The Law Commission of England and Wales has recently published a report setting out options to reduce the cost that leaseholders have to pay to buy the freehold or extend the lease of their homes. The findings of the report have been published with the aim of making the process easier and more affordable for millions of leaseholders across England and Wales.
James Parratt recently offered advice to a Sunday Times reader, regarding a rental situation. The reader in question had recently put down a deposit to rent a house and agreed a price of £1,800 a month with a local independent letting agency.
An almost century-old law has been used in an interesting inheritance case, in which the court had to decide which spouse of an elderly couple died first.
How to turn down the volume next door, and ways to guard against gazumping
In April this year, the Government announced its intention to end no fault evictions. With the consultation now published, the details of those proposals are now beginning to take shape.
From 1 June 2019, the new Tenant Fees Act 2019 came into force
Perhaps this Easter you’ll be wanting to get away for a little break? And as we all make our way to the Beautiful Land, the kids playing eye-spy in the back of the car, the dog nestling quietly on the floor, the Carpenters’ wistful melodies spreading peace and calm across the motorway lanes.
South east firm Thomson Snell & Passmore has welcomed partner Monika Byrska to its dispute resolution team, bolstering the contentious probate practice.
A pair of listed urns went missing, getting the owner in a spot of bother. The case became the centre of a breach of planning law ending up in the Court of Appeal.
The issue of ground rents payable for leasehold properties has attracted negative publicity recently; particularly so called ‘escalator’ ground rents. These are rents that escalate over time, for example doubling every ten years.
Have you found yourself in the distressing position where you have lost a loved one and not been provided for by his or her will? If so, it is worth considering whether you might be able to challenge that person’s will and the possible ways to do so.
Millennials are an innovative generation, forming exciting business's based on new and creative ideas. Many run business's on a freelance or self employed basis in industries which did not exist a few years ago. However innovative the business, there are still key principles to follow to help keep your business’s finances healthy and avoid disputes.
Despite common misconceptions, there are only four possible ways to challenge a will.
From 1 October 2017, a new Pre-Action Protocol will apply to creditors pursuing debts owed by an individual. The Protocol sets out a number of steps that creditors are expected to take before seeking to commence court proceedings for recovery of that debt.
Q. We want to help our 20 year old daughter buy her first flat, but we’re worried about putting such a valuable asset directly in her name. Is there anything we can do to protect the property until she’s a bit older?
It is always a shock to discover that a director, senior manager or other valued staff member of a business has acted in a way that may prejudice the business for their own or another’s gain. For example, where a departing employee has stolen valuable intellectual property or a director has misappropriated funds or property belonging to the business. Often these events can be categorised as criminal behaviour such as theft or fraud. The instinct is to report the conduct to the police.
A recent decision in the Senior Court’s Cost Office has reminded litigants of the importance of proportionality of costs in legal proceedings. The case was a personal injury claim which settled for just over £3,000. However, the Claimant’s solicitors’ bill of costs was for in excess of £70,000. The Costs Judge decided that the bill was disproportionate and reduced it by two thirds.
Have you been let down by a professional? Did your lawyer omit to advise you of planning, right of way or environmental issues affecting your property when you bought it? Did they fail to protect your interests in a property venture adequately? Did they miss a limitation deadline when acting for you on a dispute? Or did they prepare a Will or a Trust which did not have the desired tax consequences?
The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (‘the Act’) provides a route for certain people who believe they have not been adequately provided for, to claim for something out of a deceased person’s estate. The court has an almost unlimited discretion to decide the ‘right’ outcome.
Solicitor, Amy Wilford from our Dispute Resolution team speaks to Choice Magazine about challenging a loved one’s last wishes.
A review of the structure of current civil court system by Lord Justice Briggs, the Deputy Head of Civil Justice in England & Wales, was published in July 2016 and highlighted the lack of a suitable dispute resolution forum for disputes where the amounts involved do not usually justify involving solicitors.
The decision to exit the European Union will undoubtedly give rise to a period of uncertainty for us all. A great deal has been written already about possible impacts and, in writing this short article, I have sought to highlight a few key areas that may warrant some immediate thought and possible action depending on your business sector, geography and markets.
The Solicitors Journal reports on Thomson Snell & Passmore's recent significant promotions within the firm.
We are pleased to receive, for another year, the accolade from eprivateclient of being listed as one of the Top 25 Law Firms in the UK.
Significant changes will shortly be made to insurance law in England and Wales. The cumulative effect of the reforms will be to significantly rebalance insurance law in favour of commercial policyholders ultimately leading to more claims being met. The main changes are summarised below.
Do you or your business have a claim which you wish to bring but you are wary about doing so because of the costs and risks? Are you tempted just to ‘put it down to experience’ despite the fact that you would really rather not?
The decision in Nemcova v Fairfield Rents Limited serves as a timely reminder to owners of leasehold property to consider carefully all obligations in their lease and the intention of those obligations before allowing a third party into occupation.
Partner, Mark Steggles from our Dispute Resolution team speaks to multi-award-winning wealth management and luxury lifestyle media brand Spear's Magazine, about the legal dispute between David Richards CBE and the residents of St Mawes over the use of his helicopter landing pad.
Mark Steggles speaks to the Guardian and gives his advice in response to a Consumer Rights question.
Keith McAlister speaks to wealth management magazine Spears about the recent dispute over the use of the Rothschild name.
Powers of Attorney are commonly used where a person (the ‘donor’) wants to appoint one or more others to assist in their decision making or to make decisions on their behalf. They are often utilised where the donor lacks the mental capacity to make decisions themselves, although this is not always the case. The attorney must act in the best interests of the donor and ensure that they are acting for the donor’s benefit, rather than their own, at all times.
Q. My business received some professional advice that turned out to be wrong. It has cost us a significant amount of money to sort the situation out. We would like to bring a claim through the courts to recover our losses, but I am concerned about the cost and risk of taking legal action. Is there a funding solution that could help?
