Here are a few new laws introduced 1st October 2015:
- Smoking in private vehicles that are carrying someone under 18 is illegal, as is buying e-cigarettes for them.
- You cannot be made bankrupt unless the creditor asking for the Bankruptcy Order is owed £5000 or more (up from £750).
- Landlords of residential premises must fit smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. In addition they cannot use the no-fault eviction procedure (commonly called Section 21) if they have received a complaint from the tenant about disrepair in the previous 6 months but this only applies to tenancies entered into from 1st October 2015.
- Minimum wage is up: £6.70p an hour for those aged 21 and over; £5.30p for those aged 18-20; £3.87p for those aged 16-17 and £3.30p for most apprentices.
- Consumer protection laws have been consolidated but the law also makes some changes. Faulty goods can be rejected within 30 days, otherwise your remedy is repair or replacement and a refund then is only possible if repair/replacement is not.
- The Self-employed who do not employ others and who work in non-hazardous types of work now have a much lighter Health and Safety Regulatory regime.
This is a summary only and the law in all these areas is complex so if you are affected and need advice please contact our Stephen Mackie at our Morston Court Office.
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