A family have been told they cannot make a claim on their stepmother’s estate following the death of her husband. The case involved a couple who died within a few months of each other. The wife had an estate worth more than £26m, while the husband’s estate was valued at £320,000. Both partners had children from previous marriages. The wife died in 2014, leaving her husband £150,000. The husband could …Read More
Help to Buy schemes used by over a million home buyers
Nearly 260,000 people have bought their home using Help to buy schemes and more than 870,000 have opened a Help to Buy ISA. The latest figures issued by the government show that: • over 259,000 completions have taken place using one or more of the Help to Buy schemes, most of these are first-time buyers • more than 215,000 (84% of total completions) first-time buyers are now on the housing ladder thanks …Read More
Church Fete
Bates Solicitors support All Saints Odiham Fete and Dog Show 2017. Held in the grounds of Hatchwood House Odiham
Briony Davies completes the Virgin Sport British 10K Run
Briony Davies and her ‘Team’ complete the Virgin Sport Westminster – British 10k in London
Lowde Fest 2017
Bates Solicitors again sponsor Lowde Fest 2017, Hampshire’s premier music and beer festival. The line up includes:- ABC, The Carnabys, As December Falls, Dr and The Medics, Rick Parfitt Jnr, Noble Jacks and Denise Pearson
When should workers be paid if on call or sleeping on site?
The issue of whether workers should be paid the National Minimum Wage when they’re on call or required to sleep on site has been addressed by the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT). It said there was no definitive answer as each case
Briony Runs for Charity
Private Client Lawyer Briony Davies is currently training in preparation for the Virgin Sport Westminster, British 10k in London on Sunday 9th July 2017. Briony, who lives locally works in our Odiham office, was volunteered for the run by her father Brian
Finance company protects its business against former employee
A finance company has succeeded in using its employment contracts to prevent competition from a former employee for a set period. The employee had worked for the company as a broker in the energy market. His contract contained a non-compete clause preventing him from working for competitors within a specified territory for six months after termination of his employment. “Territory” was defined as England and any other country in which …Read More
Increases to probate application fees postponed until after the election
The government has postponed its proposed increases in probate application fees because there won’t be time to introduce them before the coming election. Ministers hope to go ahead with the changes later this year despite strong opposition from lawyers, charities and the public. Under the current fee structure, fees for grants of probate are set at £155 if the process is handled by a solicitor and £215 if handled directly …Read More
Landlord wins dispute with local authority over students in HMO
The Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of a landlord who was in dispute with his local council over accommodation for students in two houses in multiple occupation (HMO). The landlord had been granted HMO licences by the authority in relation to the two properties. Each property had a bedroom in the attic, but the licences prohibited the use of those rooms for sleeping because once the sloping ceilings …Read More