Regulatory Compliance Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on regulatory compliance for uk businesses.
Redeemable Preference Shares: How They Work And When To Use Them
If you’re raising money for your UK startup (or planning ahead for the next round), you’ll quickly run into the question of shares. Not just “ordinary” shares, but different classes of shares...
26 March 2026
Legal Essentials For Running A Limited Company In The UK
Running a limited company can be a brilliant move for small businesses and startups - but it also comes with a different set of legal responsibilities compared to operating as a sole...
26 March 2026
Limited Partner vs General Partner: Key Differences and Liability
If you’re building a business with a co-founder, bringing in an investor, or exploring a fund-style structure, you might be weighing up a limited partnership. This is where the limited partner vs...
26 March 2026
What Is a Close Company? Definition and Key Rules in the UK
If you run a UK limited company with a small number of owners (especially if you and a few co-founders control most of the shares), you might come across the term “close...
26 March 2026
IR35 Rules: What UK Businesses Must Know When Hiring Contractors
Hiring contractors can be a smart way to scale your business quickly, access specialist skills, and keep overheads lean. But if you’re not careful, contractor arrangements can also create unexpected tax risk...
26 March 2026
Legal Essentials For Setting Up A Personal Training Business In The UK
Setting up a personal training business can be an exciting move - you’re building something that genuinely improves customers’ lives, and you’ve got plenty of ways to grow (1:1 coaching, small group...
26 March 2026
Self-Certification Form Online: UK Sick Leave Rules For Employers
If you employ staff, you’ll eventually deal with sickness absence - from short, one-off bugs to recurring conditions that need a bit more management. That’s where using a self certification form online...
26 March 2026
How To Identify And Negotiate Onerous Contract Terms In The UK
When you’re running a small business, contracts are supposed to create clarity: what you’ll deliver, when you’ll get paid, and what happens if something goes wrong. But sometimes a contract does the...
26 March 2026What Is a Trust in Business? A UK Guide for SMEs & Startups
If you’ve heard people talk about “putting shares in a trust” or “using a trust for succession planning”, it can sound like something only large companies or wealthy families do. But trusts...
26 March 2026Key Benefits Of A UK Holding Company For Growing Businesses
If your business is growing (or you’re planning for growth), you’ve probably started thinking beyond day-to-day trading and into bigger questions like risk, investment, and how to structure new ventures. That’s where...
25 March 2026
Conflicts of Interest and UK Law: Business Risks
Conflicts of interest come up in every growing business. Maybe a director is also running a side venture. Maybe your procurement manager’s “recommended supplier” is owned by a family member. Or maybe...
25 March 2026Workplace Conduct In the UK: What Employers Must Include In Policies And Contracts
When you’re running a small business, “conduct in the workplace” isn’t just a HR buzzword - it’s one of the biggest factors affecting productivity, team culture, customer experience, and your legal risk....
25 March 2026PECR Cookies Explained: UK Cookie Compliance
If you run a small business or startup, your website probably uses cookies in some form - whether that’s for analytics, advertising, embedded videos, live chat, or just remembering what’s in someone’s...
25 March 2026
Do You Need a Company Secretary in the UK? SME and Startup Rules
If you’re setting up a limited company (or already running one), it’s normal to hit that “admin reality check” moment and ask: do you have to have a company secretary in the...
25 March 2026
GDPR Accuracy Principle: Keeping Personal Data Accurate And Up To Date
If you run a small business, chances are you’re collecting personal data every day - customer contact details, delivery addresses, employee records, supplier contacts, marketing lists, and more. Most business owners focus...
25 March 2026
ICO Transfer Impact Assessment (TIA) for International Data Transfers (UK)
If your business uses overseas suppliers, cloud hosting, or even a remote team, there’s a good chance you’re already making (or planning) an international transfer of personal data. And under the UK...
25 March 2026
Is It Illegal To Drink At Work In the UK? Employer Legal Duties
If you run a small business, it’s only a matter of time before this question comes up - whether it’s an employee having “just one” at lunch, Friday drinks on-site, or alcohol...
25 March 2026
De Facto Directors In The UK: Legal Risks And How To Protect Your Business
If you run a small business, it’s normal to think “director” means one thing: someone formally appointed at Companies House. But UK law looks at what people do in practice - not...
25 March 2026
Can Directors Receive Dividends? UK Guide For Company Owners And Startups
If you run a UK limited company, you’ve probably heard that directors “pay themselves in dividends”. But it’s not quite that simple - and getting it wrong can cause headaches with co-founders,...
24 March 2026
Limited Company Structure In The UK: Practical Overview For Startups & SMEs
If you’re building a startup or scaling an SME, choosing the right legal structure can feel like a “boring admin” job you’ll deal with later. But the way you set up a...
24 March 2026
Business Acquisition Process In The UK: A Step-By-Step Legal Guide
Buying a business can be an exciting shortcut to growth. Instead of building from scratch, you might be acquiring customers, staff, supplier relationships, IP, stock, equipment, and a proven market position in...
24 March 2026
Legal Packages for UK Startups and SMEs: What’s Included and How to Choose
If you’re building a startup or running a growing SME, you’ll probably reach a point where you think: “We need to get the legal side sorted… but where do we even start?”...
24 March 2026
Do UK Companies Still Need a Company Seal (Common Seal)?
If you run a small company, you’ve probably come across the phrase “company seal” (sometimes called a “common seal”) at the exact moment you’re trying to sign something important - a lease,...
24 March 2026Online Safety Act 2025: UK Business Compliance, Risk and Next Steps
If your business has a website, app, community forum, customer reviews, a marketplace feature, or even a “comments” section, there’s a good chance the Online Safety Act regime will matter to you...
24 March 2026
Need help with your business legals?
Speak with Sprintlaw to get practical legal support and fixed-fee options tailored to your business.