Adams Harrison Christmas Jumper Day 12th December 2024

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Staff at our offices wore Christmas Jumpers today to celebrate Christmas Jumper Day 2024 and to raise funds for Save the Children.

Haverhill Office

Saffron Walden Office

Sawston Office

HM Land Registry increases fees with effect from 9th December 2024

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From Monday 9th December, fees for HM Land Registry information services will increase for the first time in more than 10 years.

HM Land Registry said that the increase reflects the increased costs of running and improving HM Land Registry’s services, as well as plans to increase digitalisation and transformation of data. However, even with this increase, the majority of customers will still be paying less than they were in 1992.

The fee will increase by £4*, for example:

  • inspection of an individual register or plan (by electronic means) will increase from £3 to £7
  • official copy of an individual register or plan (by electronic means) will increase from £3 to £7
  • registration, cancellation or rectification of an entry per name (Agricultural Credits Service or application) will increase from £1 to £5

*The increase is £4 per application with the exception of Land Charges applications submitted on paper. These will increase by £6 for searches and £5 for official copies and inspections to address an existing anomaly and also to align with the principle of higher fees for processing paper requests compared with digital requests.

Congratulations To Luke Gardiner

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The partners at Adams Harrison are delighted to announce that, following a two year period of training, Luke was accepted onto the Roll of Solicitors in England & Wales at The Law Society on 14th November.

Luke said “I’m thrilled that my training contract has come to an end and I am officially enrolled in the profession! It has been an incredible journey for me and I couldn’t be more grateful to Adams Harrison for the excellent support and guidance I received through my training contract. I am excited to see how my next chapter at Adams Harrison will unfold as I begin my journey as a qualified Solicitor!”

Jennifer Carpenter, Managing Partner said “Luke has steadily grown in experience and knowledge throughout his training contract. He is certainly well equipped now to be an excellent solicitor whilst he continues to develop his expertise in property related matters. We are very pleased to have him permanently on board with us.”

Luke will concentrate on helping clients with property law, including residential conveyancing work and all property dispute related issues and litigation.

What you should consider when choosing a professional to handle your divorce and financial matters

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There are many businesses that offer support when you are seeking a divorce or dissolution of civil partnership.

When choosing a professional to assist you through the divorce process it is important to be aware of the difference between divorce service providers.

Regulated Professionals

A regulated professional can both advise and represent you in divorce proceedings.

If the divorce service provider is regulated this means that: –

  • A complaint can be made to the Legal Ombudsman about problems with the service received if the business does not resolve in house.
  • Regulated professionals have to follow codes of conduct set out by their regulator. This includes standards, training and qualifications they must meet.
  • There could be access to compensation either through the provider’s own insurance or through a legal regulator’s compensation scheme.

If a business is regulated you can look them up through the regulation website. If for example, a business is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) they will appear on this website. The company’s own website will also show a green tick to confirm they are an SRA regulated firm.

Other Divorce Service Providers

Only you acting in person or regulated legal professionals are permitted to file divorce papers with the Court.

Many online divorce businesses can offer support and advice on preparing the divorce papers. These business may offer a cheaper or more convenient service for your but are not subject to the same regulatory requirements as a regulated professional.

Getting the right information

There are many elements to the divorce process and it is important to consider the service you require. Your financial situation and whether you have children will be factors to consider.

It is important to consider whether you have agreed on where any children should live and how much time they will spend with each parent. It is also important to consider whether you have decided how you will divide money, property and other assets.

There are firms that offer ‘DIY Divorce Kits’. Other firms offer basic advice or administrative support. Some providers offer more detailed legal advice.
It is important to ask yourself exactly what is included in the service and whether it is suitable in your particular circumstance. For example: –

  • Is a legal advisor going to guide you on your decisions around the divorce process? Or are you receiving general advice to complete a ‘DIY’ divorce.
  • If a business offers to complete your divorce paperwork, are they simply transferring your information from a questionnaire, or are they advising on how to complete paperwork?
  • It might be an idea to look at the forms to be submitted to the Court ahead of purchasing a service to see how complex these are.
  • If there is anything unclear ask the business and get clarification in writing.

