Most landlords ‘unaware they’re legally required to have an EPC’
September 8th 2025A new report by The Mortgage Works reveals a striking lack of awareness among UK landlords about energy efficiency rules – with 62% unaware that having an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal requirement for rental properties. Laura Murphy, Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. This widespread knowledge gap could undermine the government’s ambition to make the rental sector greener, with new minimum energy standards due…
WhatsApp exchange created binding contract, High Court rules
August 27th 2025A High Court judge has ruled that a brief exchange of WhatsApp messages was enough to create a legally binding construction contract worth nearly £250,000 – even though one party never signed any formal agreement. Rob Winder Senior Associate Chartered Legal Executive and Head of Property Litigation in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. In Jaevee Homes Ltd v Fincham, Deputy High Court Judge Roger ter Haar KC found that all the…
Cartmell Shepherd restructures Dispute Resolution team to highlight specialisms
July 29th 2025Leading law firm Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors has announced three senior promotions this week, as part of a move to highlight specialisms within its Dispute Resolution team. Director and Head of Dispute Resolution Mark Aspin said: “Dispute Resolution encompasses a broad spectrum of legal work. While our team deals with the majority of ‘Civil Disputes’, we also employ recognised specialists in the areas of Will & Inheritance Disputes, Property Disputes, and Court of Protection,…
Landlords urged to turn to High Court to combat eviction delays
July 28th 2025Landlords facing long delays in evicting tenants are being urged to consider High Court enforcement as a quicker alternative to the overstretched County Court system. Laura Murphy, Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. The High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) says landlords in parts of England and Wales are waiting more than a year in some cases to recover possession of their properties, even after being granted…
Free online event for landlords on major legal changes ahead
June 10th 2025Landlords can get advice on new legislation coming into force later this year at a free online event. The Renters’ Rights Bill is set to usher in a raft of changes which will directly impact landlords renting out residential properties, from agreeing the amount of rent paid to the process of evicting tenants. Now landlords and letting agents can get advice at a free lunchtime webinar on Thursday, June 26…
Cumbrian legal firm named as finalist in four categories at Northern Law Awards
May 16th 2025A Cumbrian legal firm is in the running for four awards in the North of England’s most prestigious law awards. Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors, which has seven offices across Cumbria and Northumberland, has four finalists in the upcoming 2025 Northern Law Awards. The firm’s Dispute Resolution, Family Law and Private Client departments have been shortlisted for Team of the Year in their respective categories, while apprentice trainee solicitor Joseph Halvorsen has…
Superdry and Manchester City group ordered to mediate dispute
May 9th 2025The High Court ordered a compulsory mediation between owners of the clothing brand Superdry and Manchester City Football Club’s commercial arm shortly before their trademark dispute was due to go to trial. Mark Aspin Director and Head of Dispute Resolution reports on this recent case. DKH Retail Ltd, which owns and operates the Superdry brand, brought a claim against City Football Group Ltd (CFG), alleging that CFG was infringing its ‘Superdry’ trademark. The…
Changes to court rules could lead to more settlements through mediation
December 16th 2024Judges are now more likely to direct businesses involved in legal disputes to seek resolution through mediation or arbitration rather than proceeding to court. Mark Aspin Director and Head of Dispute Resolution provides an update. New updates to the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) in England and Wales, effective from 1 October, emphasise alternative dispute resolution (ADR) as a key part of civil litigation. The changes follow the Court of Appeal’s decision in…
Builders win dispute over cancelling contract due to late payments
December 5th 2024A building firm has won its legal argument that it was entitled to terminate a construction contract without issuing a warning for repeated late payments by the employer. Henry Box, Solicitor in our Dispute Resolution team, reports on this recent case. Hexagon, a housing provider, engaged Providence Building Services Ltd for a £7.2 million accommodation project in Purley, London, under the widely used JCT Design & Build Contract 2016. The…
Free event offers expert advice for commercial property landlords
November 28th 2024A FREE event offering practical advice to commercial property landlords is taking place in Carlisle in January. Landlord Rights: What You Need to Know About Your Commercial Property will feature an expert panel from Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors and Dodd & Co offering advice on everything from drafting contracts to dealing with defaulting tenants. The breakfast event takes place on Thursday, January 16 at The Auctioneer on Rosehill Industrial Estate from…
