Trouble with a Christmas present, given or received? Take a look at my video posted on 11 December 2021. It should help. While you are at it, find out the latest service charge law, how to stop a development which is going to block your light and much, much more with my series of recent videos. You can access them through this blog. No catches. No charge. No increase to your fuel bills.
And a Happy and Healthy New Year. May you win all your legal disputes (if that's fair).
The increase in the fee for applying for probate (where there is a will) or letters of administration (where there is no will) which I predicted at https://www.breakinglaw.co.uk/search/label/probate is to take effect on 26 January 2022 (see The Non-Contentious Probate Fees (Amendment) Order 2021 SI 2021/1451).
The new fee will be £273 whether you are applying in person or through a professional such as a solicitor. Get the application in before 26 January 2022 and money will be saved.
Stay in the know and click on my latest free video on legal developments. It won't bite. Free legal help contact info; where we are with divorce reform; court decisions on the impact of covid on financial orders in matrimonial proceedings; important Court of Appeal rulings on those dreaded service charges; and who picks up the VAT on enforcement agents' charges.
Temporary procedures were introduced for county court repossession cases to cater for the consequences of the pandemic. They included listing cases for a review hearing before any final hearing to investigate whether the parties could reach a settlement. These procedures were due to lapse in their entirety on 30 November 2021 (see https://www.breakinglaw.co.uk/2021/10/home-repossessions-review-hearings-to.html)
That has been reconsidered (see Civil Procedure Rules 1998 Update 137). The procedures will continue to apply in relation to claims started before 01 December 2021, subject to one matter. The temporary requirement (see paragraphs 6.1 and 6.2 of Civil Procedure Rules 1998 Practice Direction 52C - well you did ask!) that claimants are to notify with the claim form and in another form taken to court what they know about the effect of the pandemic on the defendant is to continue until 30 June 2022.
My latest free video may surprise you. Not because of the standard of books behind me or my short collar needing an ironing. No, because of a somewhat obscure law that allows you to prevent or obtain compensation for a nearby development which would or does substantially reduce the volume of natural light you enjoy which comes through any of the windows of your building. Let there be a viewing of the video. And let there be light.
For everything - well, quite a lot! - you need to know about how you legally stand with presents you bought and presents you were given, take a look at my video. It's free. Returning goods about which you just changed your mind. Faulty goods. Sale goods. Second hand goods. No receipt?! Buying with a credit or debit card. Cancelling on line purchases. And the Quick Fire Quiz which you can't win. But I did!
The Lord Chief Justice and the head of Tribunals have today issued a joint statement in the wake of the Plan B changes announced yesterday. They say that court and tribunal hearings should continue to take place in person - that's with everyone present at the court or tribunal building - but 'alongside effective use of video hearings and remote attendance where that is in the interests of justice'. That means that, for the time being, we are likely to be shifting back to Zoom and its siblings and the good old blower for hearings, where that is reasonably possible.
The Court and Tribunal Service in its own guidance today has said that no person should attend a court building where they have tested positive for covid; have covid symptoms; are self-isolating; are waiting for a test result; are quarantining after returning from travel abroad; or been in close contact with someone who has tested positive and not been double vaccinated.
If you think you should stay away, contact the court or tribunal urgently.
Shame on you! It has come to my notice that you may not have watched my video on how to avoid being conned on a property transaction. Please do yourself a favour and take a look. It's free and you won't have to stare at my face and hear my voice for very long. Also the music will get you dancing along with an estate agent.
You will discover a way of discouraging gazumping (seller raises price) and gazundering (buyer lowers price) and the terrible porky pies that both sides may tell - there's a lot of it about - as I point you to a lock-out agreement template and an alternative option to purchase.
