Public rights of way during Covid-19 lockdown – what landowners need to know Despite social distancing rules making many of the UK’s cities ghost towns, there is still no requirement or advice for public rights of way to be closed. Keeping...
As you may have heard the Government have just announced further restrictions on what a landlord can do when faced with a tenant who has not paid its rent due to COVID-19 so the options are limited. As a result of the actions of some landlords towards...
When a person dies, one of the first questions to be asked is what happens to the body of the Deceased. In the vast majority of cases a deceased person’s body cannot be owned and so certain categories of people are given the responsibility to...
Employers should start putting plans in place now to keep hold of skilled staff once the coronavirus lockdown and restrictions are lifted, or risk losing them to competitors. That is the warning from Midlands employment lawyer Chris Amys, who says despite...
Farmers are facing a battle to find and recruit staff to save this year’s harvest, amid concerns of a national shortfall of around 80,000 workers. The coronavirus pandemic has meant a drop in the number of staff employed as fruit and vegetable...
We receive several enquiries from beneficiaries to an estate where they believe the personal representative of the estate is not forthcoming with information or their entitlement. Do personal representatives need to keep beneficiaries informed and what...
COVID-19: Update on Companies House strike off policy and late filing penalties Companies House has announced temporary changes to its strike off policy and approach to late filing penalties to support companies affected by the COVID-19 outbreak in meeting...
Many practitioners in England and Wales have seen an influx of clients looking to update their Wills in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many will be pleased that Wills are finally getting the attention they deserve, practitioners must take care to...
During these worrying and unsettling times, it is vital that divorced and separated parents put their children’s health first and re-think custody arrangements. Under the current Government lockdown rules, children can continue to move between their...
Finding a path through the Agriculture Bill and Public Rights of Way rules Just prior to the social distancing rules coming into place in March, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to present to a number of farmers and landowners from across...
On 20 th April 2020 at 8am, the Government’s anticipated Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Portal went live, with many employers and accountants giving excellent feedback about the Portal. HMRC have published some figures on the Scheme’s take up...
SSP is payable when an employee is sick, i.e. when they are incapable to work due to a disease, bodily or mental disablement. One of the many changes introduced by the Government as a result of COVID-19 is a number of Regulations which have expanded the...
The loss of a loved one is utterly devastating in normal times, but it is desperate for those people who have lost someone during the current coronavirus outbreak. Not only are there the vital, but incredibly harsh restrictions on who can attend funerals,...
It is now widely known that tenants of commercial properties can delay paying their rent for the period between 26 th March and 30 th June 2020 (unless the period is extended) under section 82(1) of the Coronavirus Act 2020. One question that this raises...
Over the past seven days I’ve been speaking in the region’s media about the ongoing Covid-19 situation, trying to help businesses cope, plan and prepare as much as they can. One of the topics I’ve covered is the need for employers to start...
Tenants of commercial properties can delay paying their rent for the period between 26th March and 30th June 2020 under section 82(1) of the Coronavirus Act 2020. This period may, but will not necessarily, be extended in due course. However the...
Like many other property professionals, in recent weeks I have been backing the government’s new scheme which will see homeowners and landlords able to apply for a three-month mortgage holiday to get them through the coronavirus crisis. It’s a...
Following the Government’s announcement on March 23 rd that the country would be placed in lockdown, the official advice concerning moving followed two days later on March 25 th . The Government has said that so far as possible people should...
Right to work and follow up checks temporarily adjusted in light of COVID-19 Employers are required to carry out right to work checks on all employees before the start of their employment, as well as follow up checks for those with time limited...
In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic many of our clients have been in touch to review their Wills. We are continuing to support our clients in every way possible in these difficult times using video calling (Skype/WhatsApp), emails and even the...
Divorced and separated parents are being urged to put their children’s health first and re-think custody arrangements as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic. Children can continue to move between their parents’ homes despite the...
A Midlands property lawyer has welcomed a government scheme which has seen homeowners and landlords able to apply for a three-month mortgage holiday to get them through the coronavirus crisis – but warned it will take longer to pay off their loan. ...
The annual revision to the rates for the National Minimum and Living Wage will come into force this month, in which the following changes will be made: National Living Wage for workers aged 25 and over increases to £8.72; National Minimal Wage for...
What is a “small claim”? A small claim is essentially a claim which is or will be allocated to the small claims track. A claim will ordinarily be allocated to the small claims track if it is for a monetary sum of less than £10,000 and the...