With the Government seeing fit to make HM Revenue and Customs a payer of benefits (pension credit etc.) as well as a collector of taxes, it is no wonder that people are becoming confused as to which sources of income are taxable and which are not. It is particularly confusing for pensioners, who receive pensions, […]
Since 1 October 2015, under changes introduced by the Consumer Rights Act 2015, it has been compulsory for most businesses to offer Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to their customers if a complaint arises between them which cannot be settled by negotiation. ADR is a process designed to resolve complaints without the need to resort to […]
The right of secure tenants to buy their homes was established under the Housing Act 1980. The original rules have subsequently been amended, however, mainly owing to a growing number of abuses of the system. These mainly involved property speculators who made agreements with secure tenants to the effect that they would acquire their properties […]
If you hold assets in the USA, you should be aware of an issue that has started to arise in estates in which there are US shareholdings, especially where these are managed by brokers in the US. The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires that any estate with US assets files an Estate Tax return, […]
Whether you are planning to refurbish and sell a house or to construct a whole new apartment block, almost all your plans will be governed by planning laws and any local restrictions. Planning restrictions are more stringent in conservation areas, for instance, and for listed buildings. Before committing to any significant level of investment, it […]
There has been a great deal of publicity about recent changes in the law relating to pensions and their uses. The changes are comprehensive and change the tax position significantly and also the uses which can be made of pension funds. With continuing low historical interest rate yields, annuity rates have remained low for […]
Property prices have risen substantially for many years in the UK, with the occasional drop in values in times of recession. The long-term reliability of property investment (which, of course is not a guarantee of future price growth) plus the negligible returns offered by deposit accounts, may make the buy to let market seem an […]
Since 2003 qualifying leaseholders have had the right to take over the management of their block of flats from their landlord, under provisions made under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. Leaseholders who take advantage of this right have more control over the level of service charges, can appoint their own choice of managing […]
Following changes in the tax legislation governing the income tax payable by non-domiciliaries, and some relevant tax cases, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have updated their guidance on tax residence and domicile. This replaces the old guidance, which was contained in booklet IR20. One of the main changes in approach is that HMRC are now […]
If you have children going away to university there are money saving options worth considering, if you are in a position to take advantage of them. The cost of accommodation is a financial burden for any student. If you can provide funds to buy a home near the university, you could spend less on annual […]
