FAQs and typical scenarios
We have outlined some possible scenarios which could occur when running your business, and how we could help. These scenarios, although not actual (to protect our clients’ confidentiality), they are complied from the types of issues that we have dealt with in the past.
Employment Law
We can do everything from producing employee handbooks and tailored contracts of employment to protecting your position in an employment Tribunal. The tools are there to protect you and your employees; with our help a Tribunal can be the exception rather than the rule. Whether you are experiencing growth or scaling down we can ensure that your HR issues are hassle free. Think of us as an extension to your business, an external HR department.
Scenario 1
A local firm of electricians was awarded a large contract to work on a city centre regeneration project. To meet their expected workload they had to subcontract a large part of the initial phase. Having never subcontracted before they needed help in ensuring that responsibilities and liabilities were well defined. We would be able to produce a template for all their subcontracting requirements which spelt out who was responsible for insurance, site safety, risk assessments and so on.
Scenario 2
A Company needs representation in an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal. One of their employees could no longer physically carry out the heavy lifting that the position required. The Company should have been seen to have explored the possibility of finding the employee another role within the company. We would be able to broker a fair compromise negating the need for a tribunal. The company would also be able to make sure that all new employees have individually tailored contracts that we could produce for them.
Commercial Property
We have wide experience in dealing with the legal and financial aspects of building, buying, selling, leasing and subletting shops, offices and industrial and commercial units. Talk to us about structuring, drafting and negotiating a wide range of commercial contracts tailored to your requirements.
Scenario 3
After six years in the same salon an established hairdressers needed to find larger premises to expand their service offering. When the adjoining property came onto the market, they put in an offer. At this stage, if approached for advice, we would have checked the usage classification. As it happens, while the shop fit was still in an early stage, the architect then realised that the usage was limited to A2. We were, however, still able to lobby the planners for the reclassification of the property for A1 use, even though contracts had already been completed.
Scenario 4
A group of long haul drivers decided to club together and use their redundancy money to start up a new freight company. With such a high risk venture they could not justify the financial implications of taking a 10 year lease on the property. We would be able to negotiate a revenue based rent and include specific opt out clauses. If the business is subsequently sold before the lease period, our earlier negotiations could save the directors large sums in penalty payments.
Disputes
Whatever the issue we can intervene on your behalf with customers, suppliers and the plethora of statutory and administrative bodies. In 95 percent of cases we can often resolve disputes before the need to proceed with litigation. If litigation is the only way forward, we have a wealth of experience behind us. Whether you have a dispute with your Landlord, your Bank, the Tax Office, the Health and Safety Executive or Mr Jones who hasn’t paid his bill, let us look into the reasons behind the dispute in the knowledge that we are able to serve your best interests.
Scenario 5
A Company was close to bankruptcy and needed help to save the business. One of their key customers was suffering from poor cash flow and had not paid for goods received for almost 12 months. It transpired that they had not filed accounts for over a year. We would be able to petition the courts to start proceedings and force their customer into administration which would enable us to recover a percentage of the outstanding debt.
Scenario 6
After a plumbing firm built a swimming pool, the customer refused to pay for the work on the grounds of shoddy workmanship. We would be able to able to arrange a visit by an independent Local Authority inspector to check if the standard of work was adequate and to establish if there were grounds for such a claim. If not, we would request immediate payment or the possibility of a visit to the small claims court to recover the outstanding amount.
Commercial agreement
For all areas of your business, ensuring that your commercial agreements are well structured and clearly documented is of vital importance. For example, robust Service Level Agreements and Contracts with your suppliers are vital to ensure that you avoid future disputes. Allow us to give you peace of mind and prevent issues from becoming more serious than a simple misunderstanding. Our clients find it easier and simpler than they ever expected.
Scenario 7
A call centre needed to ensure that their procedural documentation was sturdy enough, likewise their ISO accreditation, in order to cope with the extremely high level of calls their 150 call handlers dealt with every day. An important element of the revised systems was the improvement of their customer and client complaints procedures. We would be able to carry out an on-site audit to ensure that all documentation was in order and that no customer would be able to ‘fall through the cracks’; that way limiting the possibility of any future litigation.
Scenario 8
A new web-based wine business had set up verbal agreements with various suppliers such as wines producers, call centres, web-site designers and delivery companies, to provide services to support their on-line sales activity. Their level of service to their customers’ would only be as good as the performance of all these suppliers. We would be able to produce bespoke service level agreements and contracts with performance indicators and penalty clauses to ensure that a failure would not jeopardise the success on this business. This is an important part of running any business using third party suppliers, and is often overlooked as a necessity.
Contact us
If you require advice regarding the legal issues you will be faced with when setting up a new business, you can complete our enquiry form to see if we can help and we will advise you via e-mail within 24 hours of receipt.
Alternatively, you can contact us for free initial advice, or you can call us FREE on 0800 040 73 99 to discuss your requirements.
