The family lawyers' group Resolution has said there is "no justification" for government plans to increase the Court fee for a divorce from £410 to £750.

The Ministry of Justice announced plans in December 2013 to increase Court fees for Divorce and some other family applications (as well as fees for high value commercial cases).

Resolution said in its response that the case for setting family Court fees purely on the basis of cost "has not been made in relation to family proceedings". They continued, “there is no justification for charging the public more than the actual cost (even as they do today) of using a service to pursue a legal remedy which is their right under statute.”More...

Howells Solicitors has recruited more conveyancing experts and support staff to its property team as it reports continued activity in the housing market.

Experienced Chartered Legal Executive Sharon Thomas and solicitor Elise Stark have joined Howells Solicitors’ growing ranks as house sale completions continue to rise. The firm has also offered four training contracts to existing staff members who will be assisting in the conveyancing teams and Howells have also built strong relationships with the University of South Wales and recruited five graduates who recently completed the University’s Legal Practice Course.

After a couple of years of stagnation, the South Wales market is starting to move. Mark Hobbs, managing partner at Howells said, “At the beginning of 2013 the housing market remained a little fragile but there can be little doubt that by the end of the year it turned out to be a lot better than many in our sector expected.”

“It’s already been a brisk start to the year and the signs are all positive that this will continue in 2014. The Welsh property market won’t grow as quickly as it has in the London and the South East but it is moving again which is good news.” More...

Howells Solicitors has completed the sale of the first property in Wales to be purchased using the recently launched Government backed Help to Buy scheme.
 
The conveyancing department in the Swansea office of the award-winning law firm were instructed by Sian Jones on the purchase of a two bedroom apartment on the Persimmon Coed Darcy development near Neath.
 
Due to this being the first Help to Buy purchase in Wales, Philip Howell, founder partner of the law firm personally managed the case and worked with the Help to Buy co-ordinators throughout the process. It took just 20 working days from instruction to completion and all parties liaised together to ensure the quick and seamless transaction.

Commenting on the case, Philip Howell said, “It was a learning process for all parties involved. A couple of minor glitches were quickly resolved resulting in the swift 20 day completion. We have completed another Help to Buy case since and have others at various stages of the conveyancing process across our network of South Wales offices.” 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