An unexpected increase in divorce fees will probably come into effect on Monday raising the cost of a divorce from £410 to £550.

Emails have been received by family lawyers from the Courts divorce units confirming the Ministry of Justices’ decision subject to parliamentary approval.

The proposed increase was not included in the list of fee increases announced by the government at the end of last year and has been met with opposition from family lawyers.More...

In his recent Budget speech, George Osborne confirmed that his proposed changes to the Stamp Duty Land Tax will come into effect at the beginning of April as set out in his Autumn Statement. People purchasing a second home or additional property will after this date pay an additional 3% Stamp Duty Land Tax.

There was speculation that there might be exemptions made for individuals or groups with certain circumstances or that the date might be extended, but this has not been the case - apart from one exception. More...

When you start renting out a property, it is important to be informed and know your landlord and tenant rights. Here we will inform you of your rights to enter your own property and what to do should your tenant become ‘unreasonable’.

Landlord and Tenant Rights: Entering Without Permission 

When a tenancy agreement is signed, the landlord provides the tenant with exclusive possession to the property. This means it is completely within the tenant’s rights to deny anyone and everyone access to the property at any time. Access without permission is therefore, technically, trespassing. And could be the start of legal action. 

However, within this signed contract there should be written some reserved landlord rights to allow access where necessary. For example, access is required to carry out any repairs or to inspect for damage. More...

The number of tenants evicted from rental properties this year is set to be the highest since records began, according to recent statistics released by the government. 

Figures from the Ministry of Justice show that over 11,000 people were evicted in the first quarter of 2015, which is a 51% rise on the same period five years ago. 

In 2014, 42,000 people were evicted from rented properties, a figure which at the time represented a new high since records began in 2000. 

The figures, which relate to England and Wales only, represent an 8% rise on the same period in 2014, and are therefore on course to break last year’s record. More...

When a person or company buys a business, it’s important to remember that they’re taking over responsibility for, and obligations to, the people that make up that business, as well as the brand and bricks and mortar. 

The law surrounding the transfer of businesses (or ‘undertakings’) in relation to human resources is geared toward strengthening the rights of these employees. These regulations, which came into effect in their original form in 1981, are known as TUPE, and today Howells Solicitors examines them from the perspective of the buying company. More...