Enfranchisement And Lease Extensions – Finding A Good Solicitor

Leasehold enfranchisement and lease extensions are complicated areas of property law. This is why some firms—even those that provide general property transaction advice and legal services—do not handlethese matters.If you wish to extend your lease or buy your freehold, you need access to specialist expertise. Be sure to go to a specialist law firm in London—one with a team that focuses on property law specifically.
Understanding Your Choices

The majority of flats in the UK are held on ‘long leases.’ However, many lessees—perhaps including you—may have the right to buy the freehold interest in the building containing their flat. A good Solicitor In Harrow will walk you through the process of acquiring the freehold interest (known as enfranchisement).

Enfranchisement is the process by which you (the leaseholder) buys the freehold of your block of flats. Do you want to understand what your options are, if enfranchisement is the best step for you? Good solicitors will be happy to explain procedures and key terms in simple English so you can make informed decisions.

Importance of Choosing a Good Solicitor

There are a lot of statutory deadlines involved in this process, and missing even just one of them might cause you to lose your right to buy (or sell) your freehold. This is why you want to work with London Solicitors who specialize in this area of law. Choose accredited members of the ALEP or the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP). They should be well versed in all relevant legislation. Even more importantly, they should work directly with you to protect your rights and ensure that you are complying with all proper procedures. It’s a good idea to look into the firm’s case studies to understand how they work and to assess if they can truly help you with your enfranchisement and lease extension concerns.

Know The Laws Implemented On Killer Drivers

Are you being charged for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, which has led to an accident and has caused some lives to be lost? The first thing you should do is to find and get in touch with a lawyer who works for one of the leading Harrow law firms. Cases of vehicular homicide, especially those that are caused by drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs are taken very seriously by the British courts. In fact, in the UK, vehicular homicide is considered murder, following the regulations of the 1998 Road Traffic Act. Seasoned attorneys from law firms in Harrow should be able to help you understand the scope of the law and the consequences that you may need to face if you are found guilty.

Most Harrow law firms will tell you that the disposal of your case will depend on the RTA 88, especially if your reckless driving resulted in death. Section 1 of the Act describes how the prosecution should prove the death and that it was the driver's fault for driving dangerously. Section 2B RTA 88 pertains to cases with a similar scope to death by dangerous driving, but with considerations to inconsiderate or careless driving. Section 3ZB states that drivers to be licensed and for their cars to be insured, and it deals with causes of death by driving when you are uninsured, disqualified, or unlicensed.

Law firms in Harrow can help you identify and understand your case, especially if you are being prosecuted for accidentally killing someone while driving under the influence. It is important to seek legal counsel especially in these instances when you require the expertise of an attorney who has the necessary experience in dealing with these cases. When choosing lawyers, make sure that they are from one of the respectable law firms in Harrow and that they have a good track record of helping clients with cases similar to yours.

A Comprehensive Guide To Selecting Wills And Probate Solicitors In Harrow, Uk

When a loved one dies, you can seek Harrow solicitors to help you organise his or her estate. Hiring conveyancing solicitors in Harrow may be your responsibility if you were the one named the 'personal representative' or the executor of the will. It may be wise to hire London solicitors if your loved one failed to name an executor or the named executor is unavailable or already deceased. Likewise, a wills and probate solicitor in Harrow should be able to help if you think that the existing probate attorney or named executor is not doing the job well. You can find two kinds of probate Harrow solicitors, namely (1) the transactional probate attorney who handles administrative matters, and (2) probate litigators who represent clients involved in probate lawsuits. Some London solicitors are capable of doing both functions, but most of them specialise in only one area.

The best time to look for wills and probate solicitors in Harrow is as soon as your loved one dies. That way, the probate process can begin sooner. Harrow solicitors have the expertise in estate planning and trusts, making them qualified to handle transactional probate issues. You should be looking for conveyancing solicitors in Harrow if you are not pleased with the current attorney or the executor, so you can legally contradict their wishes. Be sure to hire a professional who has years of experience and a good record of success in handling probate matters and wills. Likewise, make sure that he knows about other fields, so he can question whether actions being taken may be affected by other areas of the law. This may be applicable when the deceased has a lot of real estate holdings and knowledge in real property law may be required.

When hiring London solicitors, it is often advisable to go with someone's recommendation (as long as you trust and know the person). Otherwise, look up seasoned conveyancing solicitors in Harrow online and verify their experience in handling wills and probates. Explore their biographical information, ask for references, and verify these references with previous clients who are willing to provide a testimonial on the lawyer's trustworthiness and skill.

