Article Category: Insight & Opinion

Restrictive covenants are commonly incorporated into employment contracts in order to restrict a former employee’s actions post-termination and to protect the company’s legitimate business interests. Recently, the Supreme Court considered restrictive covenants that appeared to be wider than was reasonable and therefore potentially unenforceable. The question to be determined was whether words could be severed… Read more »

Since October 2011, under the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR), temporary agency workers are entitled to the same basic working conditions after working for a period of 12 weeks, as if they have been employed directly by the hirer. In a recent case (London Underground Ltd (LUL) v Amissah), LUL were found liable for a breach… Read more »

Gathering the right documents for your Solicitor at the start of selling your house could save time, delays and expense. Providing your identification documents (ID) and instruction forms quickly will enable your solicitor to open a file for you and conduct their compliance checks. Gather your funding information at the outset. Solicitors are required by… Read more »

As the government pledges to build one million homes nationwide over the next three to five years, they have also developed incentives to help potential buyers make a purchase. Schemes such as ‘Help to Buy’ have assisted first time buyers and those struggling to get on the property ladder. First time buyers also have a… Read more »

Chancel Repair Liability (CRL) is a financial obligation imposed on some property owners in England and Wales to pay for certain repairs to a church which may or may not be the local parish church. The liability attaches to the land and can extend to property situated a long way from a church, making it… Read more »

What is Gazumping and Why is it Happening? Gazumping occurs when a higher offer for a property is made after an offer has already been accepted by the seller. This succeeds in obtaining the property, leaving the previous would-be buyer without the property and suffering a financial loss from incurred legal fees. The national average… Read more »

If you are concerned about the inheritance tax your family will have to pay and how much may go to the taxman, this article summarises various ways to reduce your inheritance tax bill when you are living. If you are a single person and your estate is worth over £325,000 or if you are married… Read more »

There are an estimated 2.9 million leasehold flats and 1.4 million leasehold houses in England which amount to almost a fifth of the housing stock in England. The confirmed leasehold reforms by Government for all new homes will affect a large number of people, including both leaseholders and landlords. Leaseholders are granted the right to… Read more »

Many clients, in particular first-time buyers, ask how they can take their first step onto the property ladder. Well, Help to Buy (HTB) may be an option; it offers a contribution towards the purchase price meaning that the client has a wider option of mortgage lenders and a smaller deposit of 5% to fund. Who… Read more »

When selling leasehold property, you should be aware of additional costs imposed by your managing agent or freeholder. Here are some important factors to be mindful of: Your lease: This document will contain all provisions that you should abide by and will confirm what additional fees could be charged. Examples of fees include: Contingency Fees… Read more »