Archive

Are you familiar with ‘Attendance Allowance’? And do you know who is entitled to receive it? If the answer is ‘no’, you

The government has introduced a Renters’ Rights Bill, which aims to provide greater for security for renters, and a ‘lev

It is still up for debate whether the long-awaited abolition of “no-fault” evictions will happen this year. Whilst we al

As tenants struggle to find suitable and affordable properties to rent, the number of landlords is declining as many are

Laceys have once again been recommended across seven of the firm’s specialist legal areas in the 2023 edition of the Leg

The UK Government has announced radical plans to overhaul the private renters’ market, with a new bill designed to shift

This year’s Queen’s Speech was surprisingly light on employment law developments, with the omission of the long-awaited

Energy Performance Certificates, or EPCs, give an energy performance rating for properties, with the most energy efficie

From individual landowners to corporate developers, everyone is being encouraged to play their part in enhancing our env

Laceys Solicitors have signed up to a fundraising challenge for three of the UK’s leading neurological research charitie

April is usually the month when the Government introduces new employment legislation, and in recent years, it has announ

Once you have decided that your marriage is over and you have taken the first step towards divorce or dissolution of a c

The Will of a wealthy property investor has been overturned by the High Court on the basis that he did not know and appr

A Which? survey of 2,000 UK residents found that only one in seven (15%) of people have given someone else power of atto

Family Mediation Week 2022 was fittingly launched online on 17th January in keeping with the pandemic-induced trend of m

During this transitional period, as employees return to the workplace on a hybrid or full-time basis, employers must be

Following the 2017 Supreme Court case of an adult daughter who successfully claimed financial provision from her late mo

M&S are at loggerheads with Aldi for the second time. After ‘Caterpillar-gate’ (M&S’s claim that Aldi’s Cuthbert

Many businesses are now at the stage where they have planned their longer-term working arrangements for staff, whether t

The current moratorium on commercial landlords evicting tenants, exercising the right to seize goods or taking insolvenc

School children aged 12 to 15 years are now being offered the Covid vaccination through schools. For some parents this w

The last 18 months have seen employers turn on a dime to keep their business on track, while guarding the health and wel

Laceys Solicitors are proud to be sponsoring the annual NOEA Convention this year, taking place digitally, 24th November

Laceys Mediation signed are pleased to announce the  The Ministry of Justice Family Mediation Voucher Scheme  has receiv

The successful vaccine programme hasn't stopped the pandemic's ongoing impact on businesses. When the furlough scheme en

Back in April, with my training journey at Laceys continuing to my next seat in Dispute Resolution, being a contentious

One area that hasn’t suffered from the Covid pandemic is the pet industry with the increase in puppy purchases being a m

Within a marriage or civil partnership, the concept of bad behaviour can cover a multitude of activities, from leaving t

This past year has shown, more than ever, how important it is for us to look after our own, and others’, wellbeing. In r

It has recently been announced that there will be a delay to the much anticipated no-fault divorce, which will now come

The official government message encouraging people to work from home is expected to end with the final step out of lockd

Once again, the eviction notice periods under section 21 and section 8 have changed. However, for the first time since t

While the predicted lockdown baby boom has not materialised and the birth rate is similar to 2020 (down just 0.5%), fami

A recent court case has re-affirmed that in most cases Mediation notes or a Mediation Summary cannot be used as evidence

The statutory definitions of the three categories of employment status have long been criticised as being unclear, and o

TRAINING FROM HOME. As the end of my second seat dawns, what strikes me is I have trained entirely from home this time d

Laceys Mediation have signed up to The Ministry of Justice Family Mediation Voucher Scheme  which goes live today, 1st A

One of the most difficult issues that employers face is how best to help an employee on long-term sickness absence or wi

On 22 March, it was being widely reported that the French subsidiary of IKEA was being prosecuted in France. The offence

It has long been thought that requiring an employee to be at or near their place of work during the night was ‘working’

Laceys’ Head of Employment & HR, Robin Watson spoke to the Wessex Branch of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and

