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In order to maintain the safety of those working in the courts including judges, lawyers and other court users, it has been decided that the courts and tribunals will be merged into fewer buildings. It is confirmed that a network of 157 ‘priority’ court and tribunal buildings will remain open for ‘essential face-to-face hearings’ and
The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused significant problems for our Court system. Her Majesty’s Court & Tribunal Service (HMCTS) last week published guidance on how the courts and tribunals will operate during this difficult period. The Lord Chief Justice has encouraged the use of telephone and video technology to hold remote hearings where possible. The
Protection from possible eviction has been a major concern for vulnerable tenants throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government previously announced that from 26 March 2020, under the Coronavirus Act 2020, landlords would have to give tenants 3 months’ notice if they intend to bring eviction proceedings. This buffer period will apply until 30 September 2020
The Coronavirus Act 2020, which is now in force, has introduced key measures providing protection to business tenants who may be struggling due to the outbreak of coronavirus. The key points for commercial landlords and tenants to be aware of are as follows. A right of re-entry or forfeiture The Coronavirus Act 2020 prohibits commercial
The Coronavirus Bill is currently making its way through the House of Lords and it is hoped that it will be finalised later today. Under the proposed legislation, private landlords can continue to serve notice on tenants seeking possession of their rented properties under section 21 Housing Act 1988, but the notice period has now
HMRC published the first official guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme on 26 March 2020. We have summarised the key points from the guidance below. Eligibility 1) The Scheme is open to all UK employers that operated a PAYE payroll scheme on or before 28 February 2020. 2) Claims cannot be submitted on behalf
The Government announced plans late last week to introduce emergency legislation with the primary aim of protecting individuals and families in rented accommodation who are affected by coronavirus. It was thought that the emergency legislation would introduce a complete prohibition on possession proceedings (ie eviction proceedings) for a period of three months whilst the country
The Government is introducing emergency legislation with the primary aim of protecting individuals and families in rented accommodation who are affected by coronavirus. This legislation follows the introduction of “mortgage payment holidays” of up to three months for struggling homeowners, and a similar scheme has now been replicated for landlords with buy-to-let mortgages in order
The announcement that the Queen’s grandson Peter Phillips and his wife Autumn are to divorce has thrown the media spotlight on to pre-nuptial agreements. It was widely reported that the separation is amicable with the couple agreeing to share custody of their two children. The apparent goodwill in their approach led to widespread speculation that
A group of MPs have called for root and branch reforms of the inheritance tax system, including a cut in the standard rate from 40% to 10%. They also want to scrap most of the current tax reliefs, including the seven-year rule that allows you to pass on wealth without any tax implications. Instead, the