Common retail problems

A recently appointed employee is arriving late and constantly upsetting other members of staff.

Since he has been with me for less than a year, can I just fire him?

My husband (and business partner) is becoming forgetful and it has been suggested that I should ask him to grant me lasting power of attorney.

What is this?

I would like to move my pharmacy business to different premises but my lease still has a few years before it expires. The lease imposes a severe penalty if I move before it has expired.

My landlord and I cannot see eye to eye on who is responsible for what.

Am I stuck here until the lease runs out? Is there anything else I can do?

I want to give a few teenagers some paid work during the school holidays.

Are there any special rules I should observe? 

Despite my firm’s excellent reputation, a recent recruitment campaign produced a poor response, while one of my competitors appears to have no trouble attracting new staff. What am I doing wrong? 

When I started my business several years ago, my bank lent me a substantial sum to get me started. The bank’s new manager now informs me that he plans to “reconsider” the borrowing facility, despite the fact that I have never gone over my overdraft limit. What can I do? 

Can I pay my rates bills by instalments? It does not say on the demand note whether I can or cannot. 

I approached a high street bank recently to ask for a loan to start up a small business. Although I had provided the necessary documentation (business plan, credit references, etc), I was amazed at how quickly the manager contacted me with an offer.

Should I seek better terms elsewhere or seize the offer and be grateful? 

My business has suffered from a substantial amount of theft over the past few months. I suspect the premises are labelled an “easy ride” for thieves and several locals come and go without making eye contact.

I would hate to put up warning notices, but what should I do?