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King's Speech 2024: Renters Rights Bill and the Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill

James Hodgson
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While you may not have a chance to watch the entire address, I’d like to highlight a couple of key announcements from the 2024 King’s Speech at the Opening of Parliament. The Renters Rights Bill and the Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill were...

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act: What you should know

Laura Kurowski
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The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act became law on 24 May 2024 – it was the very last bill passed during the so-called ‘wash-up’ period, after the general election had been called. The Act, which is the second part of a legislative...

Stamp Duty Changes For Multiple Dwelling Transactions

James Hodgson
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From the 1 June 2024 the Multiple Dwelling Relief (MDR) was abolished. It was first introduced in England and Northern Ireland in 2011 and offered Stamp Duty Land Tax relief to purchasers who acquired two or more residential properties in a single...

Conveyancing Process Guide for Homebuyers and Sellers

Laura Kurowski
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If you’re looking at buying or selling a home, you might find the whole conveyancing process a little overwhelming. But, when you break down the steps, it really is quite manageable, especially if you have specialist support from our property team ....

What is the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975?

James Hodgson
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When it comes to estate planning and making a Will, you must carefully consider the potential implications of excluding certain family members. The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (the Act) grants the court the power to make...

No-fault evictions reform: What it's all about

James Hodgson
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In 2019 the government said it would ban no-fault evictions. Since then, more than 60,000 households in England have contacted councils for help to avoid homelessness after receiving a Section 21 notice. This is set to change with the introduction of the...

2021: what next for house prices?

Laura Kurowski
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  According to building society Nationwide, house prices climbed 7.5% last year, the highest growth in UK house prices for six years. Why was demand for property so high in 2020? Buoyed by a range of Government policy measures, demand for housing...

How to protect your land and property from fraud

Laura Kurowski
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We are often asked how to protect property from being fraudulently sold or mortgaged. This can be of particular concern if: your identity has been stolen you rent your property you live abroad the property is empty the property is not mortgaged the...

Government announces protection for buyers of new homes

Melanie Leadbitter
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The Secretary of Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced that all new build housing will need to be sold as a freehold property. Following a speech at the Chartered Institute of Housing Conference on 27 June 2019, James...

Demand for good quality rental homes remains high

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According to the recently released English Private Landlords Survey , there are 25% more rented properties in England now than there were in 2010. With 4.5 million homes now in the private rented sector, it’s becoming more and more important to...

Stamp Duty abolished for first-time shared ownership buyers

Laura Kurowski
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In yesterday's Budget, the Chancellor announced that Stamp Duty Land Tax relief will be extended to first time buyers purchasing shared ownership homes valued up to £500,000. Buyers will be exempt from this tax, which has been...

Helen Atkinson joins Wilkinson Woodward's Property team

Maureen Cawthorn
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We're delighted to welcome commercial and property specialist Helen Atkinson to our  Huddersfield team. After studying at Manchester Polytechnic and the Chester College of Law, Helen began her legal career as an articled clerk at a small...

Saving for your first home? There's still time to start a Help to Buy ISA

Laura Kurowski
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If you're saving for a deposit on your first home, there's still time to start a Help to Buy ISA - but only until 30 November 2019.  Help to Buy ISAs won’t be available to new savers after that date, but if you opened your Help...

Selling your home: a guide for first timers

Laura Kurowski
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Moving on from your first home can be a daunting prospect but with the right help, marketing your property and dealing with the legal aspects of a sale can be a pretty smooth process. If you're selling for the first time, here's some advice from...

First time buyers to benefit from changes in stamp duty

Laura Kurowski
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Following this week’s budget, stamp duty has been abolished with immediate effect for first-time buyers buying a property up to £300,000. The move is designed to encourage first time buyers to save for a house deposit. According to Chancellor...

Moving Home? Here's how to protect yourself against conveyancing scams

Melanie Leadbitter
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  A recent case highlighted in The Guardian will serve as a timely reminder (to house movers and conveyancing solicitors alike) of the growing problem of conveyancing scams. In the case highlighted by the Guardian, emails were hacked which led to...

Moving Home? Make Sure Your Conveyancing Quote is a Fair One

Melanie Leadbitter
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Conveyancing in England and Wales has become a highly competitive business with some, less honourable firms employing dubious tactics to make their quotes appear cheaper than they actually are. Follow these tips for a fair, value-for-money quotation. ...

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