Could Fake Messages and Recordings Affect Your Family Court Case? Serving clients from our offices in Ashford , Cranbrook and Hythe , Senior Solicitor and Head of the Family Department, Shakeel...
News and Updates
Yes, you can put your house in your children’s name, but it will only fall outside your estate for Inheritance Tax if you survive for seven years after the gift and you no longer live there rent-free. If you carry on living in the house without paying...
There is no set minimum value for probate in England and Wales. Whether a Grant of Probate is needed depends on what the person owned and who holds it, rather than on the total value of the estate. You will almost always need probate if the person owned a...
What are the Pros, Cons, and Legal Considerations in the UK? If you are thinking of lending money to a family member, the most important step is to put the loan in writing. A simple signed loan agreement records how much was lent, when it must be repaid...
Once an offer has been accepted, moving house in England and Wales usually takes between three and six months. Rightmove’s figures from July 2026 show an average of 154 days (about five months) from agreeing a sale to completion across Great Britain,...
In most straightforward estates, beneficiaries receive their inheritance within six to twelve months of the Grant of Probate being issued, although complex or disputed estates can take longer. Executors often wait at least six months from the date of the...
How Can You Protect Your Wealth on Divorce? Worried about losing your family home, an inheritance or wealth you built up before marriage, if your relationship breaks down? You are not alone. For many people, marriage is about building a life...
The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 gives businesses the right to claim interest when another business or a public body pays an invoice late. Unless your contract sets a different, fair rate, you can charge statutory interest at 8% above...
An easement is a legal right to use someone else’s land for a particular purpose, such as a right of way or a right to run drains, pipes and cables across it. A restriction limits what can be done with a property, and the term can mean either a...
Putting your house in a trust will not usually stop it being counted towards care home fees if avoiding those fees was one of the reasons for doing it. The local authority can treat this as a “deliberate deprivation of assets” and assess you as...
GOV.UK says you will usually receive a Grant of Probate within 12 weeks of submitting your application, and HMCTS figures for April to June 2026 show an average of around five weeks, with straightforward online applications often dealt with faster. Paper...
What Are the Typical Steps in a Commercial Property Transaction in England & Wales? A typical commercial property transaction in England and Wales follows eight main steps: agreeing heads of terms, instructing solicitors, drafting and negotiating the...
What commercial landlords in Kent need to know about the new rules For generations, the upward-only rent review has been one of the reassuring features of commercial property ownership. Whether you're an existing or prospective Landlord or a...
When a relationship ends, deciding who keeps the family pet can be every bit as emotional as dividing the home. Solicitor Taya Thorogood a member of Kingsfords Solicitors Family Law Team with offices in Ashford , Cranbrook ...
Commercial Property Compliance: EPCs, Asbestos, Fire Safety and Electrical Safety If you own, let, buy, sell or manage commercial property, legal compliance is likely to be a key issue. EPCs and the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) are often...
The 10 Biggest Conveyancing Mistakes Buyers and Sellers Make and How to Avoid Them Summer is one of the busiest times of the year for the property market. The weather is (usually) better, families are keen to move before a new school term begins, and...
Buying or selling a home has never been just about bricks and mortar. It's about new beginnings, fresh opportunities and, let's be honest, wondering why you've accumulated seventeen mugs that absolutely had to come with you. Moving home has...
For many commercial landlords, receiving notice that a tenant wants to renew their lease can trigger mixed emotions. On the one hand, a reliable tenant who pays rent on time and looks after the property is often worth keeping. On the other, recent...
For many landlords, letting agents and tenants, the word “eviction” can cause a slight increase in heart rate. It sits somewhere between “tax return” and “unexpected boiler breakdown” on the list...
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved from science fiction into everyday life remarkably quickly. Businesses use it to draft emails, write reports, analyse data and deal with customers. Individuals are using it to prepare letters, contracts and even court...
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