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House prices in the UK rose by 6.9% in the year to October, according to the latest official figures from the Land Registry. However, the number of sales dropped by 8% over the same period. The price of the average property is now £216,674. In England, the October data showed an annual price increase of
The latest government figures show that more than 220,000 people have now used the various Help to Buy schemes to purchase a new home. More than 180,000 of them are first time buyers. The average house price across the schemes is £191,000, showing that it is those buying smaller properties who are benefiting most. There
The divorce rate has fallen to its lowest level since 1975, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. Just over 130,000 couples divorced in the UK in 2013, the latest figures available. That’s a fall of 3% on the previous year. The number of divorces fell to 9.8 per thousand married
The government is to use banning orders to crack down on rogue landlords and property agents. The orders will be used in cases involving serious offences against tenants. Ministers say such offences could include failing to carry out work required by the council to prevent a health and safety risk to tenants, threatening tenants with
January is the time for making resolutions to give ourselves a fresh start for the New Year. It’s good to take stock and decide to eat less or exercise more but there’s so much more we could be doing to improve our lives and protect ourselves for the future. Here are three New Year Resolutions
A “Deed of Separation” is a written document used to set out the arrangements between a divorcing or separating couple. It is tailor made to each individual couple and details future arrangements in relation to issues such as finance and property, and child arrangements. For example, it may record that following a couples separation or
The breakdown of a marriage can be a difficult and stressful time for separating couples and the thought of going to Court to deal with their divorce can be a daunting prospect. Whilst some couples do end up litigating their case within the Court arena, this is not the case for the majority of couples,
The Central London County Court handed down its judgement in the case of Thomas and Powell, a case which concerned a dispute between cohabitants about ownership of the former family home following their separation. Case Summary Up until their separation in 2014, Miss Thomas and Mr Powell lived together at a property in Wandsworth Common.
An estate agent who found a buyer for a block of flats cannot claim commission because of failings in his oral contract with the seller. The issue arose over eight flats that had been on the market for some time without selling. An agent offered to find a buyer for the flats and told the
The director of a restaurant has been disqualified for six years for employing illegal workers. Anwar Hussain was the director of a restaurant company trading under the name Mim Spice in Southend-On-Sea. In April 2015, Home Office Immigration Enforcement Officers discovered that Mr Hussain was employing three workers who were not eligible to work in