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We regularly write about different legal topics and welcome your comments on our posts. If you would like more information on our services, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
You’ve done all the legal stuff, got the all-clear from your surveyor, signed and exchanged contracts, and now it’s official – you’re moving house. There is still a lot to do in between exchange and completion but moving house...
You may be able to save hundreds of pounds just by switching your mortgage to a better deal or a new provider at the right time. Most people think about remortgaging at some point and rightly so. Whether interest rates have changed, your home has risen in...
Losing a loved one is a distressing time, and it can be made worse if there are disagreements regarding the Will left behind by the deceased. When drafting a Will, there are strict rules which need to be adhered to and if there are doubts or concerns about...
Settlement agreements and redundancy both involve an employee being paid monetary compensation for the loss of their job, however, they are essentially two different things which offer different legal rights. It you are going through a redundancy process and...
Under normal circumstances, changes to a contract of employment need to be mutually agreed upon by both the employer and the employee before they are made official. If an employer wishes to make any changes to a contract, they are obliged to consult the...
If a business you work for has been purchased by a new owner, your employment may be protected under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations, commonly referred to as TUPE. Depending on the circumstances, this could mean that you...
Most commercial leases will require the tenant to keep the property in a good condition and to carry out any repairs needed under the terms of the lease. Dilapidations refer to the damages or defects to the property as a result of the tenant breaching the...
As the landlord of a commercial property, your main responsibilities will be to keep up with any maintenance and repairs to the property and to ensure it is a safe place for people to work. The responsibilities of the landlord will vary depending on the...
If you have been dismissed by your employer, it can be a big shock and it can feel unfair. If your employer has not followed correct procedures or the reason for your dismissal is deemed to be unreasonable, then you may have a claim for unfair dismissal. It...
A settlement agreement is a written agreement signed by two parties (usually employer and employee) that outlines agreed terms and conditions to settle a potential employment tribunal claim or other court proceedings. Settlement agreements are a way of...
Making a Will is one of the most important things you will do in your life, as it ensures that when you pass away, your wishes are fulfilled and your estate is passed on to the beneficiary or beneficiaries of your choice. Mirror Wills are...
The short answer to that is no. While it used to be normal to use a local solicitor for your conveyancing, it’s now increasingly common to carry out the process of buying or selling a house over the phone and online. This means there is no longer any...
What is conveyancing? Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property from one person to another, which begins once an offer has been accepted on a property. This process can be conducted by a licensed conveyancer or a conveyancing solicitor. ...
Working for yourself can give you a greater sense of freedom, more flexibility and often the chance to earn a higher income. However, when starting a business, you should give careful thought to how to structure your enterprise as there can be some important...
Bird and Co are delighted to announce that Stuart Wild has accepted an invitation to join Bird & Co Solicitors LLP as a Partner with effect from 1st February 2019. Stuart started at Bird & Co in April 2004 and was soon appointed Head of the...
When buying a site that lacks planning permission, whether to self-build or as a developer, your plans and the ultimate value of the site will be heavily dependent on whether you can secure planning permission. It is therefore understandable to want to...
When you buy a property with another person, whether it is as your home or as an investment, there is more than one way you can own it. You can buy a property as ‘joint tenants’ or ‘tenants in common’ and it’s important to know...
Personal injury claims can be quite difficult to value as they don’t just take into account the monetary losses that a victim faces, but also the emotional and physical losses such as prolonged pain and suffering and missed job opportunities. There are...
Inheritance Tax (IHT) is paid on the assets that someone leaves behind when they die, i.e. property, money, businesses etc. Inheritance Tax is usually paid on estates worth more than £325,000, although the threshold can be higher under certain...
What is a shareholders ’ agreement? A shareholder agreement is an agreement entered into by all or some of the shareholders of a company that outlines how it is managed, the ownership of the shares and the protection and rights of the shareholders....
Being a victim of a hit and run accident can be incredibly stressful, and in some cases – life changing. A ‘hit and run’ is when the driver who caused the accident, fails to stop at the scene or provide their details. This is a criminal...
On the 29 th July 2013, compromise agreements were renamed settlement agreements. The name change was merely a stylistic decision by the government, who believe the wording better represents the agreements. The actual substance of the agreement, remains the...
Self-building can be an attractive way to get the home of your dreams, allowing you to create exactly what you need at a significantly lower cost compared to buying an existing property. However, there are various issues to consider so you can make sure...
When you buy a property in the UK, you do so under the general principle of “caveat emptor” also known as “buyer beware”. This means that it is your responsibility as the buyer to check the condition of the property you are buying. ...