Following the introduction of civil partnerships in 2005 and same sex marriages in 2014, there has been an increase in f

After postponements in 2019 and 2020, the 6 April 2021 is the third date scheduled for the off-payroll working rules to

Giveaways on social media are exceedingly common nowadays, and a great way for influencers and businesses to boost the n

The Supreme Court has ruled that Uber drivers are not self-employed and are workers. This means that they are entitled t

If the pandemic has left you with empty commercial property, now could be a good time to look for alternative uses.  To

The rollout of the vaccination programme has been welcomed as the beginning of the end for the Covid-19 pandemic. For ma

At Laceys we understand that family law matters can be very emotional and sensitive, which is why we promote a construct

The Coronavirus pandemic has affected the way in which we work and socialise, locally, nationally and globally. Over the

Divorce and separation are confusing and upsetting enough for children, without the additional anxiety of not being able

Parenting is hard at the best of times but throw into the mix dealing with a separation during lockdown, making the righ

More than any other time of the year, January is a month when families decide to separate. For most, this will be their

Today marks the start of Family Mediation Week aimed to raise awareness of mediation and how it can help separating fami

2020 was a tumultuous year with employers having to respond rapidly to the challenges of the pandemic. Culturally the wo

What if I told you that we have prepared a list of New Year’s resolutions that do not involve dusting off your running s

Most people are aware that there are certain rules which landlords must follow when letting out residential property. Wh

When serving a notice on a tenant requiring possession of a residential property, does it matter whether the landlord’s

As the economic impact of the pandemic grows, many commercial landlords are struggling to collect rent and enforce their

While some people are enjoying working from home, this is not the case for everyone and the negative impacts over severa

With his generous frame and thick mop of blond hair, Boris Johnson might make a passable Father Christmas, were it not f

The Court of Appeal has given a salutary warning to tenants of commercial premises to be careful what you sign when they

The government coronavirus job retention scheme (also known as furlough scheme) has been extended through to March 2021.

If you are contemplating divorce, then you may need to consider whether it would be beneficial to commence proceedings p

With the pause (stay) having been lifted from claims for possession of residential property the courts now appear to be

The viability of many businesses is on a knife edge and flexible working options enabling the scaling up or down of your

Philip Day, Laceys Licensing expert, joined director of the Nationwide Caterers Association, Mark Laurie, to discuss lic

A commercial property portfolio is just like any other investment - to get the best out of it, you need to manage it wel

As I approach just over the half way mark of my first seat in Laceys Private Client team, the stressful process of apply

Once again, our Licensing team have received sole recognition across Dorset in the 2021 Legal 500, an independent endors

Laceys have welcomed three new trainee solicitors, Maria Gomez, Alan Stanley and Aisling Scott into the firm, to commenc

Leading Dorset solicitors, Laceys, have once again acquired recognition across many of the firms specialist areas, in th

With a resurgence of the Coronavirus and the furlough scheme ending on 31 October, Rishi Sunak has announced plans for a

Covid-19 has had a detrimental effect on all pubs, bars, restaurants and other hospitality venues in England,

Laceys Solicitors are pleased to announce Edwina Bones has re-joined Laceys as an Associate within our Corporate and Com

Many landlords and letting agents had been awaiting the 23rd of August with some anticipation, as this was the date on w

The key priority for a landlord of commercial property is to secure a reliable and predictable rental income, which can

If you are involved in the Outdoor Events industry, not only have the last few months been a uniquely challenging time,

On 17 July 2020, the Office of the Public Guardian announced a new online tool, “Use a Lasting Power of Attorney”, which

Earlier this year, the government stopped all court claims for eviction of tenants, with a few exceptions such as for tr

In the UK, a Will is only valid if it meets certain legal requirements. One of these requirements is that the testator s

Although people wanting to sell and move home in the UK are now allowed to do so, it is not a return to normal. Social d

Back in March, the Government introduced the concept of furlough leave under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to su

