Residential Property
Leasehold reform becomes law
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform bill has become law – one of the last pieces of legislation to make it through Parliament before it was dissolved in preparation for July’s general election. The reforms, which have been the subject of a great deal of scrutiny over the past few years, aim to ma....
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The Building Safety Act and the remediation of historic defects
The Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA 2022, hereafter referred to as ‘the Act’) was designed to address safety issues affecting existing buildings. The Act was specifically formulated to reallocate the financial responsibility for rectifying these issues from the buildings’ tenants to either the ....
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The Building Safety Act – fire safety responsibilities for landlords
The Grenfell Tower fire, a tragic incident during which over 70 people lost their lives when a fire blazed out of control due to the building’s highly flammable cladding, led to the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022. The Act legislated amendments to a raft of other laws and regulations....
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Leasehold reform: Should I extend my lease now or hang on?
Following the introduction of the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022, which restricts ground rents on new leases to a ‘peppercorn’ – i.e., nothing – the second phase of the government’s promised reforms to the leasehold system is currently on its way through parliament. The Leaseh....
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A day in the life of a conveyancer
If you’ve ever wondered what you’re paying for when you instruct a conveyancing solicitor, wonder no longer! In this blog, Katharina Vidojevic, a Conveyancing Solicitor specialising in shared ownership matters, shares a typical – and very busy! – day in her life as she looks after her clien....
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Stamp Duty Land Tax holiday to end in 2025
If you’re thinking of moving home at the moment, now is the time to start looking. Prospective buyers have until 31March 2025 to complete on their property transaction before the temporary Stamp Duty cut (initially announced by then-Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng in September 2022) comes to an end. ....
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What happens if my mortgage offer expires?
On 22 June, the Bank of England increased the base rate to 5% - the highest level in 15 years – in an attempt to combat the UK’s stubbornly high inflation rate. Raising interest rates is a common method used to tackle inflation, as it decreases the spending power of mortgage holders and encoura....
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Common conveyancing issues – and how we deal with them
The Legal Ombudsman is an independent and impartial body that offers consumers recourse if they are unhappy with the services of a law firm or legal services provider. It is a vital scheme which offers protection against poor legal advice and customer service. Sadly, nearly a quarter (23%) of co....
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‘Safe Harbour’ status in conveyancing
Property fraud has skyrocketed in recent years, reaching record levels in 2022. Since the pandemic especially, it has become easier for scammers to trick people out of their money with entire property transactions taking place without any of the parties – buyers, sellers mortgage brokers, surveyo....
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A lawyer’s top tips for avoiding fraud
In an ideal world, every individual and business would be honest and offer a quality service in exchange for the money we pay. Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal world and fraudsters are developing ever more sophisticated methods to part innocent people with their cash – with many victims ....
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Bank of Mum and Dad: Potential pitfalls of parental lending
NatWest, HSBC, Nationwide… when we think of mortgage lending, our thoughts inevitably stray to the household names of the banking sector. But did you know that parents and relatives – also known as the Bank of Mum and Dad or BoMaD – are collectively the UK’s ninth largest mortgage lender? I....
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Is it time to buy your freehold?
Extending your lease can be a long and complicated process. However, doing so promptly, with the help of a specialist solicitor, can save you thousands of pounds in extra costs and add value to your property. If you are in a position to do so, however, the best course of action might be to buy the ....
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Leaseholders set to gain new rights
Issues with the current leasehold system, which dates back to the 1800s, have been the subject of public and media scrutiny for many years now. Although leaseholders were given more rights in the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, which allowed them to extend their lease and ....
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I’m buying my first home, when should I give notice on my rented property?
Once you’ve had your offer accepted on the property you’re planning to buy, it can be tempting to think about giving notice to your landlord. However, as you’re probably aware, things don’t always go as smoothly as we’d all like when it comes to buying and selling properties. Once you’ve....
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Landlords, watch out for these legislative changes in 2020
Landlords, like most businesses and individuals across the country, have seen their income affected to various degrees by the current coronavirus pandemic. Many are experiencing cash flow problems as tenants struggle to make rental payments. However, landlords are also facing other changes this ....
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Why remortgage?
Remortgaging, or switching to a new mortgage deal with either your current lender or a new provider, can be perceived as a time-consuming and daunting process by some. However, investing some time in shopping around for the best mortgage deal has the potential to pay off to the tune of thousands of....
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Buying or selling a house during the COVID-19 outbreak
According to government data, nearly 104,000 property transactions completed in the UK in February 2020. For the thousands of people whose properties are due to complete in March, however, the government’s restrictions on movement and social contact to curb the spread of coronavirus have rendered....
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What do conveyancers actually do?
When purchasing a property, conveyancing fees are often considered the inconvenient cherry on top of the already expensive cake of moving costs. In this blog, we explain what our expert conveyancing solicitors do throughout your transaction, giving you a better understanding of where your hard-earn....
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Navigating the 3% Stamp Duty Land Tax surcharge
In his 2015 Autumn Budget speech, then Chancellor George Osborne announced a new 3% surcharge on the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) payable on additional properties – for example, those purchased as holiday homes or buy-to-let properties. The changes, which passed into law in the Finance Act 2016, ha....
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Will a tennis court or swimming pool add value to my property?
If you’re looking to buy, or already own, a property with significant acreage, chances are you might be looking for ways to enhance your family’s enjoyment of your land and even to augment your property’s value. Frequently, high-net-worth clients will ask us about the planning implications of....
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