When A Parent Chooses To Favour One Child Over Another In A Will

Whether you should leave an equal share to each child, is a question that parents face when drawing up a Will. There are many factors that parents may take into account when drawing up their Will and can favour one child over another. However, there is a danger to uneven distributions, beyond just hurt feelings.

Equal splits among siblings are still the norm in estate planning, state CurryPopeck, Solicitors. However, there are many parents writing Wills that favour some of their children more than others.

There are many factors parents may take into account when determining how to distribute their property. One child may be financially stronger, or may have three children of his own, while another may have just one child. A close, loving relationship with one child can also be the reason. It's also not unusual to see imbalances when parents are planning to provide for a special-needs child.

Regardless of the reasons, unequal bequests can lead to discord in the family, say the experienced solicitors at Curry Popeck. The child receiving the lesser share may challenge the Will, alleging the parent’s diminished capacity to make that gift, or that the child with the greater share exerted undue influence.

When making your Will, one of the major goals for most of the parents is to keep the children out of court with each other. Even if there aren't grounds for a legal challenge, unequal bequests may lead to family feuds. Therefore, such decisions should be handled with care and should only be made after consulting experienced solicitors.

According to Curry Popeck Solicitors, there are steps you can take to help protect your will from legal challenges, which includes being open about your inheritance plan when you are still alive. This will help the family members to truly understand your reason for doing so, thereby minimising the chances for discord and suspicions later.

If you find it difficult to have this conversation with your family members, you can write a letter or make a video elaborating on the reasons and thought process behind your plan. Apart from this, some other important measures include, drafting a Will. According to CurryPopeck Solicitors, if a person wants a say in how things are distributed after their death, they need to make a Will.

If you die without making a will, government intestacy laws apply, which generally specify equal division among biological and legally adopted children. The step children, even if you've been living with them for a very long time, do not get anything, if intestacy laws apply, so if you want your property to be distributed according to your wishes, you should consider drafting a will.

Talking to your children about which items they might want, also helps avoid future disagreements, suggest the law experts.

If you have any questions regarding the issues raised in the article or are looking for expert advice on matters related to Wills, Powers of Attorney, probate, tax planning, estate administration, matrimonial matters and other areas of law such as corporate law, dispute resolution and litigation, employment, enfranchisement and lease extensions, Sports & Entertainment, visit Curry Popeck Solicitors at-http://www.currypopeck.com/

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Can You Make Provisions For Your Pets In Your Will?

There are many people who consider their pets as family members, so they often wonder whether it’s possible to leave money or property to pets in a Will. According to Curry Popeck, Solicitors, gifts that you make in your Will must have an identifiable human beneficiary, so, therefore, you cannot directly leave money and property to your pets.

Instead you can leave money in trust, for the purpose of caring for your pets. You will need to appoint a person or persons to use the money however they see fit, to care for your pet according to your wishes.

To make your wishes clear, you can even leave a Letter of Wishes setting out how you’d like the money to be spent for your pet’s benefits and how you’d want your pet to be taken care of. However, the amount you leave needs to be ‘appropriate’ and according to your pet’s life expectancy and needs, state CurryPopeck Solicitors. If you do want to leave a large amount to your pet/s then it is advisable to put a clause in the Will stating where any left over money should go if the entire amount is not spent before your pet dies. Donating the leftover money to an animal charity would be a fitting tribute to your furry friend. Legally enforceable documents are the only way to try to ensure that your pet will be cared for according to your wishes. The case of Leona Helmsley's pampered Maltese 'Trouble', who inherited $12million from the real estate billionaire is an interesting example:

Hotel heiress Leona Helmsley, who died in 2007, cut her two grandchildren out of her will and evicted her son's widow after his death, making her Maltese her biggest heir, leaving a $12 million trust fund for the pooch. However, a judge later determined the inheritance excessive and knocked the pup's inheritance down to $2 million.

Trouble took the money and retired, flying by private jet to the Helmsley Sandcastle hotel in Sarasota, Florida after Helmsley's death and was cared for by Carl Lekic, the hotel’s General Manager. He cared for the dog and spent hundreds of thousands on her care annually, including $1,200 on food, $8,000 on grooming and $100,000 for full-time security. Security was necessary as Trouble became the target of great vitriol, receiving 20 to 30 death and kidnapping threats.

According to the law experts at Curry Popeck, a pet trust is still uncommon, but it does make sure that your pets live a good life even after you are gone. A trust gives this assurance by having different people in charge of overseeing different aspects of the pet’s care.

If you too are a pet parent and are concerned about what would happen to them after your death, the expert solicitors at Curry Popeck can provide you with some sound, practical advice so that you can rest assured about your pet’s future.

