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Partner Profile: Andrew Lester

In the second of our Partner Profile series we speak to Andrew Lester, Head of Employment Law here at Bowling & Co, to find out a bit more about him and the clients he acts for. 1. What aspects of law first attracted you to the industry? The arguments and having to present these arguments in court. I also enjoy the other sectors of the legal industry and using my knowledge in these areas to complement employment advice I give to my clients. 2. What kind of clients do you work with? Mostly…

How do solicitors exchange contracts?

Contracts are usually exchanged by both solicitors/conveyancers reading out the contracts over the phone (which is recorded by both of them) to make sure the contracts are identical. The contracts are then immediately sent out by them to one another in the post. This is known as “exchange”. If you are in a chain, your lawyer will do the same thing. However, they will only release the contract to the lawyer acting for the party on the other side if all the other people in the chain are happy to…

Unregulated will writers lost me half my home

The daughter of a deceased man is seeking hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation from the unregulated will-writing branch of a well known high street bank, claiming that the poorly drafted will has cost her a valuable stake in her father's London home. The deceased used the bank's low costing, unregulated will-writing service to dispose of the various assets held within his estate. The deceased had instructed that, upon his death, his daughter (the Claimant) would receive half of his London home. The property was owned as joint tenants, by the deceased…

Partner Profile: Peter Laskey

In the first of our Partner Profile series we speak to Peter Laskey, Head of Dispute Resolution here at Bowling & Co, to find out a bit more about him and the clients he acts for. 1. What aspect of law first attracted you to the industry? As my family will tell you I have always been argumentative so litigation appealed to me. 2. What kind of clients do you work with? I have a variety of clients ranging from large companies (both in England and abroad) through to individuals looking for guidance on how best to…

Service charges payable under leases

What is service charge? Essentially service charge is a payment made by the tenant to the landlord for costs that have been incurred in relation to services provided to the property. Charges may include costs associated with general maintenance, repairs, insurance, community central heating, lighting, cleaning of the common areas and gardening/landscaping. As a landlord am I obliged to provide services? This is subject to what the lease provides. Some leases will specify services that the landlord is required to provide. Others will mention which services the landlord may provide…

Cohabitation – protecting your interests

In a recent report by the Office of National Statistics, the number of cohabiting couples was shown to have increased significantly in the 10 years to 2013 and the number of couples opting to live together without getting married or entering into a civil partnership is only likely to increase over time. A common misconception is that there exists the legal principle of “common law” husband and wife which affords cohabiting couples similar rights to those of married couples. Unfortunately the reality is that no such legal principle exists and…

Deregulation Act 2015 and what it means for landlords

Over the last few years it has been widely reported in the media that the country has a housing crisis. With more and more people moving into rented accommodation, protecting tenants’ interests against rogue landlords has been high on the government’s agenda. Lobbyists have been calling for better protection for tenants, and landlords and practitioners have been requesting clarification on landlord’s responsibilities concerning the protection of tenant deposits. We reported last month that the House of Lords were to discuss the Deregulation Bill. The Bill received Royal Assent on 26…

5 ways to improve your office space

There are a wide variety of changes that can be made to create an ideal office space and you don't necessarily have to spend a large amount of money to achieve it. Simple changes such as the following can make a big difference: 1. Comfort It is often thought that when working conditions for staff are uncomfortable staff wellbeing and productivity decrease. However, if people feel comfortable in their place of work this could lead to higher productivity. Small things to improve could include: lighting, air conditioning or climate control, even comfortable…

I want it in writing!

To create a legally binding contract there must be in place the following four key elements: An offer to enter into a contract from one party to the other; Acceptance of the offer; Intention of the parties to create legal relations; and Consideration - being something (often money) in exchange for what is being offered. With the exception of contracts for land in English Law, there is no requirement for a contract to be in writing, and a verbal contract is just as valid as a written one. Verbal contracts,…

Selective Licensing

The London Borough of Waltham Forest has given notice that the borough will be designated for selective licensing starting today, 1 April 2015. Where a property is a house in multiple occupation and licensed as such, selective licensing will not be required. Once selective licensing comes into force, any person operating a licensable property without a license will be guilty of an offence under section 95(1) of the Housing Act 2004 and shall be liable to prosecution. When managing your rental properties, please be aware that in order to issue…

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