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Disputes meaning

What does Disputes mean?
In legal practice, disputes are disagreements giving rise to potential legal rights and remedies between parties, addressed through dispute resolution including litigation, arbitration and ADR such as mediation and negotiation. The term is descriptive rather than a defined statutory concept; the substantive rights and procedures arise from statute and common law. Typical features include identification of the cause of action, applicable limitation periods, choice of jurisdiction and forum, compliance with pre-action protocols or pre-action correspondence, disclosure/discovery, evidence, settlement, costs and enforcement. Usage is broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, though civil procedure differs: CPR in England & Wales, the Rules of the Court of Session and Sheriff Court rules in Scotland, the Rules of the Court of Judicature in Northern Ireland, and the Irish Rules of the Superior and Circuit Courts. Many disputes are channelled to specialist routes, e.g. employment tribunals/WRC, planning and tax appeals, and ombudsman schemes (UK Financial Ombudsman Service; UK Pensions Ombudsman; Ireland’s Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman). In UK pensions, trustees and managers must operate internal dispute resolution procedures. The Pensions Regulator’s General Code sets expectations on dispute resolution, replacing earlier codes on dispute management and reasonable periods.
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View the related Checklists about Disputes

CHECKLISTS
Tenant insolvency: practical checklist for commercial landlords—CRAR, forfeiture, rent deposits, guarantors/former tenants (s17), undertenant recovery, disclaimer, administration expenses, and securing/marketing premises (England and Wales)

This Checklist sets out the matters a landlord ought to weigh up where a tenant faces insolvency, highlighting the options open to the landlord, such as Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR), forfeiture, drawing on a rent deposit, and pursuing former tenants, guarantors and sub-tenants. It further addresses practical considerations for the landlord, including steps for securing and marketing the property, and contacting the insolvency practitioner. What type of insolvency scenario applies to the tenant? The remedies that can be exercised, and the limits that will bite, differ depending on the particular insolvency arrangement affecting the tenant. Each procedure brings distinct constraints and options. For a table summarising the restrictions, see Practice Note: Quick guide to landlord’s remedies in tenant insolvency. Has contact been made with the insolvency practitioner? It is vital to liaise with the relevant insolvency practitioner to assess the tenant’s position and to evaluate what, if any, prospect exists of outstanding sums being repaid, future rents being protected, or the tenant emerging from the...

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CHECKLISTS
Breach of warranty claims under SPAs (and APAs): claimant pre-action checklist and key procedural steps and deadlines (England and Wales)

This Checklist sets out the key points to consider when advising a prospective claimant on a potential breach of warranty claim arising from a share purchase agreement (SPA). The same broad approach will apply to an asset purchase agreement (APA). For additional guidance on breach of warranty claims, see the related content links on the right-hand side. Read this Checklist together with Practice Note: Starting an SPA breach of warranty claim—a practical guide... Action Comments Review the SPA Check the: governing/choice of law provisions — is the agreement governed by English law? jurisdiction provisions — do the English courts have jurisdiction? warranty provisions and warranty limitation provisions — does the issue fall within the warranties and are you within the time limit to bring a breach of warranty claim? Note all deadlines in the agreement that could be relevant to any potential warranty claim... Review the disclosure letter Confirm that the issue has not been disclosed against...

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CHECKLISTS
Section 27 LTA 1954 tenant termination of business tenancies: checklist on fixed-term requirement, timing, s25/s26 interplay, holding over, notice content/service and rent apportionment (England and Wales)

To bring a business tenancy to an end on the contractual expiry date or at any point thereafter, a tenant may rely on a notice given under section 27 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (LTA 1954). This Checklist sets out the circumstances and procedure for serving such a notice. For wider guidance on ending LTA 1954 tenancies, refer to Practice Note: LTA 1954 business lease renewal—termination. It outlines timing and the method of service in clear terms. Is the tenancy for a fixed term? A section 27 notice is available only where the tenancy is for a fixed term. It is not available for periodic tenancies. Nevertheless, a tenant may end a periodic tenancy by giving a common law notice to quit (see Practice Note: LTA 1954 business lease renewal—termination under the heading Termination of LTA 1954 tenancies). Have any other notices been served? Once a tenant has served a section 26 request, they cannot then serve a section 27 notice...