The cheapest quote may not be the best one to suit your needs. It is a good idea to shop around. If you are having a personal consultation with a business it is a good idea to ask about their qualifications, training and experience.

Costs

It is important to consider how the charges are calculated for a particular service. You should check whether there is a one-off fee, what is or is not included within that fee or whether the business charges and hourly rate. It would also be good to check whether there are any further fees such as Court fees.

Other Key Considerations

If you do not know the unfamiliar words or phrases used by the provider, ask them to explain this in plain language.
It is imperative that you understand the terms and conditions that come with a divorce service and you should read these carefully before proceeding.

Other steps to be considered: –

  • Check whether the divorce service provider has professional indemnity insurance in place. This is important as if something goes wrong and this is not in place you might not be able to recover compensation
  • Check whether the divorce service provider has a complaints handling process and what options are available if something goes wrong.
  • Ensure you look out for any limits on compensation and whether these are unfair.
  • Research the relevant guidance on the process for a divorce where you live so you can better understand the services being provided.

 

The Employment Rights Bill; Employment Law Changes Are Coming

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On the 10 th October 2024 the Government introduced into Parliament the Employment Rights Bill. The Bill looks at 28 different employment law reforms, some of which are quite radical and will result in a huge change to employment law, including establishing day one right for employees to bring claims for unfair dismissal, subject to a statutory probationary period. There is the introduction of statutory bereavement leave. Also, to prevent zero hours contracts from being abused such workers will be entitled to guaranteed hours
reflecting actual, average hours worked.

The current statutory sick pay (SSP) three-day waiting period and the lower earnings limit will be removed, and flexible working will become the default where practical.

This is to name just a few of the changes!

Watch this space – we will produce further blogs to keep you updated.

If you need employment law advice or representation as an employee or employer then please do get in touch. Our employment law specialist, Jennifer Carpenter, solicitor/partner
has over 25 years experience in this field.

What Does Conditional Order Mean In Divorce Proceedings?

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The Conditional Order (previously known as the Decree Nisi) is granted by the Court once the 20 week cooling off period, which is from the date of issue of the Divorce Application, has passed.

The Conditional Order is the first stage in the divorce proceedings and parties are not legally divorced until one or both parties apply for the Final Order (previously known as the Decree Absolute). This can only be applied for six weeks after the date of the Conditional Order.

Once the Final Order is granted by the Court, this legally brings the parties’ marriage to an end.

Please note however, that even though the Final Order has been granted in the divorce proceedings, this does not stop either party making financial claims against the other.

We are experts at handling divorces from the simplest to the most complex, so when you are ready to proceed please do call and we will provide you the professional support you need at a difficult time in your life.

Renters’ Right Bill 2024; Landlord and Tenant Update

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The Renters’ Right Bill (RRB) received its first reading in the House of Commons on 11 September 2024. The RRB 2024 sets out various reforms to the private rented sector and builds on the Renters (Reform) Bill 2023 (introduced by the former Conservative government).

The key proposals in the RRB 2024 includes the abolition of fixed-term assured tenancies and assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) and therefore the abolition of “no-fault” evictions under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.

The RRB 2024 also amends the grounds for possession, to provide tenants with more security. For example, tenants will have a 12-month protected period at the beginning of a tenancy, where they cannot be evicted for the landlord to move in or sell the property. After the protected period, the landlord will need to give four months’ notice to gain possession on those grounds. The amendments also aim to ensure that landlords can obtain possession if reasonable.

The RRB 2024 also provides for the introduction of a “Decent Homes Standard” for the private rented sector, under which landlords may be prosecuted or liable to a civil penalty for failing to address serious hazards.

