Shortly after I started a new job, my firm announced it was moving to a new city. I don’t want to commute. The contract says the job is hybrid and that when not at home, my working location is the current office. Do I have the right to work from home permanently?
Name and address supplied
Dean Dunham replies: This situation turns primarily on your employment contract, as that document defines both your rights and your employer’s obligations under English law. Where a contract specifies a particular office location and describes the role as hybrid, meaning that you spend some time working in the office and some at home, that is not incidental wording, it is a contractual term. A requirement to relocate to a different city is therefore not a minor adjustment, but a proposed variation of a fundamental term.
As a general rule, an employer cannot unilaterally impose such a change without your agreement. If it attempts to do so, it risks committing what is known as a repudiatory breach of contract. In practical terms, this means the change is sufficiently serious to entitle you to treat the contract as terminated. If you resign in response, you may be able to bring a claim for constructive unfair dismissal – but this would require you to have at least two years’ continuous service. Without that qualifying period, your options are more limited, though other claims such as breach of contract may still be relevant.
A hybrid working arrangement does not equate to a right to work exclusively from home (picture posed by model)
That said, your position is not absolute. A hybrid working arrangement does not equate to a right to work exclusively from home. It typically implies a balance between home and office attendance. Your employer may argue that requiring attendance at a new office still satisfies the hybrid nature of the role. Whether that argument succeeds will depend on the precise wording of the contract and the surrounding circumstances, particularly whether a relocation of this scale was reasonably contemplated.
A critical factor is whether your contract includes a mobility clause. Such clauses allow employers to require employees to work at different locations, sometimes across a wide geographic area. If clearly drafted and reasonable in scope, a mobility clause can significantly strengthen the employer’s position. Before taking any action, especially resignation, it is essential to show an employment law specialist your contract of employment and to obtain legal advice on its precise meaning. Acting prematurely could undermine a potentially valuable claim.
Two years ago I got a £65 penalty charge notice from a London council for driving down a road in a Low Traffic Neighbourhood. I’ve recently seen that the High Court ruled this particular LTN unlawful and the council has been forced to scrap it. Should the council refund me and can I claim interest?
D.H., Kent
The High Court case you refer to was brought by local resident, Karen Lawrence and the campaign group Open Our Roads, in March 2024. As a consequence, six LTNs across Croydon have been quashed on the basis that the main purpose of the schemes was to raise revenue, which falls outside the lawful scope of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
If the penalty charge you received was for driving down a road within one of these LTNs you will be entitled to a refund. My advice is to write to the council immediately, reference the High Court judgment by name, state that your PCN was issued under the now-quashed traffic order, and formally request a full £65 refund. Keep the letter concise and firm. This should result in a swift refund as Croydon Council has stated that it will not be challenging the High Court judgment.
You are also entitled to request interest from the date of payment, and while the amount accrued over two years on £65 will be relatively small, including it in your request demonstrates awareness of your legal position. You may wish to include a simple calculation to support this.
If the council refuses or fails to respond within a reasonable timeframe, you can issue a claim in the small-claims court.
Write to Dean Dunham, Money Mail, 9 Derry Street, London, W8 5HY or email d.dunham@ dailymail.co.uk. No legal responsibility can be accepted by the Daily Mail for answers given.