Frettens Solicitors is delighted to report that it has been recognised in specialist areas of 'The Legal 500' again for 2017-18. This marks the eighth year in a row that the firm has been recognised by the independently researched guide to law firms...
Litigation
This is a difficult subject for everyone, especially when it concerns family or close friends. Challenging a will is emotionally charged but you may realise after a loved one has died that they either changed, or wrote their will whilst suffering from...
A buy-to-let landlord has been ordered to pay just under £3,000 after pleading guilty to a charge of ‘harassing an occupier to give up the occupation of their premises’. The tenant had not paid their rent, so the landlord changed the...
Rent arrears are a real concern for UK landlords as it can have a significant impact on their ability to pay their mortgage. Fresh research by the Residential Landlords Association shows that 28% of landlords have experienced rent arrears in the past 12...
Frettens Solicitors are delighted to announce that Carl Geary has been promoted to become a Partner at the firm. Carl has been at Frettens since 2007, initially as a paralegal and then beginning a training contract, the final stage of qualification as a...
It is being reported in the property market that the number of people investing in the buy-to-let sector is falling at a rapid rate and many existing landlords are selling their properties. This is likely to be due to changes to tax relief that landlords...
It is fairly common for people to write their will so that they leave their estate (the sum total of their assets) to be inherited by their children when they die. Leaving everything to the grandchildren If that person has grandchildren, they might not...
When somebody dies unexpectedly, it is an awful and tragic shock for all those that care about them. Sadly, if that person did not make a will, dealing with the aftermath can be even more complicated, upsetting and expensive for their relatives and loved...
The Deregulation Act came in on 1st October 2015 and made changes which affect whether a landlord can serve a valid Section 21. All tenancies that began on or after that date, including renewals are affected. Statutory periodic tenancies are not if the fixed...
No business, large or small can survive without sufficient cash flow. Constant vigilance is necessary – below is a checklist to make sure you keep up to date with what your business is owed: As soon as an invoice becomes due for payment start chasing...
This is a brief guide to the process of making a claim against a professional – maybe a surveyor, architect, financial adviser, accountant or solicitor etc. "People rely more and more on professional advice and have an increased awareness of their...
Ministry of Justice figures show that there has been a significant rise in the number of Wills being contested in Court. This is thought to be as a result of more family breakdowns and an increase in re-marriages, co-habitation and step-families. Under The...
Squatters. How do you prevent this happening? How do you remove them if it does? Don’t despair it is possible to evict squatters and regain your property. Squatters are people who do not have a right to be in your property. There is no legal definition...
It’s been a boom time for the rental sector, 40% more people now live in rented accommodation than in 2006. Michelle Hayter , Dispute Resolution Partner says, "Arguably there has never been a better time to be a landlord but problems can...
Dentist, Norman Martin, failed to divorce his estranged wife despite having lived with his new partner, Joy Williams, in Dorchester of 18 years. On his death there was no provision for Joy, as Martin had failed to update his will to reflect his relationship...
If you are a residential landlord you will be obliged to check that a tenant or lodger can legally rent your property from you for any new tenancy granted from 1st February 2016.. This will be done by inspecting original documents which entitle the tenant to...
Buy to let landlords were hit by the Chancellor’s plans to change mortgage tax relief in the summer Budget. George Osborne announced that the relief would be cut to 20% from 40/45%, which will be phased in over four years from April 2017. This fuels...
The new Consumer Rights Act came into force on 1st October bringing a raft of changes and making it easier for shoppers who receive faulty goods or bad service to get satisfaction. It also gives on-line customers new legal rights. The Act covers: what...
The 1st of October brings important changes for landlords and agents to be aware of. We have outlined the basics below to keep you up to date with the new requirements. If this raises further questions for you, please get in touch with Michelle Hayter , who...
Rules on sub-letting in the Private Rented Sector (PRS) are clear – as a landlord you can simply refuse your tenant permission to sub-let. Most residential landords have a clause written into their rental agreement to this effect. An important reason...
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