This fact sheet provides guidance for those involved in the development of residential properties whether new builds or conversions of existing properties. On 1 September 2008, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) introduced new procedures in relation to newly built or converted properties. The buyer’s solicitors now need to ensure that the procedures are complied […]
It is easy to keep putting off making a will. However, having a valid will is the only way to guarantee that your estate goes to who you want it to when you die. If a person dies having made a will, the distribution of their estate is normally straightforward. If someone dies without making […]
With Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) charged differently on residential and non-residential property, the disposal of a mixed-use property can lead to tax consequences that may affect the value you receive on sale. Recently, the Chartered Institute of Taxation and the Stamp Taxes Practitioners Group agreed new guidance with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on […]
Most of us will need to consider who will manage our affairs and look after us in our later life or, if and when we lose the ability to do this for ourselves. It may be that we first have to consider this for our ageing parents or a family member. Most people first experience […]
In the realm of estate planning, one aspect that is often overlooked or not well-understood is the inclusion of provisions for pets in your will. Whilst pets are considered cherished members of many families, the law typically views them as property. As such, they require special consideration in your estate planning to ensure their continued […]
Post Brexit, we are all aware that there have been labour shortages across a number of industries that were dependant on overseas workers. One industry that has been hit particularly badly is the construction industry, as a result the Government has added a number of building trades to the list of occupations where a shortage […]
The Court of Appeal has handed down a decision which should give considerable pause for thought to anyone who is tempted to use a ‘law shop’ or similar provider rather than a qualified and experienced firm of solicitors to handle their affairs. The case was, in principle, simple. The woman who brought it was unhappy […]
Property can be owned in joint names as joint tenants, which means that each co-owner owns an undivided share in the whole property (and would therefore be the sole owner on the death of any co-owners), or as tenants in common, where each co-owner has a specified share in the property that is not necessarily […]
Elderly people and those who are vulnerable are sadly prime targets for rogue traders, but the law is not powerless when it comes to helping those affected. The successful prosecution of a rogue builder promises more than £200,000 in compensation for his victims. The builder’s modus operandi was to con householders, mostly pensioners who lived […]
A Russian ‘serial non-discloser’ of assets said to be worth millions of pounds had his attempt to bind his ex-wife to the terms of their post-nuptial agreement dashed recently in the family court. The agreement was entered into in Israel after ten years of marriage. Mr Justice Mostyn ruled that although the man’s ex-wife would […]
