Amendments to rules on Road Traffic Claims
The time limit for defendant insurers to reply to letters of claim in medium value road traffic accident claims has been reduced from 3 months to 15 days. Together with other changes, it is hoped that this will radically speed up the time taken to obtain compensation for injuries sustained in such claims.
Suspension of Home Information Packs
The Government has announced that homes marketed for sale on or after 21 May 2010 will no longer require a Home Information Pack (HIP). It is hoped that this will help to strengthen the property market by making it cheaper for people to sell their properties.
It will still be necessary for a seller to commission an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), although marketing of the property can begin before the EPC has been received. The EPC has to be made available at the earliest opportunity and, in any event, no later than exchange of contracts.
An EPC must also be obtained if a property is to be rented.
An EPC will be valid for 10 years, meaning that it can be reused if the property is sold or re-let within this time.
For more information about this please contact Harland & Co.
Stamp Duty Land Tax – First Time Buyer Relief
From 24 March 2010 a new Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) relief has been available for first time buyers of residential properties. This means that no SDLT is payable on purchases up to £250,000.
The new relief will be available for residential purchases where:-
- all the purchasers are first time buyers
- the purchasers intend to occupy the property as their only or main home
- the effective date (normally the date of completion) is on or after 25 March 2010 and before 25 March 2012.
For more information about this please contact Harland & Co.
Harland News
We are very sad to report that Kenneth Anderson Sutcliffe, a former partner in this company, died in October 2009 after a long illness.
Kenneth worked for Harland & Co for many years but retired early due to ill health. As managing partner Kenneth steered the firm into success, overseeing the rapid growth of the legal aid arm of the firm into one of the most respected in the area for family, child care and criminal defence. All the while maintaining the reputation and success of the private client arm of the firm in property, civil and his own department wills and probate.
Kenneth was well respected by his colleagues and clients and will be greatly missed.