Blogs
Why you need a cohabitation agreement
The number of couples who are living together without being married or entering into a civil partnership has massively increased in recent decades. According to a Commons Library briefing paper, the number of cohabiting couples rose from around 1.5 million in 1996 to around 3.6 million in 2021 – ....
Renters Reform Bill enters parliament
Since our previous update on imminent reforms to the private rented sector, events have moved apace. The Renters Reform Bill – touted by the government as the biggest shakeup of renters’ rights in a generation – has now been introduced to parliament. It has now been through its first reading ....
Assured shorthold tenancies – what’s changing?
In June 2022, the government announced the introduction of the Renters Reform Bill, which would result in sweeping changes across the private rented sector to level the long-perceived power imbalance between landlords and tenants. The bill is finally due to be published and introduced into Parli....
Family business succession – what you need to know
Passing a family business onto the next generation is a proud and satisfying achievement. After years of hard work building or maintaining your reputation and traditions, family succession is a highly significant moment – and one that you want to get right. Alongside the pride, there is inevit....
Instruct a solicitor early for family business succession planning
Succession planning is critical to the future and enduring success of your business. Having spent years working on every little detail, implementing an effective succession plan is the final step to ensuring your legacy and the continuation of your hard work. As all business owners know, forward....
How a private FDR could speed up your divorce
As many people who have been through a divorce will know, it can be a long, drawn-out and emotionally difficult process. For some years now, this already traumatic situation has for many families been compounded by the severe delays plaguing the family court system. Government data published at ....
Luxury goods – a ‘safe haven’ investment?
Last year, as the UK economy continued to struggle and inflation soared, Investors Chronicleran an article about luxury goods and their potential to weather economic storms in comparison to more ‘traditional’ investments like stocks and shares. It was an article that resonated with us at the....
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....
‘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....
Wealth in the age of social media
The ways in which people can accumulate and grow their wealth are forever expanding and evolving. In our Private Wealth Guide for 2022-23, for example, we featured a number of social media stars across Hertfordshire and Essex who had risen to fame – and fortune – on social media websites such a....
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 ....
How to stay on the right side of IHT
Inheritance Tax (IHT) – the British public’s most hated tax – is levied on the value of a deceased person’s estate. From April 2022 to December 2022, the amount raised by IHT was £5.3 billion, £700 million higher than a year previously. As the frozen threshold forces more and more people ....
