High Court upholds decision not to impose deposit penalty on landlord
May 7th 2024The High Court has upheld a judge’s decision not to impose penalties on a landlord after a tenant complained that he had not been provided with information about his tenancy deposit as required under the Housing Act. Laura Murphy, Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution team reports on this recent case. The case involved Mr Lowe and the Governors of Sutton’s Hospital in Charterhouse. The issue involved confusion over clauses in…
Tenants to get more protection against discrimination by landlords
January 18th 2024The Government has announced changes to the Renters (Reform) Bill to protect vulnerable residents and improve the safety of homes for tenants. Joseph Halvorsen, Apprentice Trainee Solicitor, reports on this recent case. It has tabled amendments to make it illegal for landlords and agents to have blanket bans on renting to people who receive benefits or who have children – ensuring families aren’t discriminated against when looking for a home…
Proposed ban on no-fault eviction of tenants postponed indefinitely
November 22nd 2023The government has announced that it is postponing its proposed ban on no-fault ‘Section 21’ evictions. Laura Murphy, Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. Ministers say the indefinite delay is needed until the court system has been reformed and updated. The ban would have been one of the central proposals in the Renters Reform Bill, which was part of the Conservative 2019 election manifesto. However, Housing Secretary…
Inheritance TV show highlights real life issues over making a Will
October 25th 2023The Channel 5 TV series, Inheritance, has been gripping audiences with its dramatic story of a family at loggerheads over a Will. Selina Gonzalez Solicitor in our dispute resolution team reports on the case featured in the show. The show features two sisters and a brother who expected to inherit their father’s estate, only to find that he had changed his will without telling them and left everything to his new wife. They…
High Court dismisses claim alleging forgery of father’s Will
August 4th 2023The High Court has settled a dispute between four siblings over the validity of their father’s Will. Stephanie Johnson, Senior Associate Solicitor, reports on this recent case. The court heard that the father had died on 11 September 2016. He had four children: the claimant and her three siblings (S1, S2 and S3). In a will found after his death, the father left his estate to his first wife, who…
Surge in number of landlords issuing section 21 notices
July 14th 2023There has been a surge in the number of renters seeking assistance with no-fault evictions, suggesting that landlords are rushing to move people out before new legislation comes into effect. Laura Murphy, Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update. According to Citizens Advice, nearly 2,000 individuals sought help with section 21 evictions in May, the highest number recorded in a single month and a 25% increase since May…
Court corrects ‘inheritance error’ made while amending trust fund
June 7th 2023The High Court has corrected an error made when changing a trust fund because it would have led to significant inheritance tax liability. Stephanie Johnson Senior Associate Solicitor reports on this recent case. The declaration of trust had been executed in 1992 in respect of a life insurance policy held by the settlor. It identified “possible beneficiaries”, including any children or grandchildren of the settlor, and certain “immediate beneficiaries” (Kate, Adam,…
Court rejects man’s late attempt to inherit his brother’s estate
March 20th 2023The High Court has rejected a man’s claim that he was entitled to inherit his brother’s estate instead of the brother’s wife. Stephanie Johnson Senior Associate Solicitor reports on this recent case. The issue arose because in September 2002, the deceased had executed a will bequeathing his whole estate to his brother. However, following his marriage in 2010, he had instructed solicitors to draft a new will, but before executing it…
Woman fails to overturn mother’s Will that benefited estranged sister
January 24th 2023A woman has failed to overturn her mother’s Will, after claiming it left too much to her estranged sister. Peter Stafford, Managing Director and Head of Business Services reports on this recent case. The mother was 78 years old when she died. She had always been close to one of her daughters but was estranged from the other. In 2012, she made a Will that left her entire estate to…
Boy granted £50k from aunt’s estate as she had ‘taken on the role of mother’
November 7th 2022A 12-year-old boy has been granted £50,000 from his late aunt’s estate on the basis that he had been treated as a child of the family. Rebecca Armstrong Associate Solicitor in our Will Claims team reports on this recent case. The boy was taken in by his aunt shortly after his birth because his mother was unable to care for him herself. The aunt acted as the boy’s main parental figure until her…
