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Insights

Top Tips Employers Should Consider When Managing Sickness Absence

Posted on 22nd February 2024 in Employment

As an employer the wellbeing of your staff will be a key priority. Staff absences can pose a particular challenge; on top of concern for your employees, they can lead to greater pressure on colleagues, additional expense and, if you get it wrong, could even lead to a legal claim. Having an effective absence policy can help you deal fairly and lawfully with both long and short-term absences.

Posted by

Charlotte Yendell

Trainee Solicitor

Insights

Lasting Powers of Attorney: Why Do I Need Them and When Should I Prepare Them?

Posted on 21st February 2024 in Probate & Wills, Later Life Planning

Making a Lasting Power of Attorney may seem like a task for another day, but as time goes on, our ability to manage our affairs may decrease or be prevented by an unexpected illness or accident. By making sure that you have the documents in place, and registered, this helps to ensure that a trusted person can step in to assist you when you need it most.

Insights

Coming Soon to a High Street Near You? Compulsory Property Auctions

Posted on 20th February 2024 in Dispute Resolution

Visit high streets in some parts of England and you will find a lot of empty shops. They can look unattractive, make the public less inclined to venture into their local shopping area and, like a vicious cycle, this then adversely impacts on the businesses clinging on to survival.

Posted by

Joanne Young

Senior Associate & Solicitor

Insights

Liability For Escaping Animals: Animals Act 1971

Posted on 16th February 2024 in Rural Property & Countryside Matters, Dispute Resolution

As an animal owner, you may have thought about - or even experienced - your animals escaping and causing damage to property or even injuring someone. Have you ever worried about your liability for damage caused by your animals? Our latest insight provides advice to animal owners on this Act which is notoriously difficult to interpret.

Posted by

Jill Headford

Partner and Solicitor

Insights

Love your Lease!

Posted on 13th February 2024 in Dispute Resolution

What better time is there than mid - February, just as the over-priced flowers and fluffy bears appear on shop shelves, to show some love for a much under-appreciated part of any commercial landlord or tenant’s life - the lease!

Posted by

Joanne Young

Senior Associate & Solicitor

Insights

How do restrictive covenants limit the use of land?

Posted on 09th February 2024 in Rural Property & Countryside Matters, Dispute Resolution

A covenant is the legal term for a promise, usually not to do something on your land (a negative or restrictive covenant) but occasionally to do something (a positive covenant).

Posted by

Jill Headford

Partner and Solicitor

Insights

How Arbitration Can Help You Resolve Your Family Dispute Without Going to Court

Posted on 09th February 2024 in Family Law

The Family Court is under immense pressure. The number of court applications, including issues relating to finances on divorce or separation of an unmarried couple and arrangements for children are rising each year. Cases are taking longer to conclude and very often experiencing delays in listing hearings and, as is happening more frequently, hearings are being moved or even cancelled at short notice due to judicial unavailability.

Posted by

Aimee Aspinall

Senior Associate & Solicitor

Insights

What Is Adverse Possession and How Does It Work?

Posted on 08th February 2024 in Rural Property & Countryside Matters, Dispute Resolution

Adverse possession is all about claiming someone else’s land as your own on the basis of your possession of it for a period designated by law. Of course, not all kinds of occupation lead to eventual ownership.

Posted by

Jill Headford

Partner and Solicitor

Insights

Resolving Boundary Disputes

Posted on 08th February 2024 in Rural Property & Countryside Matters, Dispute Resolution

Land is a great asset to have - I don’t think anyone would dispute that. But by the same token owning land (like having money) can be a worry as well. If you are lucky and your land has clearly identified boundaries and so long as there is no argument about them, all is well. That is the case for most land but some people are not quite so lucky. Boundary disputes can be a headache, especially if not well handled from the start.

Posted by

Jill Headford

Partner and Solicitor

Insights

Social Housing Reform: Consultation time again!

Posted on 08th February 2024 in Affordable Housing

Following the recent discussion on new social housing reforms, which was published on 30 January 2024, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities has declared an eight-week consultation period on a proposed standard for competence and conduct in social housing.

Posted by

Michael Taylor

Partner & Solicitor

Insights

Diversifying the Use of Land: What Does a Rural Landowner Need to Think About?

Posted on 01st February 2024 in Dispute Resolution

A drive around any country lane will demonstrate that rural landowners have a real entrepreneurial spirit. Everything from farm shops to glamping sites to alpaca trekking have been popping up and they can bring good commercial returns.

Posted by

Charlotte Yendell

Trainee Solicitor

Insights

Social Housing Reform: Consultation Now Live

Posted on 30th January 2024 in Affordable Housing

Today the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities announced a consultation on new social housing reforms. The proposed consultation has raised a number of concerns around the fact that a large majority of social housing already goes to UK nationals, the proposal would introduce even stricter rules, awarding social housing to those that can prove a close connection to the UK and local area as a priority.

Posted by

Michael Taylor

Partner & Solicitor