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The Government has announced changes to the immigration and nationality fees for the years 2016/2017. The changes, which will be followed up by legislation in April of this year, set out the maximum amount that the Home Office will be able to charge. Continue reading “New Immigration and Nationality Fees”
House Prices Soaring
In London, a house bought in December 2015 would have cost 12.2% more than a year earlier. The average price of a house in London (Q4 2015) was over £456,000. The average price of a house in the UK rose by 4.3% to over £250,000. These statistics have added to a growing sentiment that many people simply cannot afford housing. Continue reading “House Prices Soaring”
What is Probate? And how long can I expect it to take?
When someone dies and they have substantial assets, a Grant of Probate is required to be obtained. A Grant of Probate (also referred to as Grant of Representation) is merely a court stamped document which names the personal representatives of the estate. Financial institutions will not release the deceased’s funds for distribution until they have had sight of a Grant and can rest assured that they are paying the monies to the correct person/people. A Grant is not always required, for example, if the deceased owned all their assets jointly with another person or they did not own any property, had no stocks or shares, but had various bank accounts with different banks, although each account held less than about £15,000, then the banks would usually just require a form to be completed and signed in front of a solicitor for the funds to be released. Every bank has its own rules about what amount it will release without the Grant and they will let you know what their requirements are once they are informed of the death. Continue reading “What is Probate? And how long can I expect it to take?”
The Pitfalls of Being an Executor
Acting as someone’s Executor is not a job to be taken lightly. The first duty that falls on an Executor is to arrange the deceased’s funeral. When someone dies, the institutions where the deceased held assets must be notified as soon as reasonably possible and all accounts will be frozen, it can therefore at times be difficult to obtain the deceased’s money to pay for things such as ongoing mortgage payments, house insurance etc. Sometimes the Executor must pay the funeral costs personally when there is not money readily available in the estate, which can put financial pressure on the Executor. Other liabilities may also arise that must be paid right away which may again fall on the Executor to settle. Continue reading “The Pitfalls of Being an Executor”
Have you been calculating your assets wrong?
The Ministry of Justice is currently investigating a fault that has been found in their online software. ‘Form E’ on the Ministry of Justice website is used by thousands of couples to input their assets and financial details when going through divorce proceedings. It is a simple online form used when applying for a financial order that requires individuals to give full and frank disclosure of their finances, in order to facilitate a division of these assets. Continue reading “Have you been calculating your assets wrong?”
Christmas in the Workplace
With the festive season well and truly upon us, there are a number of employment law issues which are more specific to this period. An overview of the most common issues that tend to arise during this period are highlighted below.
Christmas parties Continue reading “Christmas in the Workplace”
Case Study (Easements) – Regency Villas v Diamond Resorts
The recent case of Regency Villas v Diamond Resorts involved a dispute over an alleged easement. A transfer of the land – that took place in 1981 – created the following right over adjoining land: Continue reading “Case Study (Easements) – Regency Villas v Diamond Resorts”
Unlimited Holiday – Not Just a Dream
There is a new innovative policy that simultaneously increases productivity and employee loyalty. A policy adopted by Silicon Valley tech companies, Virgin and now East Anglian law firms. The policy is ‘unlimited holiday’. It scraps annual leave allowances and lets employees take as much holiday as they need/want. It requires notice to be given before holidays are taken but encourages employees not to take time off when it would be detrimental to the overall running of the company. Continue reading “Unlimited Holiday – Not Just a Dream”
Changes in Stamp Duty
George Osborne, in the Autumn Statement, announced a 3% surcharge on stamp duty land tax (SDLT) for people buying a second home or a buy-to-let. Continue reading “Changes in Stamp Duty”
New Visa System for Kuwaiti Nationals
Visitors coming to the United Kingdom from Kuwait will soon be able to benefit from an easier and cheaper way to travel. Starting from early 2016, Kuwaiti nationals will only be required to pay a £15.00 GBP fee instead of having to apply for a visa. Continue reading “New Visa System for Kuwaiti Nationals”