Blogs
London prime property market set for recovery
With the capital in lockdown for the majority of 2020 and many wealthy individuals fleeing the capital in favour of luxurious country houses in which to while away lockdown, it has been a mixed year for the prime London property market. While annual price growth across Greater London reached around....
Uber drivers are workers, says Supreme Court
Uber drivers are to be treated as workers, and not self-employed contractors, according to a ruling handed down on 19 February 2021 by the UK Supreme Court. The decision follows a long-running legal battle between the ride-hailing app and its employees, over workers’ rights such as minimum wage a....
Landlords, remember the Section 17 Notice time window
With businesses continuing to face an uncertain financial future amid during the current lockdown, late rental payments continue to be an unfortunate and regular side-effect of the pandemic. This has had a knock-on effect on landlords’ profits as well, with the government implementing various res....
How the pandemic reshaped the luxury property market
We’ve all heard a great deal about the mass exodus from cities sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, as millions of people sold up their urban homes in favour of the fresh air, open space and tranquillity of the countryside. Nowhere has this been more evident than in the luxury property market, wi....
LGBT+ employees still face significant workplace challenges
1 February 2021 marked the beginning of LGBT+ History Month, an annual celebration that provides education and an insight into the issues the LGBT+ community faces. LGBT+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, plus other types of sexuality and gender identity. The event, held i....
Why Living Together Agreements are more important than ever before
These days, many more couples are deciding to live together without getting married. This may be due to the extortionate costs of weddings, a rejection of archaic social conventions or simply because they’re happy as they are. However, what many unmarried couples are unaware of is that they lack ....
Government consults on non-compete clauses
On 4 December 2020, the government launched a consultation into non-compete clauses in employment contracts, which employers often use to prevent employees from working for or establishing a competing business following the termination of their contract. This clause is a type of post-termination re....
The local businesses that flourished during lockdown
In our Private Wealth Guide this year, we profiled some of the most up and coming start-ups that had made a name for themselves in the previous year. An ecological toothbrush company, a fledgling design agency and an equine veterinary business all made our list of prize-winning start-ups across Her....
Coronavirus and spousal maintenance payments
Across the UK, millions of people have been impacted financially by the coronavirus pandemic. Some lost their jobs, others were furloughed, while many parents were forced to cut their hours to focus on homeschooling and caring for their children. Others still lost money when the stock markets plumm....
Philanthropy and the legacy of great estates
Back in their heyday, Britain’s great estates were integral to the economies of the local communities in which they were based. Not only were they huge employers for those living in nearby towns and villages, but they were also massive supporters of local businesses, which thrived from supplying ....
What if my employee refuses to come back to work?
Amid a second national lockdown, millions of employees are back on furlough leave or working from home. The lockdown was ordered in an attempt to stem rapidly rising COVID-19 cases and related deaths, which are once again being closely followed and reported by the media. In such a climate, it is....
Escape to the country?
As the months have ticked by, the coronavirus pandemic has led to some profound shifts in the UK’s attitudes to various aspects of life – including aspiring buyers’ property preferences. Rightmove reported a 126% increase in buyer enquiries about village properties in June and July this year[....