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View the related Flowcharts about Disputes

FLOWCHARTS
Final payment procedure under the JCT Standard Building Contract 2016—flowchart covering With Quantities, Without Quantities and With Approximate Quantities

This Flowchart This Flowchart outlines the key questions to consider when assessing the territorial reach or scope of statutory employment rights—specifically, which statutory rights, if any, apply to an employee who works abroad and/or has a foreign employer. For general guidance on territorial application or scope, see Practice Note: The territorial scope of statutory employment rights. For Flowcharts that address applicable law and jurisdiction, refer to Determining applicable law in employment disputes—flowchart and Determining jurisdiction in employment disputes (1 January 2021 onwards)—flowchart...

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FLOWCHARTS
Building and operating websites: IP and brand, regulatory, contractual and dispute issues—lawyers’ flowchart

Stage 1—preparing to bring a claim and pre-action matters Guidance on infringement, defences, ownership, injunctions, running disputes, and the Business and Property Courts Disclosure Scheme; cease and desist precedent; timetable checklist; key forms; IP insurance. Stage 2—letter of claim alleging copyright infringement Guidance on infringement, drafting letters of claim, unjustified threats and remedies, with precedents for standard and peer‑to‑peer infringement letters. Stage 3—commencing proceedings Notes on infringement, secondary infringement, permitted acts, remedies, criminal offences, the Business and Property Courts and the Disclosure Scheme; pleadings/initial disclosure precedents; Disclosure/IPEC flow tools; CPR claim/defence/settlement/default forms. Stage 4—case management Guidance on running disputes, costs management and the Disclosure Scheme; checklist; Chancery, Patents Court and IPEC Guides; Mitchell v NGN; core case‑management and disclosure forms. Stage 5—disclosure and evidence Notes on e‑disclosure, witness statements and the Disclosure Scheme; PD 57AC for Business and Property Courts trial statements (not...

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FLOWCHARTS
England and Wales UK trade mark infringement litigation toolkit: staged flowchart, practice notes, precedents, forms and checklists from pre-action through trial to post-trial

As of 12 January 2023, the EU’s Regulation on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market (FSR) took effect...

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NEWS
UK and EU environmental law weekly update: emissions trading, energy and nuclear, ESG reporting, UK REACH, waste and producer responsibility, biodiversity, marine, water and litigation—26 February 2026

In this issue: Air emissions and climate change Energy for environmental lawyers Environmental disputes and proceedings Environmental permits and consents Environmental taxes, reliefs and incentives ESG and sustainability Hazardous substances and chemicals Marine Nature, biodiversity and habitat conservation Waste Waste producer responsibility regimes Water, flooding and drainage Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Air emissions and climate change DESNZ releases quarterly waste data reporting template for the UK ETS. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has issued a template for quarterly waste data submissions under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS). It is designed for waste operators to use when sending quarterly data reports to their regulator during the voluntary monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) period. See: LNB News 19/02/2026 50. AFME responds to European Commission consultation on climate resilience legislative framework. The Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME) has provided...

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NEWS
UK and EU energy law and policy weekly highlights: renewables, hydrogen/CCUS, disputes, emissions and key dates—4 December 2025

In this issue: Electricity and gas market regulation and licensing Renewable energy Conventional power, waste to energy, biomass, and CHP projects Hydrogen, CCUS and emerging technologies Energy disputes Air emissions, efficiency, and climate change International energy LexTalk®Energy: a Lexis®Nexis community New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Energy resources on Lexis+® Daily and weekly news alerts Electricity and gas market regulation and licensing DESNZ confirms enduring governance for Smart Secure Electricity Systems DESNZ has issued its response to the 2025 consultation on enduring governance for the Smart Secure Electricity Systems (SSES) Programme, confirming that Elexon, through the Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC), will establish new Technical and Security Governance Groups to guide the technical and security frameworks that enable consumer-led flexibility. Using powers in section 245 of the Energy Act 2023, the government will amend the BSC so Elexon can run these groups as BSC Panel sub-committees and...

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NEWS
Weekly energy law update: Ofgem decisions, grid and flexibility reforms, hydrogen/LDES support, CHMM guidance, CfD and planning changes, nuclear siting policy, EU State aid/infrastructure actions—13 March 2025

In this issue: Electricity and gas market regulation and licensing Renewable energy Capacity Market, balancing services and energy system flexibility Conventional power, waste to energy, biomass, and CHP projects Nuclear energy Planning issues in energy projects International energy Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Electricity and gas market regulation and licensing Ofgem publishes determinations on code manager selection for REC and BSC Ofgem has issued two determinations, setting out its conclusions under section 187(1) of the Energy Act 2023 to move ahead with appointing code managers for the Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC) and the Retail Energy Code (REC) without running a competition. As a consequence, both the Retail Energy Code Company Ltd and Elexon Ltd will, respectively, be asked to provide a licensing assessment form. Ofgem will subsequently review the submissions and confirm whether it proposes to award each entity a licence. See:...