For more information visit Curry Popeck at- http://www.currypopeck.com/.Curry Popeck provides a broad range of services including wills, powers of attorney, probate, tax planning, estate administration and matrimonial matters as well as legal advice on various other areas of law.

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Woman Gets Rightful Share Of Her Mother’s Estate - Curry Popeck Soicitors

There are a number of grounds in which a Will can be contested, such as when it is suspected that the Will has been forged. If it can be proved in court that a Will in its entirety has been forged, this will result in it being declared invalid, state Curry Popeck Solicitors.

In this case, Valerie Watts, died in a hospice in 2011, aged 71. She was survived by her two adopted non-sibling adult children, Christine Watts and Gary Watts.

Valerie had made a Will in 1999 dividing her entire estate equally between her adopted children.  Gary subsequently claimed Valerie signed a Will dated 12 January 2011 written out by hand by Valerie’s sister, using a shop-bought will form. The Will, which left everything to Gary and disinherited Christine, appeared to have been signed by his mother, as well as her sister and hospital nurse, Jackie Brown, as witnesses.

Gary claimed that he was far closer to his mother and Christine was not.  He would visit her every day in hospital but Christine, who lived some distance away, rarely did.

Angered by this, Christine challenged the 2011 Will and made a claim for financial provision under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (the 1975 Act).

Christine obtained expert evidence in relation to Valerie’s signature.  The evidence of the witnesses in this scenario was crucial and Nurse Brown’s statement proved to be a major deciding factor in this case.

At trial, Gary admitted misleading Nurse Brown regarding the document she was witnessing.  Also, Nurse Brown said that she did not see Valerie sign the paper, but did see Gary sign it.

The judge said, "I accept the evidence of Nurse Brown that she did not see Valerie sign the paper and that she did see Mr Watts sign it.” He further said, "I find that Gary signed it, not Valerie, and he simulated his mother's signature on it."

After carefully considering all the factors, the judge found in favour of Christine and determined Gary had forged Valerie’s signature, thus pronouncing in favour of Valerie Watts's 1999 will, which split her estate equally between her adopted children.

The daughter received £100,000 share of the estate after a judge ruled her brother faked their mother's signature on the paperwork as she lay dying from cancer on a hospital ward.

Will forgery cases rely greatly on the testimony of handwriting experts who help find discrepancies between the signature on the Will and the actual signature of the deceased, advise the solicitors at Curry Popeck. Also, showing that the Will contradicts wishes expressed by the deceased can also be usefulevidence in such cases.

An unfortunate aspect ofWill forgery cases is that the fraudsters may still receive a share of the estate if they are related to the deceased.

If you have any questions regarding the issues raised in the article, or want expert legal advice from Curry Popeck law firm’s experienced solicitors like Lionel Curry, visit Curry Popeck at- http://www.currypopeck.com/

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Dad Allowed Contact With His Child With The Help Of The Right Legal Support - Curry Popeck Soicitors

In almost every court case where the court is required to make a decision about a child, it is the welfare of the child that the court must consider as the most important factor in reaching the right decision, state CurryPopeck Solicitors. So, when a court has to decide which parent a child should spend time with (access or contact) or with whom a child should live (custody or residence), the court will make those decisions by considering the welfare of the child.

When parents decide to divorce, it can sometimes be difficult for them to reach an amicable agreement about childcare. It’s an emotionally draining experience that can have a great impact on the immediate and wider family, including grandparents.

As experienced family solicitors, CurryPopeck understand the trauma of being denied child contact, as shown in the following recent case of a father being denied access to his son:

Shortly after the son was born, the parents decided to divorce. Prior to the divorce their relationship was difficult and characterised by addiction. But the birth of the son proved to be a turning point, with both mother and father separately seeking help for their problems and the father successfully quitting heroin addiction.

By the time their child reached the age of two, the father had been totally free from heroin addiction for two years. He sought regular contact with his son, but the mother made it difficult for him and as such, she would only allow contact if she was present and not for more than an hour at a time.

The boy’s mother repeatedly assured the solicitors that she would move forward if the evidence of the father being free from addiction was provided. However, later the negotiations broke down and court proceedings followed.

Over time, it was successfully proved by the solicitors that the father’s family was able to supervise contact, that the father had overcome his heroin addiction and that his life was on the right track.

As a result, the father’s contact with his son moved to a more conventional arrangement that included overnight stays and unsupervised visits, and the mother was given the reassurance she needed that her son was safe.

