Blogs
How to avoid the pitfalls in lease extension
Nearly one in five of all properties in England is leasehold, with around 3 million flats and 1.4 million new-build houses being owned in this way. As many leasehold flats date from the building booms of the last century, their owners are becoming aware that it’s time to negotiate an extension,....
Sepsis in children – what parents need to know
The 13th September was World Sepsis Day. Whilst awareness of the signs of meningitis and the need for prompt and appropriate treatment has become better known, there is another serious condition that affects 25,000 children each year in the UK – sepsis. This condition can often be missed in adult....
Tips on selling your home in a slow market
The property market is showing signs of a slowdown. Property prices fell by -0.5% in August, according to Nationwide. This is the largest monthly drop since July 2012, and may be due to uncertainty as to how the Brexit negotiations will play out over the coming months. So, if you’re trying to sell....
Practical advice for executors facing a Will challenge
Acting as an executor can be an arduous task; the role carries responsibilities, can be admin heavy, and it brings with it the need to deal with people going through a sad and difficult time. Sometimes, would-be beneficiaries can feel aggrieved if they think they have been left less than they consid....
The Raynsford Review of Planning – is a radical new planning system on the horizon?
June saw the publication of the interim report from former Labour Housing and Planning Minister Nick Raynsford’s planning review. He has had some forthright things to say about the state of planning in England, talking of “deeply demoralised” staff who work in a system where “there’s an ov....
The potential hidden killers that you may not be aware of, and why fast diagnosis is vital
Sepsis, also known as septicaemia or blood poisoning, can be fatal. The figures for sepsis make for grim reading. It affects around 150,000 people each year in the UK. Of those, 44,000 people die, giving it a higher mortality rate than heart attacks and some common forms of cancer. Early diagnosis a....
Neighbourhood plans v housing – site selection issues in Theydon Bois
The Localism Act 2011 gave communities an unprecedented opportunity to have their say about future development in their local area, allowing them to play a part in selecting sites for housing development. These proposals are then incorporated into a local plan. Much has changed since 2011; the UK....
I want to challenge a Will – what should I do?
As you may already be aware, there are several grounds on which you can challenge a Will or make a claim against an estate. These include: Testamentary capacity – with conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia being more widely diagnosed, claims made on the grounds that the deceased did not....
Lasting Power of Attorney – making the right choices for your future
Last summer retired judge Denzil Lush caused consternation amongst many people and much publicity by saying that he had concerns about the creation of a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). His view was that LPAs could be open to abuse. He preferred the alternative of Deputyship, a process that requires....
How the findings of the Letwin review highlighted key issues and dispelled market myths
Originally announced in last year’s Autumn Budget, late June saw the publication of the findings of a review undertaken by Sir Oliver Letwin into why hundreds of thousands of homes have yet to be built despite having planning permission. It was conducted in two phases, with Phase One involving ....
Why the case of Tini Owens shows we urgently need ‘no fault’ divorce
In yet another demonstration that divorce laws in the UK need to be revisited and updated, a woman who has been married for 40 years and finds herself locked in a loveless relationship has been refused a divorce. Tini Owens, 68, maintains that her relationship with her husband Hugh has broken dow....
Making a Will – how you can prevent it being challenged on the grounds of mental capacity
It’s estimated that over 850,000 people are currently living with dementia in the UK, and this figure is expected to rise to over a million by 2025. As you’d expect, the Alzheimer’s Society* website contains a lot of useful information about the disease and other forms of dementia. It expla....
