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There’s been a trend in the new housing market over the past few years for builders to sell homes on a leasehold basis rather than freehold. Generally, a freehold is a more common way of buying a property, and it means that as well as the house, you...
What can the Land Registry do to improve the conveyancing process? If there’s one thing that frustrates all home owners and solicitors alike, it’s the frustration of having to wait for various organisations to complete their part of the...
When might a dispute arise? Many of the cases we see in this area are when couples split up and they disagree with the proportion each of them should receive when the property is sold, or the ownership is transferred. ...
As with most subjects, there are lots of people who are willing to give you a lot of advice when you announce you are going through a divorce. From the status of the children, to who gets to keep the dog, it seems the world is full of experts who will be...
Dilapidations relate to disrepair of properties and simply put are the maintenance and repairs required during and at the end of the lease. The majority of dilapidation claims relate to commercial premises. Landlords usually seek to enforce the...
It's unlikely that planning for a divorce is on the top of most people's life-goals, but it's an unfortunate fact of life that things can happen, and people end up having to deal with it.
According to National Family Mediation, less than 40% of couples went to a mediation information and assessment meeting in 2016 before making an application to a court for orders about children. This is concerning, bearing in mind the fact that it has been...
The law in England and Wales in relation to married and unmarried couples is vastly different. The often referred to phrase of “common law man and wife” is a common misconception which simply does not exist. Many people believe that...
The Queen’s Speech referred to some very important issues, amongst those issues was the intention to make further progress to tackle the gender pay gap and discrimination against people. The gender pay gap measures the difference between men and...
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (15th June) The so-called ‘dementia tax’ and proposed changes to inheritance tax dominated the recent general election; more people considering their plans for the end of their life. Recent research indicated...
Despite a shaky start and a slump in demand following the result of the EU referendum, confidence from overseas investors in the UK commercial property sector is beginning to rise, causing a rebound in the market. When the UK voted to exit the European...
In the recent case of Ashfaq v International Insurance Company of Hannover plc [2017] EWCA Civ 357 it was upheld that when insuring let residential property, a landlord is not acting as a consumer. In this case, the insured claimed that the property was...
All businesses experience bad debtors. There are usually 3 types of debtors: The slow payers who can pay but prefer extended payment terms; The disputers whose aim is to obtain a credit note to reduce their indebtedness; The insolvent who cannot...
Earlier in the year, the Government published a consultation paper proposing an increase to probate fees. Despite a large majority of respondents opposing the suggested change, it seems that the Ministry of Justice will be pushing on regardless. If approved...
Up to £1m IHT free by 2020/21 6th April 2017 sees the introduction of a significant new Inheritance Tax relief, the Residence Nil Rate Band (RNRB), which could save as much as £140,000 in IHT where a family home passes to children or...
When we think about Brexit, issues such as immigration and trade may be the first that come to mind. Yet as the picture becomes clearer, there is a growing realisation that Brexit is going to have an impact on most fields of law, including family. ...
In preparation for April 2017, here are some key Employment Law changes. 1. National minimum wage increases On 1 April 2017, the rates of the national minimum wage will increase. The rate for workers aged 25 and over (the national living wage) increases...
The Courts have been playing up again over document bundles in family proceedings. For the uninitiated, applicants for orders have to file a bundle of the relevant papers for every hearing. This is because Court files are always in such a mess that it would...
(Provision for Family and Dependants) Act, 1975 Supreme Court decision There has been a lot of press coverage about the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Ilott v The Blue Cross & others, handed down to conclude a long running claim...
Employers relying on mobility clauses in redundancy situations could be deemed unfair dismissal: The EAT has held that two employees with contractual mobility clauses who refused to relocate were dismissed for misconduct, not redundancy and that the...
Director and Head of Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Bryan Colley, responds to recent articles regarding Personal Injury rule changes in compensation: When lump sum payments are made by insurers to claimants with life changing injuries, the actual...
When a loved one passes away, coping with the loss can be challenging enough on its own. However, if a dispute arises regarding inheritance, the situation can go from bad to worse in an instant. Due to the level of emotion involved, inheritance disputes can...
‘We all use them, some cannot seem to live without them but they could cost you your driving licence and so much more besides. I am ,of course, talking about your mobile phone. We all know that it is against the law to use your mobile phone whilst...
The laws that guide UK Plc may be under constant review, but one or two have survived the test of time, dating as far back as the fourteenth century. Did you know, for example, there is a 1313 law that makes it illegal to wear armour in parliament? Neither...
Especially if you happen to be one of the world’s dumbest criminals! I mean who would be so stupid as to fall asleep under the bed of the victim’s house he had just burgled? Mark Smith of Whitley Bay would, it seems. Whilst robbing a house, he...