If you have questions regarding any of the issues raised in the article, or you’re separating and can’t reach an agreement on residence or child contact issues, contact Curry Popeck family law solicitors by visiting their website - http://www.currypopeck.com/

Curry Popeck is a highly reputable firm of solicitors that provides the best advice and assistance for all matters pertaining to family law and many other aspects of law.

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Immigrant father gets the custody of child in child custody appeal

“In every Court case where the Court makes a decision about a child’s custody, it is the child's welfare that the Court places first”, confirm Curry Popeck Solicitors.

This was highlighted recently in the case of a Nigerian illegal immigrant, who fought a legal battle for the custody of his 15 month old daughter and won his appeal.

The man initially arrived in the UK a few years a goon a six months tourist visa. He had no job, was a drug addict and had periodically been homeless at the time of the appeal hearing.

When the girl was just one month old, she had been placed into temporary foster care because of her father’s seeming inability to care for her and her mother’s mental health issues and inappropriate lifestyle. During the court case it was concluded that it would not be in the child’s best interests to be flown to Nigeria to be cared for by her father’s relatives. The father indicated that he would like to care for the girl child himself, but the judge suggested that the man might use his daughter as a legitimate means of remaining in the UK. It was therefore decided by the court to place the girl for adoption.

The girl’s mother did not appeal this decision, but the child’s father did and he went to the court of Appeal, where the judge questioned whether the previous judge had sufficient evidence on which the initial decision was based, indicating the need for further investigation for the purpose of clarity.

During the court proceedings the judge was informed that the child’s father had experienced a change in his situation and started working, after being given discretionary leave. It was on this basis that the judge found the appeal in the father’s favour.

The Court considers several factors when determining custody, however, if a person is homeless, jobless and struggles with addiction it is unlikely that the Court would grant him or her custody of any children. If the parent does not seek substance abuse counseling or make arrangements to improve their situation, the chances of custody of the child being taken out of their hands are very high. But, in this case, the man tried to improve his situation and started working too, which had a positive impact on the Court’s decision to grant custody.

If you are involved in a child custody case, or any case involving family law, then contact Curry Popeck, a full-service law firm comprised of experienced solicitors like Lionel Curry.

Please contact CurryPopeck if you would like advice about Corporate Law, Family Law, Employment Law, Dispute Resolution, Property Law and Sports and Entertainment Law. A free initial consultation is available to all potential new clients. To find out more, visit- http://www.currypopeck.com/

Choosing The Right Executor Is Very Important – Curry Popeck Solicitors

“Choosing the right executor is one of the most important decisions you make”, state Curry Popeck Solicitors. An executor is the person responsible for administering your estate and carrying out your final wishes. Other duties of an executor include filing court papers to start the probate process, taking an inventory of everything in the estate, using your estate’s funds to pay bills, including taxes, funeral costs, etc, handling details like terminating credit cards, and notifying banks and government agencies about the death, distributing assets to the beneficiaries named in the will and other responsibilities, pertaining to the estate. While choosing the right executor can remove some of the burden from your family when you die, choosing the wrong one can create considerable problems, as are cent case showed.

A woman had appointed two executors to administer her estate; one of the executors was her son, the other one was a professional. The relationship between the two was poor and the professional accused the son of neglecting his mother and began making demands of the son to explain withdrawals from the woman's building society account prior to her death.

He even proceeded to carry out an investigation against the son and even informed the police, but after investigation, no grounds were found on which any action could be taken. The professional did not stop there; he then raised bills on the estate for this work and invited the son to take a lesser share of the estate.

Needless to say, this resulted in an argument that ended up in court, when the son refused to countenance the charges.

The High Court had to consider whether the bills were fair and came to the conclusion that they were excessive and the investigation work was not warranted at all as the beneficiaries under the will had not requested an investigation to be carried out. Besides, the Court considered that doing so was not part of the co-executor's duties.

The professional was faced with a considerable legal costs order and was also removed from his position as co-executor.

Finding the right executor is very important as it helps ensure the prompt, accurate distribution of your assets, while minimizing family friction. Always choose someone who is honest, well-organized, dependable, good with paperCurry Popeck.

For most people, the obvious choice is a family member, especially a spouse or child, however, if an obvious family member is not available, you may want to ask a trusted friend, but always try to choose someone in good health who will hopefully be around after you’re gone.

Also, if the person you choose needs help settling your estate, they can always call on an expert like Lionel Curry, who will guide them through the process and help them make the right decisions.

The experts at CurryPopeck have a vast amount of experience of dealing with all issues relating to Wills, Probate and Estate Administration matters, thereby helping to protect your interests and give you peace of mind.

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