Residential Property News

Energy Performance Certificates - They Really Will Matter!

In January this year there was a media frenzy when David Cameron stated that he would refuse to attend the TV debates in the run up to the General Election unless the Green Party were invited to attend. The increased prominence of the Green Party has...

Nadia back to boost Hughes Paddison Conveyancing Team

Cheltenham solicitors, Hughes Paddison, is pleased to welcome Nadia Santry, back to the law firm in her new role in the Residential Property team.   Formerly a trainee solicitor for Hughes Paddison, Nadia has joined the team due to growing demand for...

Instruct a solicitor early and speed up your property transaction

Jane Witek, residential property solicitor, at Hughes Paddison in Cheltenham advises that recent research has shows that 84% of home owners instruct a solicitor too late in the moving process, which can cause significant delay in the time taken to complete...

Help to buy - bust or boom?

By Paul Engelbrecht, property solicitor, Hughes Paddison Cheltenham advises that the government announced a package of  financial support to tackle long term problems in the housing market by the introduction of the help to buy equity loan and...

The New Flood Insurance Agreement

Jane Witek, Director and Head of Residential Property at Hughes Paddison, advises that  the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the government have agreed a Memorandum of Undertaking to help ensure that flood insurance continues to be...

Mansion Tax - An Illjudged Proposal

Paul Engelbrecht Commercial Property Solicitor at Hughes Paddison Solicitors, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire advises that the concept behind a so called “Mansion Tax” on all homes worth more than £2,000,000 is unfair and ill conceived! The...

Hughes Paddison bolsters Property Department

Hughes Paddison Solicitors, Cheltenham, are delighted to announce that it has boosted the Property Department by appointing Nicola Ross and Annabel Hull as permanent members of its team. Both Nicola and Annabel will add value to the growing department which...

Top 10 tips when joining forces to buy a home

Buying a property is one of the most important decisions you'll have to make. It's a significant investment and most people take this step with someone else. Law Society Chief Executive Desmond Hudson said "sharing the financial burden of...

What can go wrong with solar panels?

Jane Witek, Head of Residential Property at Hughes Paddison, considers some implications of the recent rush to install solar panels on the roofs of the nation’s houses. No-one can have failed to notice the number of solar panels that have spread...

The Green Deal (GD): Start Date 28th January 2013

Jane Witek, Head of Residential Conveyancing provides an overview of the government Green Deal Plan.   The GD helps people pay for energy efficiency improvements like insulation and new boilers, through a daily charge on their electricity bills (the...

Final Warning - First Time Buyers must act now

In our news item 14th December 2011 ( Stamp Duty Land Tax – First Time Buyers Relief coming to an end ) we drew the attention of First Time Buyers to the fact they will not have to pay Stamp Duty on homes costing up to £250K but to qualify...

Stamp Duty Land Tax - First Time Buyers Relief coming to an end

In virtually all cases, when you buy a residential property within the UK, providing the purchase price of the property is over £125,000, you must pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). At present the SDLT rate is 1 per cent for residential purchases where...

Hughes Paddison achieves Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditation

Hughes Paddison is delighted to announce that it has achieved accreditation with the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS), the quality mark for residential property lawyers introduced earlier this year. Hughes Paddison already prides itself...

Possession Orders - Residential Property

Issues between landlord and tenant are becoming increasingly common, as individuals decide to rent rather than buy due to the high price of property today and the difficult economic climate.  This article concentrates on the options available to a...

Sewers and Septic Tanks

1.          Private sewers – whose responsibility are they? As the law currently stands, any drains or sewers which have not been adopted by the Water Authority are generally the responsibility of the...

Advantages of voluntarily registering your land

If you have been in your house for a number of years (prior to 1985 in Cheltenham) and there has been no change in ownership since, your property is likely to be unregistered land.  Although there is no obligation on you to register your land at the...

A Helping Hand on the Property Ladder

Your son or daughter is 18 and has left for university, that’s your bit done? Think again. In the current economic climate, mortgage lenders are tightening their lending criteria. Property prices have fallen, and the younger generation are finding it...

The End of HIPS

The majority of conveyancers welcomed the government’s abolition of Home Information Packs for all properties placed on the market for sale from 20th May 2010. Additional legislation is required in order to kill off HIPS completely. HIPS were...