Today, Frank William Abagnale is serenely approaching his 70th birthday having worked with the FBI for more than 40 years. He is regarded as one of the world’s most respected authorities on forgery, embezzlement and secure documents. Abagnale lectures...
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) last year show that marriage is popular again! After 40 years of steady decline, ONS statistics confirm marriage rates across the UK are back on the rise. In 1971, there were 404,734 marriages...
Every Valentine’s Day in the UK, we give 25 million cards*; spend £1.3bn on gifts* and generally eat, drink and canoodle away February 14th with those we love. And would you believe, two-thirds of women celebrate the day even if they didn’t...
There are approximately 14 million grandparents living in the UK, and whilst we think these are the years to kick back and relax, often that is not the case. Three-quarters of grandparents look after their grandchildren on a regular basis, which is probably...
Divorce will always be tough for the children caught in the middle, no matter how amicable the split. After all, transitions are difficult for adults, let alone children. If you’ve ever stayed the night at a friend's house for the first time,...
For many children, grandparents play an integral role in family life. From holidays, birthdays and weekend visits to the care they provide when parents are at work, loving grandparents can be a huge asset to any family. However, when the relationship...
One thing I must advise: don’t sit me in front of the TV when there's a legal drama on - you won’t hear the last of it. The enjoyment of getting caught up in the flow of the narrative or lost in admiration for the cracking script, performed...
Sticking to your New Year’s Resolutions is a challenge. So to help, here are our 7 top tips inspired by real-life success stories. 1. Walk the drive By simply choosing to take a longer route to the coffee shop, to the office or to the shops can make...
For some, a new year is a time to think about searching for a new job. Like Luke Brett Moore from Australia. As he ends 2016, he has very definite plans to pursue his “dream job” — and that job is a criminal lawyer. Not a stunt man! Or an...
Running a small business can be compared to looking after your home. If you leave things, fail to make small repairs often and just hope everything will keep working without any TLC - that is a recipe for disaster! Much easier (and cheaper), to get your...
When a relationship breaks down, tackling the financial uncertainty that follows can be an incredibly challenging time. After all, when you have invested a considerable amount of time and money into setting up the family home and building your life together,...
Divorce often reveals the worst in people — but it can also reveal ingenious creativity, a dark sense of humour and downright brilliance! More of that in a moment what are some of the dirtiest tricks divorcing couples ‘play’ on each other? ...
Grandparents are increasingly being called upon to look after their grandchildren. Did you know research* shows 4 out of 5 children in the UK are regularly cared for by a grandparent? And 1 in 4 do so in order that the parents can go out to work. All in all,...
Surely nobody with any sense of justice or equality wants to go back to the family law that prevailed in the “good old days”? Pre 1886, the law said that a child’s father was its natural guardian, and was entitled to custody. If the mother...
Imagine Christmas Day without turkey, Brussels sprouts and all-the-trimmings? Impossible isn’t it! But have you ever wondered what’s eaten for Christmas dinner around the world? Do people in Mexico, for example, dine on the same as us? What about...
“Remember, remember the fifth of November” is a nursery rhyme most people are familiar with. It ‘celebrates’ the time Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament - hence the fireworks, sparklers and “bangers”...
What do Roman Abramovich, Tamara Ecclestone and Lakshmi Mittal have in common? The answer? They all live on the same street, which just happens to be Britain’s most expensive. Kensington Palace Gardens in west London has an average property value* of...
The Houses of Parliament, otherwise known as the Palace of Westminster, symbolises Great Britain. Its image adorns everything from souvenirs to sauce bottles and the decisions made in its corridors of power have shaped Britain, past, present and...
If your business has finally come to the end of a search for the right commercial property, it’s likely that you’ll be eager to sign the lease and get moving. However, diving into a decision head first with no advice may just land your business...
When a Will is created, the contents are considered absolute. When the creator dies, the Will is to be used to determine which beneficiaries will inherit from the estate. This process seems simple and straightforward - however, recent figures have revealed...
When you provide a product or service to a customer, you expect that customer to provide payment. If they fail to do so, you can run yourself in circles trying to get it back – often to no avail. Several phone-calls and emails later, you find yourself...
When was the first charity set up in the UK? Any idea? Have a guess? You may think charities are a relatively recent phenomenon, set up to help people affected by war or economic downturns. But according to Want 2 Donate, the oldest charities in...
It won’t be long before we’re deep in October, but what is the tenth month of the year famous for? Well, did you know it is named after the Latin word for eight — ‘octo’ — as it was originally the 8th month of...
Seeing the mental health of a friend or relative start to deteriorate in their senior years can be particularly challenging. Even more challenging, however, is deciding who will be responsible for making vital decisions on their behalf. Unfortunately, when...
For many couples, moving in together is the natural step forward. Be it rented accommodation or a jointly owned property, living together is a wise idea for couples looking to commit without the costs and legal implications of a marriage. However, simply...