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View the related Practice Notes about Disputes

PRACTICE NOTES
Agricultural holdings disputes in Scotland: Scottish Land Court jurisdiction, exceptions, procedures and remedies; arbitration, mediation and appeals

For many years, virtually every disagreement about agricultural tenancies was sent to arbitration at the outset. The rationale was that questions concerning agricultural holdings often have a strong practical dimension, so arbitration was thought a more suitable forum than the courts. This reflected the earlier assumption that practical considerations predominated in such cases, making a court reference less apt back then. Over time, however, matters of considerable legal intricacy also came before arbitrators. With the enactment of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003 (AH(S)A 2003), policy shifted, and the main route for resolving disputes about agricultural tenant issues is now referral to the Scottish Land Court. At the same time, arbitration procedures were streamlined, and alternative processes, eg mediation, were enabled. Although the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 1991 (AH(S)A 1991) still sets out distinct mechanisms for dispute resolution, AH(S)A 2003 has substantially reshaped them, so that the arrangements for resolving disputes under 1991 Act Tenancies are, in large part, aligned with those for 2003 Act Tenancies...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Economic torts compared in England and Wales: conspiracy (lawful/unlawful), unlawful interference and procuring breach—elements, intention, remedies, defences, limitation, pleading and interim relief

This Practice Note on economic torts This note summarises, at a high level, the key differences when pursuing claims for lawful means conspiracy, unlawful means conspiracy, the tort of unlawful interference, and procuring a breach of contract. Practice Notes: Civil conspiracy claims (economic tort) Lawful means conspiracy (civil action) Unlawful means conspiracy (civil action) Economic tort of unlawful interference The tort of procuring a breach of contract Closely connected to procuring a breach of contract is the so‑called ‘Marex tort’, a cause of action founded on an alleged deliberate infringement by the defendant of the claimant’s rights in a judgment debt; see Practice Note: The Marex tort (interference with a judgment debt). These claims may (though need not) involve a fiduciary or agent, including company directors. For further guidance, see: Claims against directors—key considerations for dispute resolution practitioners Agency disputes Fiduciary Duties Fiduciary duties—remedies for breach Such causes...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Trust jurisdiction clauses: construction, scope and enforceability against beneficiaries, drafting guidance, and the 'forum for administration' pitfall

Context Jurisdiction clauses frequently appear in commercial contracts and are typically framed as either: Exclusive jurisdiction clauses (see Practice Note:Jurisdiction agreements—exclusive jurisdiction agreements) Non-exclusive jurisdiction clauses (see Practice Note: Jurisdiction agreements—non-exclusive jurisdiction agreements) Where parties have chosen an exclusive jurisdiction term, the default position is that the English court will ordinarily ‘exercise its discretion… to secure compliance with the contractual bargain’. Such provisions now appear ever more often in trust instruments. Nevertheless, several questions arise concerning: the drafting of such clauses the areas to be covered by such clauses the interpretation and effects of such clauses Two examples of jurisdiction clauses As presently encountered, trust jurisdiction provisions create a series of connected issues, including how they are drafted, what they should cover, and how they are interpreted and what they achieve. Before considering their operation, it is useful to look at a couple of typical illustrations: a Jersey law...

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View the related Precedents about Disputes

PRECEDENTS
Settlement agreement precedent (Scotland) for civil court or arbitration disputes, including release, agreement not to sue, confidentiality and joint minute

This Agreement is dated [ date ] Parties [ insert name of the pursuer ], a company registered in Scotland (no [ insert company number ]), whose [ registered office OR principal place of business ] is at [ insert address ] (the Pursuer) [ and ] [ ; ] [ insert name of defender ], a company registered in Scotland (no [ insert company number ]), whose [ registered office OR principal place of business ] is at [ insert address ] (the Defender). Each being a Party and, together, the Parties. Whereas (A) [ Insert details of the background to the dispute eg ‘The Parties entered into a contract for the supply of certain goods etc ]. (B) A dispute has emerged between the Parties regarding [ insert details of the dispute ] (the Dispute). (C) [ Proceedings were raised by the Pursuer against the Defender on [ date ] by way of [ Summons OR...