Ringwood restaurant, India Cottage, which had ignored lockdown rules by selling beer to takeaway customers during lockdo

In the most significant overhaul of divorce law in the last fifty years, divorcing couples will no longer have to allege

Many people think that all a landlord has to do to evict a tenant is to give them two months’ notice. Anybody that has b

One unsightly by-product of Covid 19 has been the massive spike in reported incidents of domestic abuse. Whilst mediatio

Commercial and residential tenants who miss rent payments due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic are now protecte

Last year, the Tenant Fees Act 2019 (TFA) came into force. Put briefly, the TFA prohibits landlords and letting agents f

During Covid-19, most commercial landlords understand the predicament tenants find themselves in with paying rent and ar

Since 1 March, the Covid-19 Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) was set up to support people, protect jobs and businesses throug

If you cannot leave your home and have concerns about how you can make a Will legally binding (it needs to be signed by

Landlords  and letting agents need to comply with new Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England)

The Government has released, earlier than anticipated, 8 workplace guides, each providing suggested measures relevant to

The residential property market was showing very positive signs of growth in early 2020, however Covid-19 has pressed th

Due to the current restrictions of Covid-19, many directors have been under immense pressure to ensure the survival of t

ONLES recent purchase of The Boardroom, supported by Laceys Solicitors, will be a welcome relief for many businesses con

Asking a couple who are going through a divorce or separation to practice social distancing from each other is second na

Before Covid-19 struck, many families were already going through extremely difficult times in their personal lives due t

Please find following FAQs which explain business compliance to data protection regulations during Covid-19. Do I need t

What is the Covid-19 Job Retention Scheme? The Covid-19 Job Retention Scheme is a temporary scheme (for three months ini

Covid-19 has had a profound effect on the property market, with landlords and tenants alike under extreme pressures give

Despite Brexit and Coronavirus, the Government found time to review Inheritance Tax (IHT) and propose radical changes to

The current necessary restrictions imposed by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) have meant many businesses are struggling to tr

Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on many businesses, with many employers and employees having to navigate the

Covid-19 has had a profound effect on all of our personal and business lives, and we are likely to feel the ramification

As we have heard so often over the last few days, if not weeks, we are now living in unprecedented times.  Never, for so

The National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA) and Laceys Solicitors hosted a Twitter Q&A on Thursday 2nd April for

When a family experience divorce or separation, there is a seismic shift in their lives, most notably for children, who

Did you know… 54% of adults in the UK don’t have a Will Six in 10 (59%) parents do not have a will, or have one that is

These are very worrying times for the health of the nation. Life as we knew it has, for the moment at least, changed dra

We recognise Inheritance Tax is often a subject no one wants to discuss, however it is vital you know what tax relief is

New regulations are to be introduced this year entitling parents to two weeks’ leave should they suffer the loss of a ch

Following is words from an American Attorney on the benefits of Mediation.... “Many people who have never been involved

How often have we heard our clients say, “I just want what’s fair”, when discussing how their family assets should be di

With National Mediation Week having recently taken place in January, Laceys Mediation wanted to share a couple of succes

The National Minimum Wage (NMW) is the prescribed hourly rate of pay which employers must legally pay to most of their w

BCP Council is proposing to introduce selective licensing into certain areas of Bournemouth and Poole. While this scheme

Landlords and agents need to be aware of increased obligations, which will apply to all tenancies from March this year.

