News

Our website provides us with the ideal vehicle for keeping you updated with news about us, such as new services we might choose to offer or changes in staff, as well as information of a legal nature which we think may be of interest to you whether you are a private individual or business concern.

Visit our site regularly to see what changes in legislation may affect you, your family or your business and any newsworthy developments at Alletsons as a means of keeping up-to-date from the comfort of your home or office.

Inheritance Tax

As you will no doubt have seen in the press the Government has sought to mitigate the effect of Inheritance Tax as between spouses or Civil Partners. Some details are available in our Wills Information Sheet but we will be happy to advise further and in greater depth as to how the new arrangements might affect your estate and your existing Will arrangements.

HIPs

With effect from the 21 st May 2010 Home Information Packs are suspended with a view ultimately to their abolition. However, it is still necessary to provide an Energy Performance Certificate within twenty eight days of placing a property on the market. We can arrange for an EPC on your behalf as required

Lasting Powers of Attorney

It is no longer possible to seek to manage one's affairs with an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA). The regime has changed and EPAs have been replaced by the new Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). We are happy to advise on all aspects of Powers of Attorney and more information is available to download here (PDF format)

Please note – if you already have an Enduring Power of Attorney then this remains perfectly valid and can be utilised as before. There is no requirement to replace it with an LPA unless you wish to do so.

Energy Performance Certificates – EPCs

The Energy Performance Certificate gives owners, buyers and tenants of both residential and commercial buildings information on the energy efficiency of their property. It gives the building a standard energy and carbon emission efficiency grade from ‘A’ to ‘G’, where ‘A’ is the most efficient and G the least. Whilst EPCs were introduced as, and remain a substantial part of a HIP, EPCs are also obligatory in the following circumstances where a HIP may not necessarily be required:

• The letting of rental properties
• The building of new properties
• As of October 2008, the letting and selling of commercial premises