Archive for the ‘Latest News’ Category

The Court of Appeal has given judgment concerning the effect of a Landlord’s failure to protect a deposit under the Rent Deposit Scheme brought in by the Housing Act 2004, when it decided that the Landlord could avoid the statutory penalty of three-times the deposit by lodging the deposit under the scheme at any time prior to the hearing. The Court of Appeal also decided that a Section 21 Notice could be served once a deposit has been lodged under the scheme.  For further advice please contact Christopher Thomas or Alan Kirby of our Landlord & Tenant Department.

A recent ruling at the end of last year brought into play pre-nuptial agreements when the Court of Appeal decided that a pre-nuptial agreement freely entered into by the parties should be given due weight when deciding the division of marriage assets.  The Law Commission is currently considering the position of pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements within UK law.  For further advice in connection with pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements you can contact Samantha O’Dwyer or Alan Kirby of our Matrimonial Department.

This firm has recently been involved in two cases where clients have invested in so called development land schemes to their detriment.  These schemes purport to offer quick and easy development gain to potential investors by offering small parcels of land for what appears to be a nominal consideration with the enticement that the land will be capable of being developed with considerable profit in the future.  It is usual for these schemes to be sold with the promise of realisable profit in the short/medium term.  The problem is that the land is highly unlikely to be developed at any point in the foreseeable future due to its designation as ‘greenbelt’ or within areas where permission to develop is highly unlikely such as in a National Park!  If you are offered an opportunity to invest in such a scheme you should proceed with the utmost caution and then only with the benefit of legal advice.

Please click here for a BBC article on Land Invetsment Scams.