What is a “public authority” for the purposes of environmental information? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 18th, 2013 in disclosure, EC law, freedom of information, human rights, news, utilities by sally

“In this most recent case concerning access by private individuals to environmental information held by public authorities, the AG grasps the nettlish question of what precisely a public authority is. The issue was a subject of debate because the request for information had been addressed to private companies which manage a public service relating to the environment. The question therefore was whether, even though the companies concerned are private, they may be regarded as ‘public authorities’ for the purposes of the Directive governing access to environmental information (Directive 2003/4).”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 17th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

SSE fined record £10.5m by Ofgem over ‘prolonged and extensive’ mis-selling – The Guardian

Posted April 3rd, 2013 in energy, fines, news, unfair commercial practices, utilities by sally

“The utility giant SSE is to be fined £10.5m for ‘prolonged and extensive’ mis-selling in what will be the largest ever penalty imposed on an energy provider.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Thames Water Utilities Ltd v Transport for London – WLR Daily

Posted January 23rd, 2013 in causation, law reports, negligence, nuisance, statutory duty, utilities by sally

Thames Water Utilities Ltd v Transport for London [2013] WLR (D) 15

“On the plain construction of regulation 19 of the Traffic Management Permit Scheme (England) Regulations 2007 a statutory undertaker could not avoid a criminal sanction where a person contracted to act on its behalf to undertake specified works in a specified street did so without a permit.”

WLR Daily, 17th January 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Npower fined £2m by Ofgem – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 31st, 2011 in complaints, consumer protection, fines, news, utilities by sally

“Ofgem has handed npower a £2 million penalty for breaching regulations in handling customer complaints.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st October 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

National Grid fined £8m by Ofgem for false claims over maintenance work – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2011 in fines, health & safety, news, utilities by sally

“A double fuse blew at National Grid today as it was fined £8m by energy regulator Ofgem for overclaiming on a maintenance programme, and its staff voted for industrial action over pay.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th January 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Thames Water pays £60k compensation after email blunder – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 29th, 2010 in compensation, consumer protection, news, utilities, water companies by sally

“Thames Water has agreed to pay £60,000 in compensation to customers after it admitted ignoring thousands of complaints following an email blunder.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th October 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Dobson and Others v Thames Water Utilities Ltd – Times Law Reports

Posted April 3rd, 2009 in damages, law reports, nuisance, utilities by sally

Dobson and Others v Thames Water Utilities Ltd

Court of Appeal

“Where a court was considering an award of damages to an occupier of land for loss of amenity following transitory nuisance, the actual impact on the occupier would be relevant.”

The Times, 3rd April 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

BT direct debit rebel loses case – BBC News

Posted March 27th, 2009 in contracts, news, utilities by sally

“A Nottingham man who took BT to court after being cut off in a row over how to pay his bill has lost his case.”

Full story

BBC News, 26th March 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Dobson v Thames Water Utilities Ltd – WLR Daily

Posted March 2nd, 2009 in damages, law reports, nuisance, utilities by sally

Dobson v Thames Water Utilities Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 28; [2009] WLR (D) 70

Where a court was considering an award of damages to an occupier of land for loss of amenity following transitory nuisance the actual impact on the occupier was relevant. An award would normally constitute just satisfaction to the occupier and no further compensation was due under s 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998.”

WLR Daily, 27th February 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

 


Law would force firms to use Welsh language – The Independent

Posted February 3rd, 2009 in news, utilities, Wales by sally

“Gas, electricity and water suppliers could be legally required to offer their services in Welsh under a law-making bid published by the Welsh Assembly Government yesterday.”

Full story

The Independent, 3rd February 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Power firm fined £200,000 over electrocution – The Guardian

Posted November 28th, 2008 in health & safety, news, utilities by sally

“A power company was fined £200,000 yesterday for errors that led to a university vice-chancellor being electrocuted on a country walk.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th November 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mother claims back £10,000 after paying next-door’s water bill for 16 years – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 10th, 2008 in compensation, news, utilities by sally

“A woman is demanding £10,000 in compensation after discovering she has been paying her next door neighbours’ water bills for 16 years.”

Full story 

Daily Telegraph, 10th November 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Severn Trent to pay £2m over false leak data – The Times

Posted July 2nd, 2008 in news, utilities, water companies by sally

“Severn Trent, the UK’s second largest water company, was today fined £2 million at the Old Bailey for misreporting leakage information in a case brought by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).”

Full story

The Times, 1st July 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

‘Cash martyr’ loses fee battle against BT – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 29th, 2008 in contracts, news, utilities by sally

“A woman nicknamed the ‘cash martyr’ has lost her legal battle to stop BT penalising customers who pay their bills by cash or cheque.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th March 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Thames Water fined £12m for poor service – The Times

Posted October 1st, 2007 in compensation, fines, news, utilities by sally

“Thames Water faces a fine of £12.5million for failing to compensate customers for poor service and loss of water supplies. The fine covers the period between July 2005 and July 2006, but the company has admitted that it failed to deal properly with its customers for the preceding five years.”

Full story

The Times, 29th September 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Companies must take obligation for Braille bills seriously, say campaigners – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 20th, 2007 in disability discrimination, news, utilities by sally

“A company’s legal obligation to communicate with customers in a way that they can use extends beyond just web accessibility. A recent Braille bill mix up has highlighted the pitfalls for firms.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 20th September 2007

Source: www.out-law.com

R (National Grid Gas plc) v. Environment Agency – WLR Daily

Posted June 29th, 2007 in environmental protection, law reports, utilities by sally

R (National Grid Gas plc) v. Environment Agency

“A private company which had taken over the assets and liabilities of the state-owned British Gas Corporation in 1986 was not liable under legislation enacted in 1995 for the cost of removing contamination from land at a former gasworks which had been sold for housing in 1965.”

WLR Daily, 27th June 2007

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Regina (National Grid Gas plc) v. Environment Agency – Times Law Reports

Posted June 28th, 2007 in environmental protection, law reports, utilities by sally

Successor to polluter not liable under later law

Regina (National Grid Gas plc) v Environment Agency

House of Lords

“A private company which had succeeded the state-owned British Gas in 1986 was not liable under legislation enacted in 1995 for the cost of removing contamination from land at a former gasworks which had been sold for housing in 1965.”

The Times, 28th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

House of Lords backs utility appeal – Financial Times

Posted June 28th, 2007 in environmental protection, news, utilities by sally

“Utility companies and their shareholders breathed more easily on Wednesday when Britain’s top court ruled that they were not liable for certain environmental liabilities – including site clean-up costs – of their predecessor entities.”

Full story

Financial Times, 27th June 2007

Source: www.ft.com