The Supreme Court has ruled that children whose parents separate and go abroad should be allowed to express a choice about whether they want to accompany them to another country.

In a case likely to have a significant impact on international cases, five justices unanimously decided that a 13-year-old girl, caught in a tug-of-love between her British Father and Spanish Mother (who separated approximately 2 years ago) should be considered to be a party to the domestic dispute.

Her Father is 47 and lives in the Thames Valley and her Mother is 46 and lives in Madrid. The teenager also has 3 brothers.

The Court concluded: “The youngster's “assertions about her state of mind" were relevant to any final decision about where she might live.”

Lady Hale, deputy president of the Supreme Court and the UK's most senior female judge, suggested that the teenager's "perception" was as important as that of her parents.

She said “the relevant reality was that of the child, not the parents. This approach accords with our increasing recognition of children as people with a part to play in their own lives, rather than as passive recipients of their parents' decisions."More...

Howells was recently featured in the most recent edition of Wales Business Insider. In a piece written by Geoff Wright about the rising confidence of property investors in Wales, Mark Hobbs, Managing Partner of Howells, provided his opinion on the sector. 

The article documented the large increase in businesses and individuals looking to invest in the Welsh property market over the previous 6 months. In particular, industrial units are proving popular with investors while increasing amounts of people are choosing to invest in land. Many people are also targeting property to be used by government departments, utility companies and housing associations. 

What’s more, with the property market in London and the South East already looking buoyant, and because it’s possible to buy buildings for less than they cost to build in some areas, other experts are anticipating that growth will spread across the country. More...

Disputes about wills and estates can be some of the most divisive, emotional legal cases as they can pit family members against each other and have devastating effects in the long term. What’s more, because people in the UK are getting richer and property prices have risen significantly, disagreements over probate arrangements are becoming increasingly commonplace in newspaper columns.

In the latest video uploaded to our Youtube channel Laith Khatib, Howells’ Private Client expert, discusses the ins and outs of probate law and the different issues that his expert team deal with on a daily basis.

A guide to contentious wills & probate

In the video, Laith talks about a range of different probate issues, including:

•    How the changing dynamic of the 21st century family can affect contentious probate cases
•    Whether it’s possible to challenge a will 
•    What happens if the deceased has created a will against their wishes or didn’t have the mental capacity at the time
•    What happens if there’s a mistake in a will
•    How the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 can affect probate cases
•    How you can prevent disputes between your loved ones in the event of your death
•    Why it’s important to seek professional legal help

Speak to Howells about wills today

Whether you’re contemplating challenging contentious wills or want to ensure that your will is both fair and cast-iron, talk to our team of expert probate solicitors at Howells today. Speak to us with no obligation – simply call 02920 404020 or email info@howellslegal.com.

by Tristan Lewis

If you’re looking to own your very own home, there are a number of ways that you can get help. One of those ways is through getting a shared equity home loan.

What is a shared equity loan?

In order to get a mortgage and buy a property, you need to put down a deposit. Shared equity allows you to get a loan that acts as part of your deposit.  Put simply, shared equity allows you to buy a property without paying a large deposit upfront – perfect for those people who want to buy a home of their own but don’t have the big lump sum.

Shared equity mortgages shouldn’t be confused with shared ownership schemes, where you buy a share of a home (usually between 25% and 75%) and pay rent to whoever owns the remainder.

Do I completely own a property if it’s bought through shared equity?

Yes. You own 100% of the property.

What happens when I sell a shared equity property? More...

Howells has launched a brand new Youtube channel. On it, we’ll be uploading videos to share our expertise on a number of different legal issues.

Check out our two newest video guides: helping you deal with issues to residential conveyancing and matrimonial law:

A guide to residential conveyancing with Rhian Davies

Howells’ property law expert Rhian Davies answers some of the most common issues that people encounter when buying and selling a property. How long does the process take? What are the different processes involved in buying and selling a house? Are legal fees payable if one party pulls out at the end of the process?

Rhian also discusses the cost of conveyancing and the service that you can expect to enjoy from a solicitor like Howells. Clients want the personal touch, done simply, from a conveyancer that they can trust and Howells’ residential expert explains why her company’s approach to conveyancing is so popular in South Wales and across the UK.

More...