Inheritance laws simplified for when people die without a Will The government has simplified inheritance laws in order to modernise the process of dividing the assets of a person who dies without making Will. It follows a review of intestacy law and a consultation carried out by the Law Commission.
A woman’s dismissal discussed with employee’s son?
A woman has won her case of constructive dismissal after her employers approached her son about her faltering performance rather than speak to her directly. The woman worked for an accountancy firm. She was a competent member of staff and received a positive performance review. However, months later she didn’t receive a pay rise as she had expected. Her superiors had become concerned with her behaviour and performance, feeling they …Read More
Pensioner suffered burn to her back in beauty salon
A pensioner who was receiving treatment in a beauty salon when a steamer fell on her back has been awarded £5,000 compensation. The woman was 71 years old at the time of the incident. She had visited the salon for a back cleanse treatment, which involved using the steamer. Having received a massage she was left in the room while the steamer was on. After about five minutes she became …Read More
Judge was wrong to let mother take daughter abroad
A judge was wrong to grant permission for a mother to take her daughter abroad, the Court of Appeal has ruled. The case involved an estranged couple who had dual British and Iranian citizenship. They had a three-year-old daughter who lived with the mother. The father had unsupervised access. The mother wanted to visit Iran for a holiday. She was granted a specific issue order by a County Court judge …Read More
Social tenants reminded of their Right to Buy
The government has sent information to social housing tenants reminding them of the Right to Buy scheme. The leaflets offer advice to tenants on how to exercise their Right to Buy and become first-time homeowners. The scheme allows social tenants in London a maximum discount of up to £102,700. The maximum discount in other parts of England is £77,000. More than 22,500 people have taken advantage of the scheme since …Read More
Check your Will following changes to inheritance law
The Law Society is urging people to consult their solicitor to check their Will is accurate and up-to-date following changes made to inheritance laws. It points out that if you die intestate – without having a valid Will in place – or if your Will has not been written to the required legal standards, then your assets could be divided up in a way that you did not intend.
Woman awarded £2,500 after trapping finger in door
A woman has been awarded £2,500 compensation after a toilet door slammed shut on her finger while she was attending a course at a hotel. She went to use the toilet which had to be accessed by opening two doors. As she passed through the second door, it suddenly slammed shut, trapping her middle and ring finger on her right hand. The woman went to hospital where it was revealed …Read More
House prices rose 10.2% in the 12 months to June
House prices rose by 10.2% in the year to June 2014, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Prices in England rose by 10.7%. The figure was 6% in Scotland, 4.9% in Northern Ireland and 3.5% in Wales. The survey showed that house prices rose strongly in most parts of the UK, but the highest growth was in London where the annual increase was 19.3%. Without taking London …Read More
Father denied direct contact with son at son’s request
A father has been denied direct contact with his estranged son after the court heard that the boy didn’t want to see him. The boy’s parents had been married but separated shortly after he was born. The father maintained regular contact with his son until the mother became suspicious that the boy had been injured during a contact visit. The mother applied to have the contact order suspended but the …Read More
Disputes over probate triple as people make DIY wills
One of the problems that can arise out of DIY wills was highlighted by data released by the High Court recently. The figures show that the number claims concerning the mishandling a deceased person’s estate has tripled in recent years. There were 368 claims in 2013, while the figure was just 107 in 2012. It’s thought many of the claims were as a result of people having made a DIY …Read More