The government has announced new measures to prevent unfair and abusive practices within the leasehold system. They include a ban on leaseholds for almost all new build houses. Changes will be made so that ground rents on new long leases – for both houses and flats – are set to zero. It will also become
Widespread belief in the myth of common law marriage is putting millions of cohabiting couples at risk of financial hardship if their relationship breaks down. The warning comes from the family law group, Resolution, after it commissioned a survey showing that most cohabitants don’t realise that they don’t have the same automatic rights as married
The government may appoint a housing ombudsman to help people settle disputes if they face problems relating to property. The idea was put forward by the Communities Secretary Sajid Javid as he discussed government plans to provide an extra 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s. Currently, there are four government approved providers of redress
The amount of money owed to small businesses has halved in the last five years, according to government ministers – but business leaders say the UK is still gripped by a poor payments crisis. The figures were released as the government appointed Paul Uppal to the newly created position of Small Business Commissioner. His role
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be one the main events of the year with millions of people across the world wishing them every happiness. The romance between them is plain to see, but should the couple also be considering some more practical matters? Many people now draw up a pre-nuptial agreement,
Four Muslim children who were taken into foster care after they had been radicalised by their mother have been returned to their father. The High Court was told that the mother, who is in prison, had showed no moderation in her extremist beliefs. The judge ruled that it was in the children’s best interest to
Average house prices throughout the UK rose by 4.5% in the year to October but there are signs that they may be starting fall. There was a decrease of 0.5% between September and October 2017. However, Wales bucked the trend with an increase of 0.8%. The price of the average house in the UK is
An unmarried woman has won the right to receive compensation after her long-term partner died due to medical negligence. Jacqueline Smith lived with her partner John Bulloch for 16 years until he died in 2011. His doctors had failed to diagnose that he was suffering from an infection. If he had been married, his wife
A couple who bought a home in the country to enjoy a quiet life have succeeded in preventing a landowner building houses that would spoil their view. The issue arose after the couple bought the home in a large area of open countryside. The landowner who sold the property to them retained the adjoining land
The High Court has criticised HMRC for its inadequate evidence against a company it claimed had not paid enough tax. The issue arose after HMRC had brought a winding up petition against Southbourne Trading Co Ltd in 2016 for alleged underpayment of tax and VAT liabilities. The company challenged the figures and the claim was