Following on from our blog on November 1st regarding tougher lending rules, the UKs second biggest mortgage lender, Santander, has eased its interest only criteria. The clampdown on interest only mortgages reported earlier this month meant it would be less affordable for first time buyers to get on the property ladder,…
Read moreWomen Drivers Rewarded for Safe Driving…
Lady drivers who demonstrate good driving can offset increased insurance premiums under the new European gender equality rules, by taking out a policy that tracks driving. It was reported in the Sunday Times that the Cooperative has announced it will double the maximum discount available from 10% to 20% to…
Read morePlanning laws: home owners given free rein but beware neighbourly disputes
Under new government plans, millions of people will be able to extend their garages, offices and industrial buildings without asking for council permission, reports Christopher Hope the Telegraph today. The changes are on top of an existing scheme to allow home owners to double the size of permissible developments. Some…
Read moreFactory worker suffered serious injuries to neck and throat when her ponytail and scarf became entangled in conveyor
Reports Mark Duell in today’s Daily Mail… A coat hanger factory worker suffered serious injuries to her neck and throat that almost resulted in her death when her hair and scarf became entangled in the chain and drive of a conveyor. Kelly Nield, 24, of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, suffered the…
Read moreRights of Way and Proprietary Estoppel…
In Joyce v Epsom & Ewell BC [2012] EWCA Civ 1398, the Couty of Appeal dealt with a claim for an easement by way of proprietary estoppel. Mr Joyce’s predecessor in title, a Mr Holborn, lived next door to two properties which Sainsburys included in a planning application to build to…
Read morePay Day Loan Companies Warned…
...improve the way it lends money and collects debts, or face fines or closures, says the BBC News today The Office of Fair Trading (OFT), in an interim report, says most of the 50 big firms it has been inspecting do not operate fully by its rules. The OFT says…
Read moreShould cyclists be treated differently?
With the recent, much publicised accident involving Bradley Wiggins, there has been great debate in the media surrounding the number of cyclists injured on our roads, and what can be done to reduce the number of casualities. When a cyclist is injured, are they confident that the criminal justice system…
Read moreCourt of Appeal confirms that Stack v Dowden does not apply where there is an express declaration of trust
The case of Pankhania v Chandegra [2012] EWCA Civ 1438 has recently been before the Court of Appeal on a point that I thought was well understood law. I am surprised therefore that the High Court could get such a point wrong. In 1989, C and P purchased a property.…
Read moreRight to Buy
Nearly 1,500 social homes have been sold under the Government's relaunched Right to Buy scheme since the beginning of April this year, according to figures released on 15 November 2012 by the Department for Communities and Local Government. Discounts of up to 60% for a house and 70% for a…
Read moreResidential Property in Wales
From Spring 2013 certain buyers will be eligible for 95% on new-build homes in Wales. http://cymru.gov.uk/newsroom/housingandcommunity/2012/121113ms/;jsessionid=5D0DE6FB088E0E0BFEC7466269497A62?lang=en The scheme is similar to the New Build initiative launched in England in February 2012, and should be a terrific boost for the housing market in Wales, helping both developers and house buyers. Abacus…
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