New transparency rules As from 6th December 2018, firms offering certain legal services will be required to publish price and service information on their websites. The rules apply to conveyancing (buying and selling residential properties) , uncontested probate for assets in the UK, motoring offences (summary offences), immigration (excluding asylum), employment tribunals (unfair or wrongful…
Can my partner claim my inherited asset if we divorce? This question often causes concern for clients contemplating ending their marriage. In general, all of the assets arising from the marriage are pooled together for the Court to consider how they should be divided between the parties upon divorce. In each case, the Court…
The current fee to issue divorce proceedings at court in England and Wales is £550. We are often asked if there is any help available towards this cost. The simple answer is yes, but only in certain circumstances. Help with fees is known as “fee remission” and an application can be made to the Court…
What is Parental Responsibility and how can you get it? As a grandparent you do not have Parental Responsibility (PR) for your grandchild. PR means ‘all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and the authority which, by law, a parent has in relation to the child and his property.’ The child’s mother and most fathers would…
CAN I CHANGE MY CHILD’S SURNAME? A parent is able to change a child’s surname by a change of name deed providing all those with Parental Responsibility consent to the name change. A change of name deed is a legal document which commits a person to the action set out in the document. By…
What being an Executor of a Will involves Do you know what it means to be the Executor of a Will? Many of us are named as an Executor by a family member or a close friend, but what are your responsibilities? What does an Executor do? The person named in a Will as an…
A Separation Agreement is a document drawn up when you want to stop living together as a couple, setting out the arrangements you wish to make regarding finances, property and /or any children. Some couples may not be legally able to get divorced if they have not been married the required 12 months or, alternatively,…
Unmarried couples do not have the same rights as those couples who are married. Therefore their rights in relation to the property they share are guided by general principles of property law. When considering whether, for example, a former partner has an interest in a property bought in the sole name of the other partner…
Losing a loved one can be a particularly difficult time for those left behind. Knowing the practical steps to take can help ease the burden. Registering the death is usually undertaken by a member of the deceased’s immediate family. A medical certificate stating the cause of death will be issued by either the doctor looking…
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets you (the ‘donor’) choose trusted people (‘attorneys’) to make financial decisions or health and care decisions on your behalf. LPAs were introduced by the Mental Capacity Act (MCA)2005 and replaced the old Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) from 1 October 2007. An LPA…