Blogs

As a commercial landlord are you aware of the procedures that need to be followed to terminate or renew a commercial lease?

If, as a landlord, you wish to terminate a lease, you need to consider the security of tenure granted to your business tenants by Part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1945, as this affects how you can deal with the future of your premises. What is security of tenure? The Landlord and....

Why better screening is needed to help detect Group B streptococcal infections in babies

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a bacterium that can cause serious illness, particularly in new-borns. It is responsible for many cases of meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, as well as some cases of blood infections (sepsis) and pneumonia. W....

Making a claim for paediatric medical negligence on behalf of a child – what you need to know

Paediatrics is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of new-born babies, infants, children and adolescents. Instances of medical negligence affecting children can be complicated and diverse. But however large or small your child's injury is, if it is the result of negligent or inapp....

How trusts can help blended families plan and pass on their wealth

Families brought together by new relationships can face a range of unique stresses and strains when it comes to dealing with their wealth. If, for instance, a parent has children with more than one partner, then the difficulties of managing their finances can multiply, sometimes giving rise to rela....

Remortgaging: Transfer of Equity, what it is and how it works

Remortgaging, or taking out a new mortgage on your existing property (either to replace the one you already have or to borrow a sizeable amount against your home) can be appropriate for a variety of reasons. Your current deal may be coming to an end, you might want a better rate, the value of your ....

How remortgaging works and the benefits it brings

With the mortgage market remaining competitive, it pays to shop around from time to time as there may be a cheaper deal available that could be more cost-efficient and better suited to your needs. The process of getting a new loan put in place is referred to as remortgaging. Mortgage deals are u....

How trusts provide a straightforward way for families to protect and pass on their wealth

For many, the word ‘trust’ can have a slightly Dickensian ring to it; people often assume that a trust is rather old-fashioned, difficult to set up and complex to run. In addition, there is a common misconception that they are established purely for tax purposes and don’t have any other role ....

Why it’s high time cohabiting couples were given rights

Last summer, Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan sought judicial review of the government’s decision not to make changes to the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 to allow different sex couples to enter civil partnerships. Their victory should see civil partnerships extended to different sex couples by....

Civil partnership bill expected to become law before the end of the year

For couples who dislike the idea of traditional marriage, but would like full legal recognition of their relationship, the news that opposite-sex couples will soon be able to enter into civil partnerships will be welcomed. This move is designed to address the imbalance that allows same-sex couples ....

Children and divorce – how to co-parent them through the pain

As you might expect, children often find their parent’s divorce a time of great sadness that inevitably brings a huge number of changes into their lives. They are likely to suffer a range of emotions ranging from disbelief to anxiety, anger and distress; research has shown that the first year or ....

I’ve been served with a section 215 notice, what do I need to do?

These notices are part of the provisions contained in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and give a local planning authority (LPA) power in certain circumstances to require that land or buildings are cleaned up or repaired if they consider their condition adversely affects the amenity of the a....

How to bequeath your personal possessions

The chances are that you will have personal possessions that you’d like to be handed on to your family and friends when you die. For example, you may want family jewellery to go to your daughter, a piece of furniture to a cousin, or a particular book or picture to be given to a close friend. If t....