ID Verification for Companies House Additional layers of security introduced by Companies House came into effect on the 25 March 2025. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA) 2023 introduced new identity verification requirements for company directors and people with significant control (PSCs) to help combat fraud and clean up the Companies House register. […]
Autumn Budget 2024: Main points
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has extended the freeze on Inheritance Tax thresholds to 2030. The means that allowances remain the same in that up to £325,000 of a deceased estate can be inherited without paying IHT, rising to £500,00 if the estate includes a residence that passes to a direct descendent, such as from mother to daughter, and up to £1m when a tax-free allowance is passed to a surviving spouse or civil partner.
Average time taken to buy a home increases
It now takes an average of 149 days, or five months, from a house seller accepting your offer, to complete on a house purchase, according to the property portal, Rightmove. This is an increase of 26 per cent from the pre-pandemic average of 119 days. Managing expectations These times are the average, some property transactions […]
Breens take part in Queenscourt Hospice’s Make a Will Month April 2024
April 2024 is make a Will Month at Breens Solicitors Southport During April 2024, Breens Solicitors is supporting Queenscourt Hospice by writing basic Single and basic Mirror Wills in exchange for a suggested minimum donation to the hospice of: £150 for a basic Single Will* £250 for basic Mirror Wills* *For more complex Wills that […]
Make having a Will your new year resolution
Do you love your family? Do you want them to be financially secure when you die? Then why haven’t you written a Will? If you die without making a will, you put your family at risk of stress, family disputes and even court action that can last for years. Maybe you think your family know […]
Why you need a Power of Attorney no matter your age
In the UK, most adults have not yet made a will and even fewer have made a power of attorney. Part of the reason for the low take up of power of attorney is the misconception that powers of attorney are for the elderly and not something younger people need to consider. This misconception is […]
Plan while you can: why putting a Power of Attorney in place is the best insurance policy
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) allows you to appoint someone to make decisions on your behalf should you no longer have the ability to do so. There are two types of LPA: property and financial, and health and welfare. You can arrange to have either type or both types. If you lose mental capacity […]
Property prices fall as autumn bounce back fails to materialize
As autumn leaves start to fall and there is a notable chill in the air, many estate agents and conveyancing solicitors might be hoping for the usual autumn bounce of the property market, so far this has yet to materialize. RICS Survey A survey conducted by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) shows that […]
Sunak to phase out Inheritance Tax?
The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is drawing up plans to cut inheritance tax. In a move to appease the Party faithful at next month’s Conservative Party Conference, sources suggest Sunak is considering cutting the ‘most hated tax in Britain’ and possibly phasing it out completely. What is Inheritance Tax and who pays it? Inheritance Tax […]
Probate matters: how to clear a house after a loved one dies
If the furniture in the house is in good condition, reduce the volume, keep flat surfaces clear of clutter (including kitchen appliances), and give it a deep-clean. You need the buyer to be able to see the possibilities of the house for their family, rather than present it as a monument to your family.
BBC Breakfast news highlights the importance of making a Lasting Power of Attorney
An LPA is a legal document outline who you wish to take over your affairs should you not be able to manage them yourself.
There are two types of LPA, one in respect of your Property and Finances and one in respect of your Health and Welfare. The Property and Finance LPA helps your attorney to deal with banks and other financial institutions. The health and welfare LPA allows your attorney to decide things such as where you live and what care you receive.
Rising rents fuels property market
Although affordability issues and higher interest rates may be off putting to would-be buyers, rapidly rising rents and lack of rental properties are creating demand amongst those who want certainty and the chance to be in control of their housing.
Residential rents in March 2023 were 4.9 per cent higher than they were in the previous 12 months and are now, according to the Office of National Statistics, at the highest level on record.
Government plans overhaul of lease extensions
Following pressure from campaign groups, the Government has outlined plans to make it cheaper and easier for leaseholders to extend a lease. Current rules for lease extensions Under the current rules, leaseholders of houses can only extend their lease once – by a 50 year period – while leaseholders of flats can extend their leases […]
Money Saving Expert issues warning to couples who live together but are unmarried
Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis, issued a stark warning to people living in England who don’t have a will in place, advising that the rules of intestacy will decide where your assets go upon your dying, not you. The consumer finance expert issued the warning at the start of his Martin’s Money Show Live programme […]
First Time Buyers: What to expect from your conveyancer
One of the first things you need to do when buying your first home is instruct a conveyancer, this could be a solicitor or licensed conveyancer. The best way is to choose a conveyancer is by recommendation from family or friends, failing that check out Google reviews and get at least three quotes from reputable […]
What happens when landlords don’t respond to buyers’ enquiries
Selling a leasehold flat Leasehold flats are a common property type in Southport. When selling a leasehold flat, your buyer’s solicitor will not only ask you questions about the flat but will send your landlord or the flat’s management company, a standard leasehold property enquiry form, known as an LPE1, to complete. Most landlords are […]
Time to buy? Five thoughts for home buyers
It is a tense time in the housing market at the moment with potential home movers holding out to see which way the property market goes in the next few months. The Bank of England base rate is now 3% bringing with it higher mortgage rates which in turn make for a nervous market. While […]
Four (legal) ways to cut inheritance tax
More people are becoming liable for inheritance tax (IHT) each year, largely thanks to the increase in property prices over the past few years. The first £325,000 of your estate is exempt. You can also pass on an additional £175,000 tax-free amount if you pass your main residence on to your children or grandchildren. This […]
How to prepare for death: an 8-step guide
Nobody likes to talk about it but there is 100% chance you will die, one day, in some way. So why are so many people unprepared for death? If you don’t have your finances in order, you leave your loved ones with a mess at a time they should be grieving. If you want to […]
Good news for home buyers as mortgage rates fall
Following the mini-budget of the short-lived Truss premiership, mortgage rates soared to their highest in 10 years. Now some of Britain’s biggest lenders have started to cut the cost of fixed mortgage deals by more than half a percentage point. This brings the average rate of a two-year mortgage fix down to 6.48 per cent, […]
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