The pandemic has presented endless challenges to our daily lives. One challenge now being addressed by the government is new temporary legislation making video witnessing of Wills temporarily legal. Under the current law, a Will must be made in the physical presence of at least two witnesses who have had to be in each other’s…
There is a bewildering array of terminology used around the process of dealing with a person’s assets and liabilities when they die. Lucy Duffin from Penderlaw’s Wills, Trusts and Probate team runs through the basic terms associated with Estate Administration and Probate and discusses issues which can commonly arise with DIY Estate Administration. Words such…
Current trends and shifting priorities within the property market It seems that following the property market going into deep freeze for 3 months towards the end of March, many of us just can’t wait a moment longer to move house. So, is now the right time to be moving house? Property website Zoopla reported in…
England’s housing market can now begin to emerge from lockdown following the announcement by Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick. Permission has now been given for estate agents to open, viewings to be carried out in person and for removal firms and solicitors to commence their operations. According to Zoopla, around £82bn of property transactions have been…
If you are struggling to come to an out of court child care agreement with your former partner, you may be understandably concerned about how the court comes to a decision on child arrangements and how much you will see of your child/children following your separation. This is often a particular worry for fathers who…
A little something we thought you might be interested to read during this time of isolation and solitude. Harry Perrin was a member of our Disputes team from 2015 to 2016 before moving to Belfast to join the Financial Times as a legal counsel. Before he became a lawyer, Harry worked in art galleries and…
Being quarantined and self-isolating is tough even for happy couples. But for those contemplating separation or divorce, this period is even more difficult as existing tensions are magnified. You might think that as everything seems to have ground to a halt during the pandemic that it would not be possible to get divorced, but this…
Will Inheritance tax apply to me? Many people do not consider themselves to be wealthy enough to be affected by inheritance tax and unfortunately get caught out by life’s final taxation. With over 28,000 estates liable for inheritance tax in 2016-17, it’s worth looking at ways to legally minimise the amount of inheritance tax your…
Many of our family law clients tend to have something in common; the desire to end their marriages and to achieve the best outcome possible. However, the length of time it takes them to reach the decision varies greatly. Some want to divorce as soon as possible, perhaps reacting to a change in their relationship…
In these strange and unprecedented times the Law Society are reporting a huge increase of people understandably either making or updating their wills or setting up a Power of Attorney. Something in the order of a 30% increase on the average. Possibly unsurprising but the process itself is not without its challenges at this difficult…
