News archive: December 2022

• Family Loans: A “hard debt” or a “soft loan”?
  Posted on December 21, 2022
  When parties are separating, the issue of debts to family members and friends seems to be an increasingly prevalent issue. This could arise from parents loaning money for a house deposit or helping with everyday costs such as utility bills or mortgage payments. The Court has broken these debts into two categories “hard debts” and “soft loans”. “Hard debts” are debts that need to be repaid whereas “soft loans”, usually money from family, do not.
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• Claiming compensation for negligent financial advice
  Posted on December 14, 2022
  Sometimes we need to make a financial decision that is of such importance we decide to pay for professional advice. This may be from an accountant, a tax specialist, a pensions expert, a mortgage consultant, an independent financial advisor, a land valuer or surveyor, or even a lawyer offering financial or tax planning services.
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• Key time limits for debt recovery claims
  Posted on December 7, 2022
  Every business will experience problems with late or non-payers at some point during its trading life. This can be time consuming and frustrating when what you really want to do is just get on with what your business does best. But how long do you have to negotiate? Can you take court action to recover monies owed? If so, when is the right time?
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• Buying shares in a business – what to look out for
  Posted on December 6, 2022
  Investment in another business may be part of your business growth strategy, especially if you operate in the same market or supply chain. Acquiring a slice of the pie through the purchase of shares is one way to secure such an investment and may seem attractive and beneficial. Whether you are contemplating a partial investment or an outright purchase of a business, similar considerations apply.
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• Key lease negotiation points for landlords
  Posted on December 6, 2022
  Whether negotiating a new commercial lease, or renegotiating an existing one, it is important to plan ahead and be clear about your desired outcomes and where you have flexibility to compromise.
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• Our employers’ guide to Christmas party fallout
  Posted on December 5, 2022
  Christmas parties are a great chance for employees to have fun together and for employers to treat their staff as a ‘thank you’ for their hard work during the year. An unintended consequence can be that employees take this as a chance to behave badly or share uncomplimentary opinions about colleagues and managers that they have kept under wraps during the rest of the year.
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• Can a fraudster really steal a house?
  Posted on December 2, 2022
  A solid building, made of bricks and mortar, seems an unlikely target for thieves. For most of us our homes evoke a powerful sense of security; ‘safe as houses’ as the old saying goes. But the facts tell a different story, as there has been an exponential growth in property fraud which now accounts for 70 per cent of all frauds.
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• Business planning and the importance of making a will
  Posted on December 2, 2022
  A will is an important part of everybody’s legal planning no matter your circumstances, but for anyone who is in business a well written will is vital to ensure the minimum disruption after your death.
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