allow lenders to offer large mortgages on new-build homes without running the risk of losing money if the property falls into negative equity and is repossessed. Essentially the loan will be guaranteed by the developers and government (taxpayers).

It is hoped this will enable would be movers looking to buy a new-build property up to the value of £500,000 to overcome the problem of finding  large sums of money to put down as a deposit.  The scheme is looking at underwriting 95% mortgages.

It is reported, Nationwide building Society, one of the lenders which will take part, is currently working with the government to work out exactly how the scheme will operate.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders said discussions are on-going, and when the final details are announced the £500,000 cap could vary around the country.

MJP Conveyancing welcomes this move but as similar schemes have in the past operated  with little impact, we will wait and see what affect this will have on lifting the deposit affordability barrier which continues to dampen the growth within the property market.

Morgan Jones and Pett solicitors offer a fast, low cost and professional home moving service with prices starting at £230 plus VAT. Call now ion 01603877001 or via email at davidpett@m-j-p.co.uk for a FREE quote

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