The additional 3% Stamp Duty Land Tax surcharge payable on all ‘second homes’ came in to force on 1 April 2016. The surcharge is payable where you are an individual purchasing a property for more than £40,000 and you or your spouse/civil partner already have an interest in another property (anywhere in the world). Exceptions […]
On the 1st April 2018 the government announced new proposals to introduce stronger protections for leaseholders and tenants against letting and managing agents. It will also look at any unfair costs involved in the property management process. Background Behind the Proposals Historically, property managers and letting agents have faced significant criticism that leaseholders are being […]
Last week, the Government and the Creative Industries Council (CIC) announced a new funding package aimed at strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in the creative industries. The deal includes joint investment of £150 million from the Government and industry, targeted at creative business in the UK, and a £20 million fund to […]
In this day and age it is almost impossible not to have a digital legacy of some kind, but are you aware of what it is? Many people when planning for the inevitable neglect to consider the digital legacy that they leave behind. They put in place all the necessary steps to ensure that their […]
Restrictive covenants are usually historical, legally binding obligations which can prevent land from being developed. They are often the cause of developers’ despair! Below are some ways around them and how to avoid their effect. Is the restrictive covenant enforceable? If any of the following apply then the covenant will not be effective: The wording […]
For years millennials, or “generation rent” as they’ve come to be known, have been told that joining the elusive club of property owners is nothing but a pipe dream. Owning a home is an aspiration for millions of people in the UK and the government have committed themselves to helping those people achieve that aspiration. […]
We recently announced that a team of lawyers from Bolt Burdon (Darren Coleran, Simon Beasley, Amie Mackay and I) are flying out to Cannes this year to experience MIPIM for the first time. After hearing good things from many of our contacts, we felt that this was the year to explore what the French Riviera […]
Since my previous article on the GDPR in January, we have been advising many of our clients on the regulation and I thought it would be useful to share with you some of the common themes and offer some general advice. Databases Databases can be a key asset for many businesses and are used to […]
You’ve purchased a flat, you’re a home-owner, hurrah! But how long is left on your lease? 125 years? 99 years? 80 years? During the term of the lease, the flat can be bought and sold and will often change hands a number of times. But the term does not renew and as such, as the […]
Research published by Direct Line this week suggests 38% of unmarried couples are not sure of what they would be entitled to in the event of the death of their loved one. More than half of married people in Britain have drawn up a will but that figure is much lower for those cohabiting with […]
Rarely does our government offer to refund money it has collected in fees. However, this happened last week in relation to fees paid for registering a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). By way of a quick reminder, LPAs are documents which allow you, ‘the donor’, to appoint someone else, known as your ‘attorney’, to make […]
With what feels like the longest month over we can now start to come out of hibernation and think about the year ahead. If some of your plans involve property then here are some of the factors which may influence your decisions in 2018: Interest Rates – These are likely to remain low in 2018 […]
Are organisations doing enough to combat sexual harassment at work? We seem unable to turn on the news recently without there being another scandal hitting the headlines. Whether it is Hollywood, Westminster or the City, recent research shows that 1 in 5 women has been victim of sexual harassment at work. The recent scandals have […]
The Court of Appeal has just dismissed the eagerly awaited appeal of the decision in Mundy v The Trustees of the Sloane Stanley Estate. Consequently, valuers should continue following the guidance set out in the Upper Tribunal’s decision. Leaseholders with less than 80 years remaining on their lease will feel the pinch but landlords should […]
The new General Data Protection Regulations will apply from 25 May 2018. It is very important that all organisations ensure that they are compliant with the GDPR as the risk of non-compliance may lead to penalties for infringement of up to 4% of global annual turnover or €20 million. The GDPR enhances the current data […]
This year, it will become illegal for companies to appoint ‘corporate directors’. Traditionally, companies have been relatively free to appoint other corporate entities, such as limited companies or LLPs, as directors. There are various reasons why this can be useful. For example, where a person holds shares in a company and also has the right […]
It’s a new year so time to set your goals for the 12 months ahead. Personally I’m a huge fan of January as it’s a time to reflect on what has changed in your life over the last 12 months whilst at the same time it’s a clean slate for what lies ahead. There is […]
In this fast-paced and ever changing area of law, 2017 has been a year of employment law headlines as the courts have made this a landmark year for employment law. Here are this year’s key developments: Holiday pay must include voluntary overtime For businesses with a flexible workforce built up on low contracted hours and […]
It is not widely known but sometimes what you put in your Will may not be the last word on where your assets go after your death. A long held legal principle called “proprietary estoppel” can, in certain circumstances, unpick your Will and distribute your estate in accordance with “promises” you made to someone when […]
It is widely believed that who pays the legal costs of a dispute is entirely at the court’s discretion. In applying its discretion the court considers, but is not bound by the general principle, that the loser pays some or all of the winner’s costs. What is less well known and something for businesses to […]
When you make a Will your need to choose executors. Your executors take on a considerable responsibility as they ensure your wishes are properly carried out and assume a duty to act fairly and properly. It is therefore really important that you chose people you trust. This week an executor was jailed for abusing his […]
Stamp duty or to give it its full title, Stamp Duty Land Tax (“SDLT”), is an up-front tax paid on all property purchases. Following this week’s budget the Government hopes that by removing this up-front cost buying a first home will become more affordable and give the housing market a boost. Whether the changes will […]
Sadly cases of dementia are on the increase, however making a decision and then putting in place a Will or a Lasting Power of Attorney are not. In our experience, the older or more infirm people become, the less likely or willing they are to address the sensitive matter of loss of mental capacity. A […]
Have you noticed e-mail footers getting longer? Okay, just me then. Fair enough – you probably don’t pay much attention to them. After all, you have better things to do….like reading the e-mail itself. But you should at least be more aware of your e-mail footer. Here’s why: Information All companies and limited liability partnerships […]
Sexual harassment at work is serious. It can make employees and employers’ lives a misery and really affect how they do their job. In the wake of Harvey Weinstein and the increasing number of allegations made against personalities and politicians splashed across the news, we thought some clarity on the situation would be welcome. In […]
One of the most frustrating elements of buying a home in England and Wales is the threat of gazumping. Gazumping occurs when a buyer has had an offer to purchase a property accepted by the seller, but before the legally binding part of the transaction is reached, the seller accepts a better, usually higher offer […]
The protection of Intellectual Property rights are important to many companies as they encourage the research and innovation required to bring new products or services to market. In simple terms, IP rights could prevent competitor companies from unfairly copying new products and launching their own same or similar product. The competitor company, would it is […]
