Are you purchasing a flat or leasehold property with the intention to make alterations or do you already own a leasehold property and are considering a refurbishment? Whether the proposed alterations are structural or non-structural, major or minor, it is essential that you ensure what you plan is allowed before you start work. Your lease […]
It was estimated that during the last World Cup held in South Africa, British productivity suffered to the tune of £7.2 billion! The FIFA World Cup isn’t the only sporting spectacle this summer which attracts a crowd; Wimbledon and the Tour-de-France are both on the horizon. Often employers are unsure about how to respond to […]
It is a concerning reality that financial abuse of the elderly is happening on a large scale. It is often someone close to the elderly person who carries out the abuse and quite often the abuser is actually appointed by the elderly person as their attorney under a Lasting Power of Attorney (“LPA”). The Care […]
Earlier this year the Government announced its intention to stop the sale of new leasehold houses. This has certainly seen an increased interest in how, if you currently own a leasehold house, you can obtain its freehold. Which route? There are essentially two ways this can be done: The voluntary route – by “simply” negotiating […]
Dress codes have gained widespread media coverage over the last 18 months. We started with the case of Nicola Thorp, a corporate receptionist at Portico, sacked for refusing to wear high heels. Ms Thorp was sent home on her first day at work for refusing to wear shoes with a “2 inch to 4inch heel”. […]
On 9 May 2014 Mr Chu, a retired City banker signed a new Will, leaving almost half of his £1 million estate to his carer Mrs Henderson, who had cared for Mr Chu in the final year of his life, and her children. Two days after signing the Will and whilst in hospital, Mr Chu […]
If your inbox is anything like mine, you would have recently been inundated with emails about the imminent arrival of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and attempts to entice you into ‘clicking here’ so we can still contact you, but have you been wondering why? Are you in the blissful group who don’t know […]
Creating a valid Will is one of the most important things you will ever do to ensure your family and loved ones are provided for once you are gone. With something this important the advice must be to get professional and qualified help, after all you wouldn’t ask a passer-by to carry out a root […]
The tabloids have been reporting that George Michael’s partner, Fadi Fawaz, 43, has put a hold on the administration of George Michael’s estate as provided for in his Will. The superstar, who passed away on Christmas Day last year aged 53, left behind an estate worth £105 million. George left a Will but the contents are unknown although […]
The law around direct marketing seems to be an issue that our clients seek clarification on. We will deal with some of the main issues arising from direct marketing practices below. The main sources of regulation are the GDPR but also the less well known Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR). Please note that […]
This month a quiet revolution was ushered into the English courts. The courts have (for some types of cases) now replaced an outdated Victorian procedure and embraced modern technology with the mandatory use of “electronic bills of costs”. In an immediate and very narrow sense this development will have very little impact on clients or […]
Fraudulent calumny, also sometimes known as ‘the poisoning of the mind’, is the name for a specific type of Will fraud. It has similarities to undue influence but there are subtle differences to note. A claim of undue influence requires behaviour which is threatening, or coerces the person making their Will to write their Will […]
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 […]
