Boundary Disputes
Butterworths SolicitorsWhen you purchase a Property, Land or both. The area in which you own is marked with a boundary line. This boundary line is visible within your title plan which is held by HM Land registry. Some boundaries are marked clearly by the presence of walls, fences, hedges or a tree line. However…
Japanese Knotweed Invasive Plant which Can Cause You Problems Legally
Japanese knotweed which was first introduced into the UK from Japan in the 1850s as an ornamental garden plant is now the Environment Agency’s number one invasive plant species. Although a large proportion of the UK population are aware of the plant many are unaware of the legal ramifications they could face if the plant…
What is Conveyancing?
What is Conveyancing? Conveyancing is the legal term used to describe the legal and administrative work that is required to be carried out when transferring a property from one party to another. How long can the conveyancing process take? The process can take between 8 and 12 weeks from the date of instruction, but in…
Joint Tenancy, Tenants in Common
When multiple people own property or Land, this is known as being co-owners. There are two different types of Co-owners: Joint Tenants and; Tenants in Common Joint Tenancy In a Joint Tenancy, each person has a unified share in the property. Therefore, under a Joint Tenancy, each and all the co-owners are equally entitled to…
Do you really need a Will?
What will happen if you don’t have a will? If you have any assets and pass away without having a legally binding will in place, your assets will be divided by way of intestacy rules. These Intestacy rules, otherwise known as the law of descent and distribution. These laws decide how your assets…
Video witnessed Wills to be legalised
Wills can soon be witnessed over Skype or Zoom as the government overhauls probate legislation as a result of COVID-19. A new statutory instrument will allow Wills to be witnessed remotely here in England and Wales. These new rules will come into force this September. The Wills Act of 1837 currently requires two witnesses to…
What is a Trust Will?
In this article, we will be discussing the different types of Trusts that can be applied when you are looking at putting your affairs in order. When is it a good idea to set up a Trust? Trusts can be used for Care Home Fee future planning, estate and tax planning and to protect your…
Signing a Will during the Pandemic
Many have been concerned about their health during the coronavirus pandemic. This has led to an influx in particularly vulnerable people making Wills and codicils. Whilst it’s easy to rush to put pen to paper it would be wise to ensure that a prospective Will meets all the legal requirements. There are no immediate plans…
Planning for your later years
Ian Watters Financial AdviserLife, as we all know, seems to spin along faster and faster as we go along, and at the same time, our awareness of some of life’s challenges that might lay ahead comes ever closer into focus. There are many things we know we should do but often put off. Saving for retirement, whether via…
Asset rich, Cash poor is a real problem
When retirement incomes seem to be getting smaller, many people are facing larger bills or cannot afford to enjoy one or two luxuries in life, however modest. Yet, at the same time, they may well own their own home and be in that group of people sometimes referred to as asset rich, cash poor. As…
Four practical uses for equity release
MattIn a previous article, we discussed what equity release is. This short article highlights a few practical ways of using equity release to your advantage. Getting ahead on an interest-only mortgage If you’re approaching retirement but don’t have savings to cover the end of your interest-only mortgage, you may wish to use equity release to…
Frequently asked equity release questions
What is a lifetime mortgage? A lifetime mortgage is a way to release tax-free equity from your home. As it is simply a loan against the value of your home, you retain the ownership. Once you clear any other charges against your home usually through equity, you can spend the money however you like. Are…
What can you use Equity Release for?
As with many types of mortgage, each lender will have its own criteria, but by being a fully independent adviser with the whole of market access, I can look at a vast array of potential solutions for you. The most common uses for Equity Release are; Paying off a mortgage or other commitments Boosting…
Equity release explained
Why should I consider Equity Release? Picture this, you are close to retirement and struggling for cash (or you simply want to a more comfortable requirement) and own your own home. Equity release is simply a way to unlock the value of your property and receive a large cash sum. For some people, this is…