1-December-2017 ITV’s Tonight special ‘Elderly Theft: Robbing the Relatives’ (first broadcast 30 November 2017) highlighted how Powers of Attorney can be abused and how legal professionals can help prevent abuse. Unfourtunately, the link is no longer available to watch. Powers of Attorney are a useful tool to help those who for reasons of mental or […]
Inheritance Tax Could Be Set To Change
29-November-2017 This year’s budget speech saw no mention of any changes to inheritance tax which surprised some. But in amongst the budget papers, a 32-page document reveals that proposals to raise IHT could be on the horizon. Both agricultural and business property relief could be the target of future cuts. Currently, farm houses, farmland, buildings […]
Fight No Flight
24-November-2017 Airlines are refusing to pay passengers the flight compensation that they are entitled to for delayed flights. EU rules dictate that passengers whose flight has been delayed by more than three hours should receive between €250 and €600 regardless of the price paid for the plane ticket. However, when a recent long-haul flight from […]
Stamp Duty For First Time Buyers Scrapped
22-November-2017 The Chancellor, Philip Hammond has abolished Stamp duty for first-time buyers in today’s budget. First-time buyers purchasing a property up to £300k will no Stamp Duty. Those buying properties worth up to £500k will only pay duty on the amount above £300k. It is a move estimated to take 80% of first-time buyers out […]
Northwest Best For Property
13-November-2017 Estate Agent, Savills, predicts the Northwest property market will outperform the rest of the country over the next five years. While prices have risen by 20%, property in the northwest is still affordable allowing first time buyers onto the ladder and keeping the property market moving. The cost of moving is cheaper than other […]
Could a Text Message Be a Valid Will
18-October-2017 Currently UK law requires that for a Will to be valid, it must be in writing, signed by the person making the Will and witnessed by two people. Until 2006 the law in Queensland, Australia mirrored these requirements – but at that point a change was made, allowing less formal types of documents to […]
Home For Christmas
18-October-2017 If you are thinking of moving home and want to be in before Christmas the time to list your property for sale is now. A study has found that prospective home sellers need to have their homes on the market before 17 October if they are to stand a chance of being in their […]
Greener Homes Could Get Stamp Duty Break
17-October-2017 The Government is considering whether people could pay less stamp duty on purchases of energy efficient homes, as part of its ‘Clean Growth Strategy’ published last week. When questioned, Claire Perry, Minister of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, made a statement in the House of Commons on Thursday 12th in which she […]
Help to Buy Equity Loan Five Years On
16-October-2017 Those who have taken advantage of the Government’s Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme will find their five year fixed rate mortgages are coming to an end – and could save money by acting now. Over 120,000 have used the scheme which enables buyers to purchase a property with a 5% deposit and 75% […]
Increase in First Time Buyers Entering the Housing Market
16-August-2017 The number of First Time Buyers is increasing thanks to the government’s help to buy scheme and historically low interest rates. Mortgage applications from First Time Buyers totalled 36000 in the month of June an increase of 22 per cent on May’s figures, according to the trade organisation, UK Finance. Help to Buy The […]
Rent to Buy Schemes Fall Short for Tenants
15-August-2017 Saving for your first deposit while renting can be difficult – even with the help of Government-backed schemes such as the Help to Buy ISA and Lifetime ISA (LISA). With soaring houses, getting a foot on the housing ladder is becoming increasingly tough. It is therefore unsurprising that some tenants have turned to alterative […]
Builders Should Pay to Fix Problem Leaseholds
4-August-2017 A group of new-build home owners is planning legal action against developers and solicitors for the mis-selling of leasehold properties. Housing developers accused of mis-selling new properties are braced for legal action after locking buyers into leases with spiraling ground rent charges. The Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, this week announced plans to prevent homebuilders […]
Generations Come Together to Beat Dementia
31-July-2017 An innovative trial in North Wales has revealed a new weapon in fighting dementia, toddlers. Following a successful experiment in a North Wales day care centre, councils and retirement home owners in England and Wales are experimenting with sharing care for the very young and the very old. Amazing results Six pre-school children joined […]
Government to Crackdown on Unfair Leasehold Charges
25-July-2017 Government plans to remove or decrease excessive ground rent will be outlined by the Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, today. Under the Government’s proposals – which are subject to an eight week consultation period – developers would be banned from selling new-build houses on onerous leases. What is a leasehold property? Leaseholders own their homes […]
Inheritance Tax Collection Breaks Record
29-June-2017 Record-breaking receipts from Inheritance Tax (IHT) boost treasury coffers. HMRC collected £5.1bn from Inheritance Tax bills over the last 12 months, records show. This is the first time that inheritance tax bills have broken through the £5bn barrier within a single year. Why are Inheritance Tax bills rising? Once the reserve of the super-rich, […]
The Return of the Green Deal
20-June-2017 The Green Deal which was shelved in 2015 has now returned and homeowners will once again be able to finance energy efficient improvements with a fixed-term loan on attractive terms. The original Green Deal was launched by the Government in 2013 with loans available for home improvements that made properties more energy efficient. These […]
Blue Peter Presenter Dies
30-May-2017 The death of popular Blue Peter presenter, John Noakes, is a timely reminder of the devastating effect of dementia. Noakes was a stalwart of children’s television in the 70s and 80s. During his 12 years on Blue Peter, he climbed Nelson’s Column without a safety net and completed a record-breaking free-fall parachute jump. But […]
Stealth Tax for Death-in-Service Payments
26-May-2017 Some families struggling to cope with the death of a loved one will be hit by a 55% tax on death-in-service payments intended to help support the surviving partner. Many workplace pension schemes include a death-in-service clause which , if an employee dies, will allow the surviving partner to take a lump sum. This […]
Tory Care Plans Could Leave Councils Millions in Debt
24-May-2017 An expert on social care believes the Tories’ care proposals could leave Local Authorities millions in debt. Luke Clements, Professor of Law and Social Justice at Leeds University, believes that Councils will have to demand extra funding from the Treasury to cover the cost of allowing care fees to be deferred until death. Professor […]
Helping Your Child to Buy
7-April-2017 With climbing house prices and more stringent mortgage criteria, it’s no wonder that more children than ever before are having to rely on the bank of Mum and Dad – or the bank of Granddad and Grandma. According to the Social Mobility Commission, over 30% of first time buyers are dependent on gifts from […]
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