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New rules designed to protect more than 800,000 people from poor living conditions in privately rented homes have now come into force. An estimated 4 million people live in private rented homes, including at least 1.1 million who are in licensable ‘houses in multiple occupation’ (HMOs). All landlords who let out a property to
Chancellor Philip Hammond surprised political commentators by producing what’s been described as a “giveaway budget” featuring tax cuts and increased public spending. While many people will welcome the increase in personal tax allowance and extra funds for services like the NHS, there was also some disappointment that there was no increase in inheritance tax allowances
Campaigners have welcomed the government announcement that heterosexual couples will be allowed to enter into civil partnerships instead of getting married if that’s what they wish. Civil partnerships provide the same benefits and rights as marriage in terms of tax, inheritance and protections for each partner if the relationship breaks down. They have only been
Stamp duty for first-time buyers of shared-ownership homes costing up to £500,000 has been abolished by Chancellor Philip Hammond. Shared ownership is the system in which a person owns a percentage of a property, typically between 25 and 75%, and a housing association owns the rest. The scheme makes it possible to buy all the
A job centre work coach who was sacked over a series of offensive tweets was unfairly dismissed. That was the decision of the Employment Tribunal in a case involving the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and one of its employees, Mr Ayub Patel. The department had strict policies on staff using social media. The
Two sisters have been ordered to pay their dead father’s partner £325,000 from his estate, worth approximately £1m. The court heard that James Redmond had made a will 20 years ago leaving everything to his two daughters. However, since making the will he had formed a relationship with Carole Anne Taylor after meeting her at
Most newbuild homes will in future be sold as freehold, while leases will be capped at £10. The new measures are part of a government clampdown on unfair practices in the housing market. Communities Secretary James Brokenshire has launched a consultation on plans to improve the leaseholder sector, which will bring an end to the
Lord Lexden wants a change in the law to allow siblings who live together to have the same inheritance tax exemption as married couples and people with civil partnerships. Inheritance tax is set at 40% and becomes payable once the tax-free threshold of £325,000 has been passed. The exemption for married couples and civil partners
A father has been told he cannot get away with reducing his child support payments by deliberately reducing his income. The issue arose when the father transferred 40% of the shares in his company to his second wife, which he meant he received 40% less dividend income. He said his child support payments should therefore
A small clothes firm with a turnover of just over £300,000 has won a trademark dispute with the sportswear giant Nike. Frank Industries, based in London, owns the UK and EU trademarks consisting of the letters LNDR. Its sports clothes are sold in stores like Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. In January 2018, Nike launched