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News
Press Release - What Goes Up Must Come Down
04/05/2012 by Pam Bowring
Pam Bowring, the Project Manager of Surrey-based law firm, Downs Solicitors LLP has scaled new heights all in the name of charity by completing a terrifying tandem sky-dive from a plane cruising at 12,000 ft.
VAT Increase for Listed Building Alterations
27/04/2012 by Pam Bowring
If you own or are developing a listed building, recent changes announced in the Budget will affect you whether the property is residential or commercial as the zero rating currently available for approved alterations to protected buildings (both residential and charitable buildings) will be removed with effect from 1 October 2012.
Tenancy Deposit Protection - Time Is Running Out
10/04/2012 by Pam Bowring
If you are a landlord of residential property and you let it out under an assured shorthold tenancy, you should note that the rules relating to the registration of the rent deposit changed on 6 April 2012. You must ensure that, in respect of all rent deposits that you currently hold, they are correctly registered before 6 May 2012, and that you have sent the necessary certificate and the information prescribed by the legislation to all parties who are entitled to receive it within 30 days of receipt of the deposit.
Energy Performance Certificates - The Rules Are Changing
09/04/2012 by Pam Bowring
If you are proposing to sell or let our your premises (whether they are residential or commercial) you should note that the rules governing the production of an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) are changing. This is likely to mean that you must have an EPC assessment carried out on the property you are going to offer for let or sale commissioned before you begin to market the property.
Dismissal by administrator unfair even where no transferee identified
29/03/2012 by Pam Bowring
Spaceright Europe Ltd v Baillavoine and another [2011] EWCA Civ 1565
Out of court administration
05/03/2012 by Pam Bowring
The line of cases which began last year with Minmar (929) Limited Khalastchi ([2011] EWHC 1195 (CH)) when the High Court decided that an out-of-court appointment by directors was invalid because of the failure to give notice to the Company, i.e. its shareholders, has had three additions.
Update on Pre-Packs
05/03/2012 by Pam Bowring
In an announcement which will be welcome by the insolvency profession DBIS has said that it does not intend to legislate to impose restrictions on the use of pre-pack sales in any insolvency procedure. The Government will commission a review of the existing regime (including SIP16) to encourage transparency in prepacks.
Employees protected by TUPE in administration cases
05/03/2012 by Pam Bowring
*Key2Law (Surrey) Ltd v De'Antiquis [2011] EWCA Civ 1567*
TUPE 2006 – BIS call for evidence
01/03/2012 by Pam Bowring
The BIS has issued a call for evidence seeking views on the effectiveness of TUPE 2006.
Finance Act 2012 - Capital Allowances
23/02/2012 by Pam Bowring
Capital Allowances are a form of tax relief which can be set against Income or Corporation Tax. They are based on the capital expenditure incurred on the provision and installation of certain assets within a commercial building.
Pay Accountability and Non-Domestic Rates
22/02/2012 by Pam Bowring
The Localism Act 2011 (Commencement Number 1) (Wales) Order 2012 (SI2012/193) came into force on 31 January 2012 and brings into force the provisions of Sections 38 to 43 and 69 of the Local Government Act 2011:
Conduct of Referendums
22/02/2012 by Pam Bowring
The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2012 (SI2012/323) came into force on 9 February 2012 and replace the Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2007 (SI2007/2089) (Referendums Regulations 2007). The regulations deal with the changes to existing Local Authority (County, District and London Borough Council) Governance arrangements under the Local Government Act 2000 e,g, deciding whether to adopt a committee system or executive arrangements.
Our New Arrivals
01/02/2012 by Pam Bowring
We are pleased to announce the arrival of Martin Steer as a Partner in our Dispute Resolution team and Sarah Bradford as a Solicitor in our Family Law team.
Good news for employers - new rules regarding unfair dismissal
13/02/2012 by Pam Bowring
The Government has issued draft legislation on it’s proposal to increase the qualifying period to claim unfair dismissal from one year to two. The Order is succinctly known as The Unfair Dismissal and Statement of Reasons for Dismissal (Variation of Qualifying Period) Order 2012, and can be viewed here http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2012/9780111519974[http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2012/9780111519974]
Lexcel - It's Official!
08/02/2012 by Pam Bowring
We are delighted to announce that following our first annual maintenance inspection in December 2011, The Law Society has reconfirmed the award of Lexcel, their mark of quality for a properly managed practice. The inspection was undertaken following the implementation of the SRA's new Code of Conduct which only came into force in October 2011 and which enhances the obligations of the legal profession to its clients, increasing the risk management requirements, and providing greater support for outcomes-focused regulation (OFR).
Protect Yourself from Property Fraud
08/02/2012 by Pam Bowring
The Land Registry has reported major issues with fraud involving properties which are not occupied by the owner. If you own property which you do not occupy personally we can advise you on the ways in which you can protect yourself from becoming the subject of such a fraud.
First Time Buyer SDLT Relief To End
24/01/2012 by Pam Bowring
Currently if you are buying a residential property as your main residence for a price not exceeding £250,000 and you are a first time buyer, you may not have to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax on the purchase price. This concession expires on 24 March 2012, with the effect that, any purchase with an effective completion date of 25 March 2012 or later cannot benefit from the relief, even if the contract for the purchase of the property is dated before that date. The relief gave a saving of £2,500 on a house purchase of £250K.
2012 - The Countdown is on
16/01/2012 by Pam Bowring
I am now in South Africa at a warm weather training camp along with the rest of Team GB. This is the first time that the elite Paralympic and able-bodied athletes have trained in parallel and it is a positive step and a credit to UK athletics.
Section 25 Notices - Are you due to renew?
16/01/2012 by Pam Bowring
I have been contacted by a client in a complete panic asking me to get him out of a hole. He had a lease of business premises within the protection of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954, the contractual term of which came to an end on 31 December 2011. In June of last year he was served with a non-hostile Landlord’s Section 25 Notice terminating his tenancy as at 31 December 2011. The Notice stipulated the terms upon which the Landlord was prepared to agree a renewal. My client had no issue with those terms and so simply filed the Notice, assuming the renewal would just take its course. Sadly, he didn’t advise me of receipt of the Notice and now finds himself in the position of having received a letter from the Landlord’s Solicitors demanding vacant possession in two weeks' time.
Surrey Care Awards 2011
29/11/2011 by Pam Bowring
We were delighted to sponsor two categories at this year's Surrey Care Awards which took place on Friday, 18 November 2011 at the prestigioius Queen's Stand at Epsom Racecourse. The categories were Volunteer of the Year Award and the Volunteer Special Recognition Award.
Paralympic Training - Behind the Scenes
24/11/2011 by Pam Bowring
My winter training is well underway in advance of next year's Paralympics. For anyone from outside the elite sports world to be a fly on the wall at one of my sessions would be a real eye opener. For a start, as an athlete on the World Class Performance Programme, I have access to the best facilities and coaches available. This includes a team of physios, doctors, dieticians, sports psychologists - what I would call medical innovation, specifically for my disability.
