020 8221 8000 Enquire now

News & Insights

Can pre-nup agreements help to save your marriage?

Wedding season is just around the corner, and has an extra buzz thanks to the brace of royal weddings planned for 2018. If you’re tying the knot this year, it’s likely you’ve spent time carefully planning everything from bouquets to bunting. But have you given a second thought to a pre-nuptial agreement? Some couples just don’t want to think about what happens if there isn’t the dreamed of fairy-tale ending. But what if a pre-nup could actually help make your marriage stronger? What can a pre-nup do? A pre-nup is…

Renting property – Will the slow-down of the housing market have a knock-on effect for landlords and their tenants?

For years, homeowners have come to expect that their property value will increase. But headlines predicting a housing slump are backed by figures that show a sustained slow-down of activity in the housing market and a dip in the rate of growth for house prices too. Could this also have a knock-on effect for rental prices? And what is a ‘fair rent’ for the average property? Is the housing market really slowing down? While the long feared property market crash actually hasn’t happened (and may just be the paranoid reporting…

Spotlight on equal pay

Equal pay is a legal obligation. In recent months it has hit the headlines, with the BBC notably coming under fire for inequality in pay between the sexes. And you can expect more front pages, as by 4 April 2018 (or 30 March for the public sector) all employers with 250 or more employees are required to report their gender pay gap and bonus data. Why has there been such an emphasis on equal pay recently? Well, because despite the fact that equal pay is a legal obligation, it’s still…

Debt collection: How can you protect your business when customers call in the bailiffs?

Disputes between businesses and customers are common. If you can’t agree a settlement, your business may be called to the Small Claims Court or a higher court. If the judge rules against you, and your ex-customer wins either their money back, damages, or both, you’ll need to pay up. If you can’t pay, or won’t pay, it’s likely that the bailiffs will come knocking. So what can you do to help protect your business when this happens? Stopping bailiffs at the door Bailiffs cannot attempt to take control of goods…

Businesses face bigger penalties on data leaks

Businesses are on final countdown to the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation in May 2018, bringing with it a tighter rule and greater penalties for data processing, and the outcome of a landmark High Court case has made the preparation even more pressing. The case involved an online leak of payroll data by Andrew Skelton, a disgruntled ex-employee of supermarket chain Morrisons. Skelton received an eight year conviction for offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 and the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). However, over 5,000 current and…

Making sure the work environment is safe

Winter has slammed into the UK with a vengeance this year, with record snowfalls and Arctic winds blasting the length of Britain. It can be difficult enough trying to get through hazardous weather conditions to reach work on time, but what if when you get there the office is only marginally warmer than the outside temperature? Here’s a quick guide to your employer’s obligations when it comes to creating and maintaining a safe working environment during cold weather. The legal requirements Despite what a lot of people think, there is…

Do you need planning permission for a conservatory?

With house prices on a steep trajectory upwards, more people are improving what they already have, rather than upscaling to a larger property. In many instances, that includes adding a conservatory to the property to give you an extra room. Sunny, spacious, and perfect for entertaining or simply relaxing, a conservatory is a popular choice for anyone who wants to expand their property footprint. However, it’s not just a matter of contacting a conservatory company and getting on with your home improvements. Depending on a number of factors you may…

Cohabitant agreements – giving unmarried couples rights

It’s an unfair fact of life, but in the eyes of the law a married couple has far more protection than a cohabiting, unmarried partnership. Even if you’ve spent years jointly contributing to the running of a house, split paying the mortgage between you, have children together, or have been living with each other for decades, the loss of a partner could change everything. If the relationship ends either through separation or bereavement, unmarried cohabiting couples do not have the same or similar rights as married couples. They don’t have…

Talking it out

Statistics show that more children than ever woke up Christmas morning with only one of their parents, following a relationship break-up. According to research, published by the Marriage Foundation, one in three children under the age of 15 woke up with just one parent on Christmas morning. Alongside, are many more families where couples will have 'held it together' for one last family Christmas, but who will now be heading for divorce. The latest EU data shows that the UK has the highest rate of family breakdown in Western Europe.…

Sign of the times – do you need planning permission for a sign?

Everyone knows that you may need planning permission if you’re extending your house, adding a new building to your business complex, or even putting up a large wall. But did you know that you may also need permission for a sign? It all depends on how big the sign is, and whether it’s an illuminated design or a simple temporary banner. If you want to display an advertisement on the front of your property that’s larger than 0.3sq metres then you might need to apply for advertisement consent. That’s not…

Back To Top
Search

Powered by How to backup and restore wordpress site

error: Content is protected !!