Stamp Duty Changes: What do they mean for you? The Chancellor has announced a temporary Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday on residential properties as part of a number of measures that aim to kick start the economy following the impact of COVID-19. What has changed? The government has increased the lower stamp duty threshold to £500,000.00 for property sales … Read More
The property market is back open
This week has provided the property market with news. As long as done safely and following social distancing the property market can essentially reopen. So what has changed? In a nutshell, whilst ensuring all safety precautions are taken, the following: Estate agents can open their offices to the general public. Viewings of properties can take place with the first to … Read More
Your house move during the COVID-19 outbreak
As you may have seen, the Prime Minister addressed the nation and informed people of the next necessary steps in the fight against the Coronavirus. If you have not already seen this, the direction from the government is that people must now stay at home and can only leave for specific reasons: · Shopping for basic necessities, such as food … Read More
Shop and Office Fit Out Works: What Does the Lease Say?
Most retail shops and offices will be occupied by tenant owners under the terms of a Lease. The issue of fitting out the shop or office will usually arise as part of the negotiations when a new Lease is granted to the original tenant or at a later stage if either the tenant transfers the Lease to a new tenant … Read More
Joint Ownership
More and more people are choosing to own property jointly, not just with partners, but also with siblings, parents or even friends. It can seem like the perfect solution – pool your resources, making it much easier to raise an acceptable deposit. But buying a house with someone else is not always straightforward, even if that person is the one … Read More
When do business occupiers have the right to renew their lease?
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (“the Act”) is an important piece of legislation that provides rights and protection to business tenants. Part II of the Act gives business tenants who occupy premises for business purposes “security of tenure”, which is of fundamental importance to both landlords and tenants in terms of their initial lease negotiations and the actions that … Read More
Morrish strengthens team with three new appointments
Morrish Solicitors have announced three key appointments at their West Yorkshire offices. Joining the firm’s Employment team in Leeds is Solicitor Hannah Boynes, who qualified in 2012 and obtained Higher Rights in 2014. Hannah also qualified as a Solicitor-Advocate after completing her training in civil litigation and employment and will be dealing with a wide range of employment matters including unfair dismissal and discrimination at Morrish. Employment Partner … Read More
No Inheritance Tax on estates worth up to £1 million? Not quite!
George Osborne announced the introduction of an additional Inheritance Tax (IHT) Nil Rate Band (NRB) for a person’s main residence in the Summer 2015 Budget. This was good news for with wealth tied up in their family home. The existing NRB of £325,000 per person or £650,000 per couple, on which 40% IHT is not paid, will remain the same. But from … Read More
Buying or selling your home? Here’s what you need to know…
How long will my sale/purchase take? It is difficult to put a precise timescale on a conveyancing transaction. In general we would say somewhere between 4-6 weeks. However, this is dependent on a number of outside factors. Some lenders take a while to issue mortgage offers. Sometimes there can be problems with the legal title to the property which need … Read More
Changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax rates for Buy-to-Let properties and second homes
As a result of the Chancellor’s Autumn statement, the rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for Buy-to-let (BTL) and 2nd properties will increase by 3% from 1st April 2016. Below is a table of the new rates. Please note these only extend to residential properties, not commercial ones. As well as having a knock on effect for those buying … Read More
Help to Buy Mortgages
There has been a lot of publicity over the last 18 months about Help to Buy Mortgages. This is a scheme which is available to allbuyers who have a 5% deposit available. In order to qualify for a Help to Buy mortgage, you do not have to be a first time buyer. However, there are certain criteria that will need to be met. For instance, … Read More
