The Law Commission has published its much-anticipated consultation paper on proposed reform to the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. This consultation asks a fundamental question: should a statutory scheme of security of tenure exist and if so, how should it operate? Commercial leases, from warehouse premises to offices and shops usually have a legal right to a new lease when the existing lease ends, unless the parties have agreed otherwise, or a landlord can meet one of a short list of exceptions ...
The new Network and Information Systems Directive (NIS2) came into effect on 18 October 2024 and with it comes an overhaul of the way in which cybersecurity risk management is regulated in Europe. In this article we cover the applicability of NIS2 to digital infrastructure providers and digital services providers (collectively “digital providers”), an expansion in scope under NIS2 that represents a major shift for the EU’s digital sector ...
An exploration of key aspects of the Employment Rights Bill which will impact living sector employers; day 1 right to claim unfair dismissal, changes to the use of zero hour contracts and the extension of the duty to protect employees from harassment. Employment Rights Bill – A Shake Up for the Living Sector The Employment Rights Bill (“ERB”) is poised to introduce significant change to the UK’s workforce ...
When must controllers respond to DSARs with more than just a copy of personal data? Is it enough to point to a privacy notice to satisfy the extra GDPR requirements? UK and EU courts are increasingly saying that it's not enough. Handling data subject access requests (DSARs) is an ongoing compliance burden for many organisations. In this series, we consider how different strategies can cut the task down to size ...
Our final article in this series discussing different protected characteristics and the discrimination claims they give rise to, focuses on age, how employers can fall foul of the law and the steps they need to take to avoid age discrimination claims. What is age discrimination? The Equality Act 2010 prohibits both direct and indirect age discrimination, as well as age related harassment and victimisation ...
HSE involvement The Bill (if granted Royal Assent) will require the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to publish a Health and Safety Framework on violence and harassment in the workplace, including violence against women and girls and gender-based violence. Employer duties Emphasis is placed on preventative measures which should be taken by employers ...
The new Network and Information Systems Directive (NIS2) came into effect on 18 October 2024 and with it comes an overhaul of the way in which cybersecurity risk management is regulated in Europe. Given that cloud-based architecture is now considered the industry-norm, data centres have become the custodians of the vast majority of our digital economy and form a core aspect of any critical infrastructure or service ...
What are single-use vapes and why are they being banned? Single-use vapes are vapes which are not designed or intended to be re-used and are not refillable and/or not rechargeable. They are being banned for both health reasons and environmental reasons. As regards the environmental reasons, they pose a major waste problem in the UK, as they are often thrown away in general waste or littered, instead of being recycled ...
Businesses involved in, or contemplating litigation are advised to give serious consideration to ADR from the outset of a dispute as well as during the lifecycle of a claim. For those parties who relish their day in Court and pay lip service to alternative dispute resolution (“ADR”), the recent amendments to the Civil Procedure Rules (“CPR”) will make life harder for those parties as the Courts now have the power to order parties to engage in ADR ...
The domestic implementation of NIS2 continues to advance at pace. In this note, we outline Italy’s formal adoption of NIS2, highlight the key dates you need to know for registration, compliance and enforcement. For further information about NIS2, including sector-specific guidance, please visit our Resiliency page ...
Corporate Power Purchase Agreements, or CPPAs, are long-term electricity supply agreements between two parties and are a valuable catalyst for the green energy transition. Currently, only around a very small proportion of UK businesses have the financial capacity and energy demand to use larger scale CPPAs, but as a firm we are working with clients to find innovative ways to democratise the procurement of renewable energy ...
The published findings of the FCA's recent survey on culture and non-financial misconduct demonstrates how financial services firms have been responding to Employment issues and what might be on the horizon ...
Remuneration and governance The Bill inserts provisions into the Water Industry Act 1991 to enable Ofwat to make rules about pay and governance in the water industry ...
The Product Regulation and Metrology Bill (the “Bill”) was published on 4 September 2024 and will provide the Secretary of State with wide regulation making powers to replace, amend or update product safety legislation in the UK. Why is the Bill needed? The Department for Business and Trade’s impact assessment of the Bill stated that the “UK lacks powers to end recognition or to recognise new and updated EU regulations in GB” ...
The gaming industry, which has transformed from a niche market to a global powerhouse, has seen a significant surge in venture capital (VC) investment over the past few years. This trend is driven by the rapid growth of the gaming market, advancements in technology, and the increasing societal acceptance of gaming as a mainstream form of entertainment. Here’s a closer look at the emerging trends and key players in VC investment within the gaming sector ...
The latest report from techUK, which Shoosmiths has sponsored, shows the economic impact, as well as the potential to boost the positive impact, of data centres on the UK economy. The main economic value of data centres is their role in enabling digital transformation across all sectors of the economy, allowing businesses to benefit from digital products and services that allow them to operate and be more efficient and productive ...
The new Network and Information Systems Directive (NIS2) came into effect on 18 October 2024 and with it comes an overhaul of the way in which cybersecurity risk management is regulated in Europe. The major changes brought about by NIS2 include stricter security measures, new incident reporting obligations and will substantially expand enforcement powers for regulators ...
How far can employers search for personal data to answer an access request? Can they check personal mobiles or laptops - or personal emails on a work device? Here we look at invading staff privacy to respect someone else's data protection rights. In this series we have already looked at taking control of data subject access requests (DSARs) through data protection by design, and understanding when you can refuse to comply with a DSAR ...
The FCA has published the results of its culture and non financial misconduct survey. Here are some points to note. Key facts: The FCA surveyed regulated wholesale financial services firms asking questions about incidences of non-financial misconduct and the firm’s policies and procedures relating to firms’ culture ...
A critical new bill is now making its way through Parliament, with potential far-reaching implications for the general public and the real estate sector if passed. The bill, often referred to as Martyn’s Law, was named in honour of Martyn Hett, who was killed in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017, and whose mother has been a steadfast advocate for its enactment ...
By the end of this year, the Home Office is transitioning to an entirely digital UK immigration system. This means that all physical immigration status documents will be replaced with digital immigration status, referred to as eVisas, and this includes any BRP’s, BRC’s or passport vignettes. The eVisa will be the only way to prove your immigration status once this transition is complete. The Home Office aim to complete the transition by 31 December 2024 ...
This is a meaningful Budget for the affordable housing sector, with positive signs that housing, particularly affordable housing, is being prioritised by the government. This reflects a recognition of how crucial community building is for social cohesion and the economy. As highlighted in the Radix Big Tent Housing Commission’s recommendations last week, a prompt rent settlement is essential for the affordable housing sector and for Registered Providers ...
If you find yourself at risk of personal liability as a director in respect of a company's affairs then it is vital that you seek urgent legal advice to mitigate your loss. As a general rule, any claims for wrongdoings committed by the company should be brought against the company as it is recognised as a distinct legal entity and is therefore separate from its shareholders and directors. However, this protection is not absolute ...
On 8 October 2024, the U.K. Investment Association (IA) published its Principles of Remuneration (the Principles) for the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) season, setting out the IA’s expectations on executive remuneration structures. The Principles are predominantly for companies with a main market listing but are also relevant to companies listed on other markets, such as AIM, or private companies (Companies). The Principles build on the remuneration expectations set out in the U.K ...
The recent takeover of Capital & Regional by NewRiver REIT marks the latest example of consolidation in the UK REIT market, following other notable deals such as the LondonMetric takeover of LXi, as well as the merger between Tritax Big Box and UKCM. This wave of corporate activity has been driven by several factors. One trend is the shift towards specialisation, with REITs increasingly differentiating themselves to investors by focusing on specific sectors ...