Settlement agreements are used to record what an employer and employee have agreed about the ending of employment. They

Over 31 million people in the UK run the risk of dying intestate. This means that an individual dies without making a Wi

The New Year 2020 saw the advent of mixed sex couples being able to register a civil partnership in England and Wales, w

A recent decision in an employment tribunal case draws attention to the Equality Act 2010 (the Equality Act) and the pro

It is a question many employees may be wondering at the beginning of a leap year and one that not all employers immediat

Life can be unpredictable, so plan ahead and prepare a Will and Lasting Power of Attorney for peace of mind and to prote

The National Outdoor Event Association (NOEA), the UK’s leading trade association for the outdoor events industry, recen

Laceys corporate team recently advised on the merger of two of Bournemouth’s largest property management agencies, Burns

Laceys Solicitors are the only Dorset firm to have been recognised within Intellectual Property (IP) within the 2020 Leg

Laceys Solicitors are the only Dorset firm to have been recognised within Licensing within the 2020 Legal 500 Guide, an

Laceys Solicitors are the only Dorset firm to have been recognised within the field of Media and Entertainment law withi

Laceys Solicitors have again acquired recognition in the highly respected Legal 500, an independent guide to leading law

Research* has found that 54% of the British adult population do not have a Will, and 5.4 million people have no idea how

A significant proportion of legal disputes between parties involve the meaning of contracts made between them.  Often, t

Many businesses get involved with litigation and some may find themselves facing an order of the court to freeze their a

If a document is “privileged” a party may be entitled to refuse to disclose it to third parties, including an opponent i

If you run a farm as a family business, with more than two partners, it is really important to have a properly drawn up

Congratulations to Joe Spring, one of Laceys Private Client team, who along with 3 friends, Nicky Oughton, Sarah-Jane Sl

As a landlord or letting agent, the Tenant Fees Act 2019 (TFA) designed to introduce new protections for tenants in the

Laceys are proud to announce that their client, The Voice Finalist 2018 Lauren Bannon AKA Lloren, has signed to AJM Mana

Laceys are pleased to announce Byron Sims has now qualified as a Solicitor having completed his 2-year Training Contract

Laceys Solicitors are proud members of Resolution, a group of over 6,000 family lawyers who promote sensitive, cost-effe

It is the most significant overhaul of divorce law in the last fifty years. Divorcing couples will no longer have to all

Stress, conflict, anger and confrontation are an unavoidable part of a family mediator’s life. But just because it is un

If you are a landlord who owns and wishes to let or rent a domestic property then before you do so, make sure you are aw

There are two key changes which employers need to be aware of that will be in force from April 2019. The first is that t

Laceys Mediation are pleased to now offer pre-arranged Saturday morning appointments from 8.30am to midday for clients a

Laceys Solicitors were very proud to be crowned Law Firm of the Year (100 + employees) at the prestigious 2019 Dorset Le

Does a covenant against making “any alteration in the elevation” of a flat refer to only the front elevation, or to all

Is the landlord of a block of flats entitled to grant a licence to a tenant to carry out work which would breach an abso

 The Basics If you own and wish to let or rent a domestic property then before you do so, make sure you are ‘in the know

The decision to separate can be very difficult and stressful, even for those couples who resolved long ago that their re

If you’ve been preparing for a presentation and needed some visual prompts to add a little humour to an otherwise dry to

When you hear the word “copyright” you probably think of a book, piece of music or a photograph, and with good reason. M

Approximately two years ago the Government proposed an increase in probate court fees saying that they had not been revi

As more and more aspects of everyday life are moving online, the number of assets existing solely in digital format cont

We all remember the magical excitement of Christmas from our childhood, and as adults, we strive to recreate this for ou

Sometimes as a mediator I feel I possess the Midas touch, pulling family disputes from the brink of failure, whilst at o

You may know already that if a person fails to make reasonable provision for a dependant in their Will a claim may be br

In a decision of great significance to residential landlords, the Court of Appeal has given guidance about the scope of

When parties make an oral agreement but fail to record it in writing it can be very difficult, or even impossible, for t

Angel investing comes with risk but it can lucrative; the key is to do your due diligence. Laceys have established thems

Does time for bringing a contribution claim begin to run when the extent of the remedial works was agreed in principle o

For those who have been living under a rock (or a mountain of paperwork) the biggest change to data protection law for d

It is a sad truth that nothing in this world lasts forever (no matter how well some celebrities seem to age), and contra

Due to the huge interest from our previous 2 seminars, we are holding a further seminar on the up and coming GDPR change

“Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing but nobody else d

As of 22 November 2017, first-time buyers completing the purchase of their first home for the value of £300,000 or less

Kenneth Jordan died in August 2012.  He had updated his Will in February 2012 and made his partner, Bernice Elliot, the

Following a 10 year lengthy legal battle, the Supreme Court unanimously overturned a six figure sum awarded to a woman w

The Consumer Code for Home Builders is an industry-led scheme which gives protection and rights to the purchasers of new

A new pre-action protocol for debt claims, “the Protocol”, will be in force from 1 October 2017.  It will apply to any b

The purpose of without prejudice privilege is to encourage parties to communicate openly without fear that things said i

There has been a case in court (Wells v Devani (2016) EWCA Civ 1106) that highlights the importance of ensuring you have

We hold our hands up that this isn't the most exciting topic but if you collect personal data then we would recommend yo

Landlords are being warned to consider the energy efficiency rating of their rented property, as new legislation means t

On 7 April 2017 the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in Lejonvarn v Burgess and anor [2017] EWCA Civ 254. This case

Laceys, alongside Intalent, recruitment & HR specialists, are holding a breakfast seminar on Thursday 30th March at

Most leases require a sum to be paid on account of service charges for costs that will be incurred in the future. These

Gemma Burden, one of our partners who is charge of the Mediation Department,  talking with Jonathan Hines from UK Talk

Although this is an issue that has been picked up and pretty widely covered in the press it still seems to be one that c

In considering a £2 million claim in respect of allegedly dangerous defects in the cladding of a property in Finsbury Sq

A revised adjudication scheme for professional negligence claims has been launched, updating the scheme that was launche

A challenge to the deathbed will of a father by the daughters he cut out of his £4m estate just hours before his death i

Beneficiaries who challenge the validity of a will, and lose, run the risk of being ordered by the court to pay the exec

Promises that are freely made and relied upon can have the force of a contract and are capable of being enforced in cour

The issue in the case of Jet2.com Limited v Blackpool Airport Limited [2012] EWCA Civ 417 was whether an airport operato

In C&S Associates UK Ltd v Enterprise Insurance Company plc [2015] EWHC 3757 the court gave guidance on the variatio

Orders of the court which freeze the assets of an opponent – commonly regarded as one of the law’s “nuclear weapons” – a

The Supreme Court has handed down two important judgments in relation to penalty clauses which go some way to clarifying

It is a common misconception that contracts must be in writing, and a less common misconception that written contracts b

Businesses are often under commercial pressure to grant credit to important clients but the judgment in Trafigura PTE Lt

The case of Burgess and anor v Lejonvarn [2016] EWHC 40 (TCC) serves as a cautionary tale that even where a professional

Adjudication is meant to be a swift and economical way to resolve contractual disputes in the construction industry, how

The title of this article comes from Fraser J’s judgment in Beumer Group UK Ltd v Vinci Construction UK Ltd [2016] EWHC

Like it or not, Brexit is now firmly on our horizons. Even if you forget the scaremongering headlines from the tabloids

According to various consumer reports, the UK is fraught with underhand tradesmen, with the majority of the population h

Allow me to describe a scenario that commercial lawyers see all too often. A business has invested considerable time and

Wisdom often comes from experience but (dare I say it?) our elders were not always correct. Man may have been conducting

What you need to know about the latest changes to European trade mark law. EU legislators have certainly been keeping us

Raise your hands, metaphorically of course,  if you are familiar with “Glee”, the US television series based around a gr

From 6 April 2017 additional inheritance tax relief is being made available in the form of the residence nil rate band (

Most of us are aware that the role of an Executor when appointed under a Will is to administer the estate of a deceased

It is often the case for married couples, or couples in a registered civil partnership, to want to do a straight forward

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has ruled that commission payments must be included when calculating holiday pay. B

The ever increasing use of social media in the workplace has inevitably had a notable impact on most employers. Whether

An attorney (the person making decisions for you) under a Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Financial Affairs c