News
January 2008
Is There Such A Thing As A Good Divorce?
We are often approached by clients who have had either a previous personal experience of an acrimonious divorce, or who know of friends and family who have gone through a very difficult divorce process and naturally they are worried at the thought of attempting the process themselves and facing a similar situation.
December 2007
The Government has announced that from 14th December a Home Information Pack (HIP) will be required for the sale of every home in England and Wales. This announcement concludes the phased introduction of HIPs which started on 1st August.
On 9 October Chancellor Alistair Darling, in his autumn statement, made some well publicised changes to Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax. Are they worth anything, or are they just smoke and mirrors?
November 2007
If a man’s home is his castle then his boundary is to surely to be defended at all costs. But where exactly is that boundary, should it be defended and what will it cost!
How do I save Inheritance Tax? Well you’ve worked hard all of your life, have a nice home and have built up a reasonable ‘nest egg’ for your retirement. You will probably be unhappy to learn that unless you take steps to prevent it , HM Revenue and Customs could be one of the main beneficiaries of your estate when you die.
October 2007
We are often approached by clients who wish to consider divorce, but who have some misconceptions about the actual process.
From 1st June 2007 sellers will not be able to market a property unless they are able to provide to a genuine applicant a Home Information Pack (“HIP”).
I am not sure how many articles I have written attempting to persuade people to make Wills, but it must run into dozens. As I write this, I note that the National Consumer Council has announced that more than 27 million people in England and Wales do not have a Will and, most worryingly, that those who need one the most are the least likely to have one.
More Time Off and Higher Pay for Workers
Following a consultation in early 2007, it was found that 22% of the British workforce did not receive 20 days holiday in addition to the 8 public holidays or the pro-rata equivalent. So the government has introduced new legislation to increase statutory annual leave.
September 2007
The phrase ‘no purchase necessary’ is one many people associate with promotions on the back of cereal packets. However the phrase may be a rarer sight on the breakfast table with the implementation of certain provisions of the Gambling Act 2005 (the “Act”) on 1st September.
Many of you will recognise my heading today as the sales pitch of Tesco who, no doubt at vast expense, engage celebrities to endorse their services under this strap line. It is fascinating that whilst during the years of this Government, professions have increasingly come under attack, supermarkets certainly have thrived.
August 2007
It is not often that the worlds of commercial property and gardening collide but the thorny issue of Japanese Knotweed and how to deal it challenges gardeners, developers and property owners.Collaborative Family Law is a new approach to reaching an amicable resolution to divorce or relationship breakdown, without the need to have to attend Court.
July 2007
“We need to drive out irresponsible lending, not only to protect consumers, but also to ensure that credible businesses can operate with confidence…” such were the words of Lord Sainsbury when the Consumer Credit Act 2006 was passing through Parliament.
We live in a time when great emphasis is placed on the rights of various people. There is a right to work, a right to a home and all sorts of other rights. The difficulty frequently is that these do not go hand in hand with responsibilities, for example, the responsibility to pay rent, the responsibility to be qualified and so on.
June 2007
Home Information Packs - Important Information Your Should Know About Selling Your Home
From 1st August 2007 it will be a legal requirement for you to compile a Home Information Pack (HIP) relating to your property (if it has four or more bedrooms with smaller properties to follow later) before you can start marketing it for sale to the general public.
May 2007
New Directive on aggressive commercial practices
In 2005 the European Parliament and Council adopted a directive (the “Directive”) intended to protect consumers from unfair, misleading and aggressive commercial practices.
April 2007
In the course of preparing Wills over the last 40 years, I have often been asked the question as to who is responsible for the disposal of the deceased’s remains.
A common complaint by tenants of residential properties is that landlords unreasonably withhold part or the whole of the deposit when it’s time to move out.
March 2007
Everybody knows what that means, it means “buyer beware”. Usually associated with dodgy washing machines and iffy cars. As I am an expect on neither, I would like to concentrate on Wills.
Mediation - a most agreeable result
For some a “day in Court” is a terrifying prospect whilst for others it is their only aim. The fear can be that of having to go to Court or that of spiralling costs.
February 2007
Home Information Packs – The New Regime
From 1st June 2007 sellers will not be able to market a property unless they are able to provide to a genuine applicant a Home Information Pack (“HIP”).
Carers to Receive Right to Request Flexible Working from April
Regulations implementing the right of carers to request flexible working arrangements, under last years Work and Families Act, are due to come into force from 6 April 2007.
As usual it is sensible at this time to review your personal tax situation, particularly to ensure that full use has been made of the reliefs and allowances to which you are entitled.
January 2007
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 has been heralded as the most important piece of fire safety legislation in the last 30 years. On 1st October 2006, the Fire Safety Order brought new fire safety rules into all non-domestic premises.
In my article in November I warned that, following a legal victory against Barclays, the Revenue were hunting out off shore accounts, with a view to taxing, and probably penalising the owners of those accounts.
News and articles from previous years >>