Commercial leases are often designed to last for several years, with five and ten year leases both being common. While this provides a degree of certainty for both landlord and tenant, it can also cause potential problems, for example if the landlord later...
If a loved one dies without leaving a Will, their estate will be divided according to the standard rules of intestacy as set out by the government. These rules strictly define who inherits depending on what surviving family the deceased has and the size of...
If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence or malicious action, whether at work, in public, or under any other circumstances, you may be entitled to claim compensation. However, it is important to be aware that there are strict...
For any business, your terms and conditions (or T&Cs) set out the legal basis on which you trade with your customers. They help to clearly establish what customers should expect from you when doing business with you and can be vital if you need to...
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) allows you to nominate one or more people to help you with making decisions about important issues if you lose the capacity to do so yourself in the future. An LPA will therefore commonly be used where you have reason to be...
Buying property at auction can allow you to get the right property at a lower price and is also usually faster than buying a property on the open market, allowing you to avoid the delays associated with property chains, the current owners needing to move out...
Buying a new-build property before construction has started or while it is being built (known as buying ‘off-plan’) can allow you to get a pristine home or investment opportunity at a significant discount compared to buying a finished property....
The conveyancing process is an essential part of buying or selling a property, covering key things such as preparing and exchanging the contracts of sale, having checks and searches carried out on the property for the buyer, the transfer of funds and...
Digital technology has revolutionised conveyancing in recent years, allowing the entire process to be handled remotely by email, over the phone and via video messaging. This makes things much faster and more convenient for homebuyers and homeowners, allowing...
Settlement agreements are an increasingly popular option for resolving employer-employee disputes, as well as heading off potential disputes during redundancy proceedings and other types of employee terminations. Settlement agreements act as a replacement...
If you wish to a buy another house, either to rent out, as a second home, for your children to live in, or for any other reason, borrowing against your current home can be a good way to raise the necessary money. There are potentially 3 ways to do this: ...
If are planning to move and rent out your old home, a common concern is what to do about your mortgage. Many people do not realise that it is usually a condition of any residential mortgage that you need to let your lender know if you wish to rent your...
Whether you are a landlord or tenant, there are various circumstances where you may wish to end a tenancy agreement early. It might be that as a landlord you want to sell the property or as a tenant that you need to move for work or personal reasons. ...
Exactly how long it takes to buy a house depends on various factors, including how quickly you can find the right place and how quickly you can find a buyer for your own home (unless you are a first time buyer). However, if you have found the right property...
If you need to transfer the ownership of a property, such as when getting divorced or if you want to transfer the property to a family member, having a mortgage can make things more complicated. While it is perfectly possible to transfer ownership of a...
When buying a leasehold property, its value will depend on how many years are left on the lease. The shorter the remaining time, the less the property will be worth. If you own or are considering buying a leasehold property, understanding your right to...
Shared ownership can be a good way for people to buy a home who otherwise couldn’t afford to as it allows you to buy a percentage of a property and pay rent on the remainder. This means you can get on the property ladder for less and pay a reduced rate...
The government has announced plans to tackle “unfair and abusive” practices within the leasehold system, including banning leaseholds for most new build houses. These plans will only affect houses and not leasehold flats. The new measures...
Equity release can be an attractive way to fund your retirement, allowing you to unlock some of the value tied up in your home as a tax-free lump sum. Many people use this money to pay off debts, fund home improvements or other plans to make their...
Downsizing is a popular choice for older people, especially those who are retiring or whose children have left home and therefore no longer need as much space. Moving to a smaller, cheaper home offers a number of advantages, including releasing capital,...
On 16 February 2018, Christopher Jeyes, Barrister and Partner, left Bird & Co Solicitors to pursue more advocacy opportunities. Christopher started his career with us in February 2010 as In-House Counsel, progressing through to be Partner in 2014. ...
There are somewhere in the region of half a million listed buildings across England and Wales with the number increasingly all the time. While these buildings are often highly attractive places to live, full of history and character, there are a number of...
Conveyancing is the name for the legal process involved in buying or selling a property, as well as a variety of other property transactions, including remortgaging and lease extensions on leasehold property. The process is usually handled on your behalf by...
When buying a new home, you take a big risk if you don’t properly investigate the property and any issues it might have. Failing to identify problems up front can mean you end up overpaying for a property, being left with unexpected expenses or being...
Once an offer is made and accepted on a property, you may think the price agreed is a done deal. However, there remains room for manoeuvre on both sides of the deal, meaning the buyer can reduce their offer or the seller can ask for more, as long as they do...
For many people carrying out important business online is now second nature, so it’s not surprising that when it comes to buying a home, many people want the same convenience they are used to from the internet. A growing number of firms are now...
