Library

Recently, Santander was fined more than £30 million for failing to distribute more than £180 million held in deceased customers’ accounts to their personal representatives... Read More

When an 18-year-old woman bought a derelict end terrace property in London in 2006 and sold it to developers the following year, she made no... Read More

Many wills contain clauses which alter the distribution of assets in the event of changing circumstances, such as the death of one of the beneficiaries... Read More

If you have a legitimate legal complaint, any delay in consulting a solicitor is highly likely to benefit the wrongdoer. A man whose home was... Read More

The law relating to the division of family assets on divorce varies widely across the world and the UK is generally regarded as one of... Read More

Is compensation paid to individuals whose businesses have failed due to mis-selling of financial products subject to Income Tax? In a decision that will disappoint... Read More

Inheritance Tax (IHT) is not only payable on the value of the estate of a deceased person, but can also be levied on ‘transfers of... Read More

You might think that where the boundaries of property lie should be clear, but boundary disputes are a fruitful source of argument in the courts.... Read More

It is a mark of a civilised society that anyone who suffers a wrong at the hands of state authorities is entitled to compensation. In... Read More

It may sound overcautious to say so, but it is always worth taking legal advice before entering into any significant arrangement, even when it is... Read More

The recent Budget contained an announcement that will be unwelcome news for some property owners. The sale of a person’s principal private residence has... Read More

Proposals to link the cost of being granted probate over an estate valued at more than £5,000 (currently fixed at £215 for those applying individually... Read More

The leasehold system in the UK has been crying out for reform for years, and the Government has decided to tackle the issues through the... Read More

Modern litigation spans the globe and issues concerning cross-border service of documents and jurisdiction often raise difficulties that make specialist legal advice essential. That was... Read More

You may be forgiven for thinking that the authorities always follow proper procedures, but that is not the case, and when they fail, their actions... Read More

It is commonplace for one spouse to control the family finances and, while relations are amicable, this usually causes few issues. However, if the relationship... Read More

When a man’s first wife died, he inherited her share of the property they had owned jointly. At the time, he was living with his... Read More

A recent case may raise alarm bells for anyone thinking about adding a basement to a property which is divided. It involved a terraced... Read More

When people need to go into care, the local councils that end up supporting the care costs are well known for their doggedness in attempting... Read More

Legislation that will give families of people who go missing the ability to administer their affairs is to come into effect: but not until July... Read More

There has been a massive amount of disinformation put about over the years (and, apparently, recently promoted by the Russian security services) regarding the effects... Read More

Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) have many advantages over normal savings accounts – chiefly that the investment income earned on them is tax free and gains... Read More

The widespread belief that ‘an Englishman’s home is his castle’ can all too easily lead the unwary into breaching planning rules. That was certainly so... Read More

When an investment is made in a capital asset that subsequently becomes valueless, the loss can normally be used to reduce future liabilities to Capital... Read More

If parents engaged in child contact disputes take up entrenched positions, it is very nearly always the child that suffers most. Such disputes can often... Read More

Lending money to the public is, for obvious reasons, a heavily regulated activity and, as a case concerning timeshare properties showed, any involvement by those... Read More

The High Court of Justice is a very expensive place to resolve a family dispute, as is evidenced by a recent case which pitted members... Read More

The law allows people who occupy land over a long period and use it as their own, without anyone else asserting ownership rights to it,... Read More

Scams of all shapes and sizes are becoming depressingly frequent and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned against the rising tide of pensions scams... Read More

The Supreme Court recently decided a case which made clear some of the limits that apply when financial issues were resolved within a consent order... Read More

When a person’s affairs are being managed by someone else under a lasting power of attorney (LPA), there are strict rules about what the attorney... Read More

Care orders for children that result in them being taken away from their parents are not made lightly. When a 14-year-old girl was assessed as... Read More

Those who make a profit on the sale of their principal private residence do not have to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on it. However,... Read More

Those who doubt the legal advantages of getting married should take note of a case in which an elderly man was left facing homelessness after... Read More

Many blocks of flats are managed by a residents’ association, which has the great advantage of affording tenants democratic rights of self-determination. However, as a... Read More

The law that allows someone who was dependent on a deceased person during their lifetime to make a claim against their estate if there is... Read More

We all make mistakes…and when a contract is set up the terms of which clearly do not reflect what was intended, the court can be... Read More

The Supreme Court judges’ decision to prevent a wife from divorcing her husband, which was made ‘without enthusiasm’, is expected to lead to calls for... Read More

When the Finance Act 2006 came into force, it introduced a ten-year charge on discretionary trusts containing ‘relevant property’. Most discretionary trusts that were started... Read More

Construction works on neighbouring properties can make your life a misery but, with the right legal advice, you may be able to do something about... Read More

