Questions for lawyers Found 360

I recently bought a small boat and plan to take friends fishing. I have heard that as skipper I am personally responsible for everyone on board. What are my legal duties, and what happens if something goes wrong?

I am a photographer and I discovered that a business has been using several of my photos on its website without permission or credit. They say they found them online and thought they were free to use. What are my rights?

I received a lawyer’s letter demanding a large amount of money over a contract dispute and threatening court proceedings if I do not reply in a week. I am anxious and tempted to ignore it. What steps should I take?

I have a pile of unpaid court fines and I know the court collectors have been in touch. I have been told that people can be jailed for fines. How real is the risk, and what can I do to sort this out? Nobody has given me a straight answer and I want to understand where I actually stand.

I found an online shop selling fake copies of my products using my registered brand name and logo. Customers are complaining about the poor quality and blaming me. What legal tools do I have to stop this?

The council has approved a large commercial development next to our home and we were never told about it. It will bring traffic, noise and shadowing. Is it too late to do anything, and how could we have been involved?

Our home was badly damaged by fire and the insurer says the cost to rebuild is higher than my sum insured, and that they will only pay up to that amount or reduce the claim proportionally. Was I supposed to have been told about this, and what are my rights?

We signed a contract to build an extension at a fixed price. Halfway through, the builder stopped work and now says that costs have increased and that we must pay more or he will not come back. Can he do that?

Our local council awarded a big roading maintenance contract to one contractor without any public tender, and other local firms are annoyed. Does a council have to tender openly for every contract? I am not sure where to start or who I should be contacting about this.

My nephew is an international student who paid a year’s fees to a private training provider that has now closed. He is worried about losing his fees and his visa status. What protections exist for international students?