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PRECEDENTS
Scott Schedule for Construction Variation Claims: Template and Examples, with JCT Guidance on Valuation, Loss and Expense, Separation from extension of time and prolongation, and Avoiding Double Recovery

Variations can also push back the completion date, and may give the Claimant a right to extra time and to prolongation costs. These elements of a variation claim are commonly pursued separately, as an extension of time claim and a prolongation costs claim. By way of illustration, the principal JCT forms provide distinct procedures: one for pricing the changed work, and another for evaluating loss and expense arising from the variation’s effect on the progress of the works (see Practice Note: JCT contracts—variations — Valuing variations under JCT contracts). Accordingly, Claimants should take care not to ‘double dip’ across the separate elements of the claims. No. Description of Variation Claimant’s case Defendant’s response Judge/Tribunal comments The Claimant intended to adopt slab foundations for block A, as depicted on the Claimant’s drawing reference XX dated XX. By email dated XX, the Defendant directed the use of piled foundations for block A...

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PRECEDENTS
Comprehensive Amendments to SBCC 2016 Standard Building Contract (Without Quantities) for Scotland: Design Liability, Third-Party Agreements, Insurance, Bonds, Collateral Warranties, Payment, Retention, Fluctuations, Dispute Resolution and Insolvency

The Contract comprises the completed Standard Building Contract Without Quantities for use in Scotland 2016 published by the SBCC subject to the following amendments: Recitals and Articles updated: contractor to provide a master programme and Schedule of Information Requirements; CDP responsibility accepted; Principal Contractor duties priced; arbitration deleted; Schedule of Amendments prevails; Third Party Agreements duties. Contract Particulars: arbitration entries removed; Rectification Period set at 12 months; fluctuations and certain PII/guarantee entries deleted. Conditions: key definitions revised (Practical Completion, Copyright Material, Design sub‑contractors, Funder, Site); Scottish jurisdiction; approvals mean principles only; entire agreement; variations in writing. Design/materials/programming: contractor accepts ER/CP; quality and non‑deleterious materials; programme reporting; site risk; drawings/info supply; tighter discrepancy notices. Time/defects: mitigate and advise on delay; narrower Relevant Events; Practical Completion clarified; stronger rectification, consequential damage and indemnity; phased as‑built/occupation information. IP/confidentiality/BIM: broader licence, moral rights waivers and delivery; confidentiality reinforced; BIM where adopted. Management/sub‑contracting: access, approved Site Manager, meetings; prescribed sub‑contracts; collateral warranties/third‑party rights; CDM duties; insurance...

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View the related Q&As about Disputes

Q&As
Tenancy deposit claim if prescribed information names agent, not landlord — 2007 Order para 2(g)(iii)

Section 213 of the Housing Act 2004 (HA 2004) sets out the obligations on landlords who take a deposit in relation to an assured shorthold tenancy. Every deposit must be handled in line with an authorised scheme (HA 2004, s 213(1)), and the scheme’s initial requirements must be met within a period of 30 days from receipt of the deposit (HA 2004, s 213(3))...

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Q&As
Commercial lease surrender: s.17 notice re guarantor no assignment?

Section 17 of the Landlord and Tenant (Covenants) Act 1995 (LT(C)A 1995) provides that: (1) This provision applies where a person (“the former tenant”) has, as a consequence of an assignment, ceased to be the tenant under a tenancy, but either: namely that (a) in the context of a new tenancy, has, under an authorised guarantee agreement, guaranteed his assignee’s performance of a tenant covenant of that tenancy under which any fixed charge is payable; or (b) in relation to any tenancy, still remains obliged by that covenant under that tenancy, notwithstanding assignment...

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Q&As
Voluntary arrangement ending 3-year licence to occupy: occupier remedies

Lease or licence? In Street v Mountford, the House of Lords set out the core indicators of a tenancy. These focus on the substance of the arrangement rather than the label attached to it: exclusive possession of specified premises Although the payment of rent may suggest a tenancy, it is not essential. Whether the proposed arrangement is a lease or a licence turns on the agreement taken as a whole; where the parties in reality confer exclusive possession, that result cannot be avoided by calling the document something else. What counts is the essence of the bargain, not its outward form or chosen description. Even where the paperwork is properly framed at the outset as a true licence, the parties’ subsequent behaviour may alter the character of the arrangement so that a tenancy is later created. For further discussion, see Practice Note: Leases and licences of land—key features and differences, together with the commentary in Hill and Redman’s Division A from paragraph...

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