Other proposed changes include:

  • Extending “Awaab’s law” (requiring social landlords to investigate and fix reported health hazards) to the private rented sector. This will enable tenants to challenge dangerous conditions (for example, damp and mould) and require landlords to act within specified timescales.
  • Ending blanket bans on tenants with children, or who are receiving benefits.
  • Banning rental bidding wars. Landlords and letting agents must publish an asking rent and will be prohibited from requesting, encouraging or accepting bids above that price.
  • Limiting rent increases to once a year, to the market rate.
  • Giving tenants the right to request a pet, to which landlords cannot unreasonably refuse consent.
  • Introducing a new ombudsman (to provide a cost-effective means of resolving disputes) and a new private rented sector database (to help landlords understand their compliance obligations and provide information to tenants).

The next step is for the Bill to progress through the House of Lords and any further amendments discussed with an anticipated date that the Bill will come into force in the summer of next year.

Adams Harrison’s Commitment to Assist Local Students With Work Experience Opportunities

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We are committed to supporting the communities local to our offices in Haverhill, Saffron Walden and Sawston in a number of ways but particularly by offering work experience to students.

Being a small firm, and committed to ensuring that any work experience placement offered is worthwhile and enjoyable, we are limited by the number of placements we are able to offer. In June/July 2024 placements were offered to two students in each office.

We hope that it will be the start of an ongoing relationship and we are very proud to confirm that we currently have students who participated in work experience placements working for us on a part-time basis in entry level positions and one is now undertaking qualifying training with us to become a solicitor.

Employability Partnership Certificate Of Appreciation

Adams Harrison Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) accreditation – what’s it all about?

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The Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) is a quality assurance scheme introduced by the Law Society in 2011 and it has been widely adopted by many solicitors and law firms. There are now more than 3,000 solicitor firms who are accredited on the scheme.

Membership of CQS is designed to establish a level of credibility for member firms with stakeholders eg regulators, lenders, insurers and consumers, and the core aims of the Scheme are to improve the quality and consistency of services provided by residential conveyancing practices, and to help combat fraud and money laundering.

There are significant overlaps between the Lexcel accreditation (which Adams Harrison have held for 25 years and an earlier post explained) and CQS, but to achieve the CQS accreditation firms must apply and demonstrate greater focus on risk management, compulsory training and client care in the relevant aspects of conveyancing work.

Adams Harrison were an early adopter, having held the CQS accreditation continuously since July 2011, and were delighted to renew their accreditation for a further 12 months in July 2024.

You can find out more about the Conveyancing Quality Scheme here:

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/firm-accreditations/conveyancing-quality-scheme

Adams Harrison Customer Service Excellence (CSE) accreditation – what’s it all about?

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Adams Harrison are extremely proud to have held the Customer Service accreditation since 2021 and have recently re-accredited for a further three years.

Premium customer service excellence by Adams Harrison, trusted UK legal advisors.

Originally known as Charter Mark it was one of the consequences of a political iniative, the Citizen’s Charter, which was launched by Prime Minister John Major in 1991, with its purpose being to improve customer service and performance in the public sector.

Over time Charter Mark evolved and in 2005 it was reviewed and as a consequence the Customer Service Excellence standard was launched. Although the principle focus was on public sector organisatioons, voluntary organisations having more than 10% public funding and private subcontractors on public contracts

The Customer Service Excellence Standard is made up of 5 main criteria. Assessment is carried out annually via a desktop review followed by an onsite / or remote review which views physical documentation and also speaks to clients, staff and partners to review their attitudes and working practices and also the firm’s customer focussed initiatives and performance.

You can find out more about the Lexcel quality standard here: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/firm-accreditations/lexcel

*These are law firms who still exist as they did when they were first awarded the Lexcel accreditation. Some law firms who were awarded the accreditation on 25th May 1999 or earlier may have merged or been acquired by other firms.