When an estate is to be administered, an application for probate must first be made if the deceased left a will. Once probate is granted,... Read More

In a unanimous judgment, the Supreme Court has ruled that a bakery in Northern Ireland’s refusal to make a cake bearing a slogan in support... Read More

The perceived generosity of English judges in big money divorce cases has made the UK the venue of choice for some – but anathema for... Read More

If you are approaching pension age, unless you are one of the increasingly few with a salary-related pension scheme, you would be wise to take... Read More

One of the dilemmas the courts face from time to time is how to achieve the right balance between individual privacy and the public’s right... Read More

Japanese knotweed is a very considerable pest – ‘indisputably the UK’s most aggressive, destructive and invasive plant’, according to the Environment Agency –as it can... Read More

One of the requirements for a will to be accepted as valid is that the person who makes it must have ‘knowledge and approval’ of... Read More

It is normal for money, often considerable sums, to pass between family members. However, when this is done without legal advice, it is only too... Read More

Despite strong representations from the professional community, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have decided that they will stick with a 30-day initial payment requirement for... Read More

Almost everyone who has flown much has a story (or more than one) about lost or damaged luggage, and holiday insurance claims regarding these are... Read More

If you are faced with an unwelcome proposal for development nearby, a recent case shows how tenaciousness and a knowledge of past planning history can... Read More

London has gained a reputation as ‘the divorce capital of the world’ because settlements reached are, by international standards, very generous towards women. It is... Read More

If you accept appointment under a power of attorney, it is essential to understand the responsibilities this entails. A recent case shows what can happen... Read More

It is a stressful and unhappy enough time when a loved one dies, but the anguish of those mourning the loss can be compounded when... Read More

On our densely populated island, there is a pressing need for available land to be put to sensible use and, where restrictive covenants lurking in... Read More

A decision of the Supreme Court announced today has important implications for unmarried partners of people who have died. The case involved a woman... Read More

The usual course of events on divorce is that there is a financial settlement which divides up the family assets as they are at that... Read More

If landowners allow vegetation to grow so that it affects visibility on adjacent highways, should they be held liable if accidents occur? In a decision... Read More

Farming families appear regularly in the courts these days, as more and more cases arise that feature undocumented promises that have been made (or are... Read More

Following the Grenfell disaster in 2017, cladding has come under close scrutiny with surveys being carried out as a priority in buildings across the UK.... Read More

Relationships that start on the Internet are already leading to some interesting situations. A recent family case involved a British woman who had met a... Read More

Taxpayers are personally responsible for filing their tax returns on time, and failing to do so can lead to stiff financial penalties. However, in one... Read More

Money in a bank account represents the debt due from the bank to the account holder and is not ‘property’ in the eyes of the... Read More

When a will is made late in life which materially changes how an estate is to be distributed (especially when the new will favours one... Read More

Family judges will approach pre-nuptial agreements with greater respect following a landmark Court of Appeal ruling in a ‘big money’ divorce case. The Court agreed... Read More

It is a common term in a lease for the tenants to have to seek permission from the landlord if they want to do something... Read More

There are special rules for people working in the UK on short-term secondment from employers based abroad. Many do not become taxpayers under the UK... Read More

With the holiday season upon us, a recent case shows that there are limits to the liability of tour operators when accidents occur, especially when... Read More

A divorced man who remarried in his late 50s made a new will in 1998, one year after the marriage, which left his entire estate... Read More

Court orders have to be obeyed and those who defy them can ultimately be sent to prison. Exactly that happened in one ‘big money’ divorce... Read More

When valuing a property for Inheritance Tax (IHT) purposes, is it legitimate to take into account its potential for enlargement or improvement – so-called ‘hope... Read More

If family members or friends are facing bankruptcy, it may be tempting to assist them in keeping their assets away from the clutches of creditors.... Read More

One powerful reason why you should always seek legal advice before making your will is to ensure you meet your responsibilities to those who depend... Read More

The Court of Appeal has made an important decision in a divorce case in which the main argument was over the availability of future income... Read More

In 2017, 205,293 dwellings in England were left empty for six months or more. With the housing shortage never far from the news agenda, steps... Read More

If you are facing menacing demands for money, you should take legal advice straight away. In a recent case, the High Court came to the... Read More

Financial pressure can easily lead the unwary into the arms of unscrupulous lenders. One High Court case, in which numerous borrowers found themselves in legal... Read More

Setting up family trusts with minors or those with mental incapacities as beneficiaries is by no means uncommon and it sometimes occurs that such trusts... Read More

The validity of pre-nuptial agreements depends on legal advice being taken on both sides, equal bargaining positions and overall fairness. In one case, the High... Read More