While many workplaces continue to be affected by the coronavirus pandemic, employment law and the Acas Code of Practice concerning disciplinary and grievance procedures still apply. Furloughed workers If you are currently on furlough, it is still possible to be involved in disciplinary or grievance procedures. Whilst on furlough, you may: Take part in a...
The pros and cons of buying a commercial property If you are looking to move your business, there is an important decision to be made around whether you should buy or rent premises. There are several factors you should consider and making the right decision can be challenging. Potential investment opportunity Firstly, like with any...
As the shutters lift on life, with shops and bars opening and holiday planning underway, property owners may be thinking of cashing in on the demand for UK trips by offering their home for short-term lets, but they may run into trouble if they don’t check the small print. Whether it’s your main property or...
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost every industry in the UK, with many businesses experiencing a severe strain on their cashflow as a result. While commercial tenants may be struggling to pay rent in full and on a regular basis, their landlord could also be under pressure if they rely on these payments to maintain...
Kate Garraway’s heart-breaking story of her husband Derek’s year-long battle with Covid has been made even more complicated by the lack of legal protection she and Derek had in place. Kate was unable to access funds to manage her husband’s care or refinance her mortgage. She didn’t even have the legal right to see his...
There is no denying that 2020 is a year which will go down in history – for many reasons. The global pandemic, Brexit, and the fallout from these events has had a significant impact on many areas of our lives. These events may have far-reaching implications for your finances, your relationships and your business interests....
COVID-19 has had a significant impact on almost every business in the UK. For many businesses, it means they no longer require their business premises, or can no longer afford it. There are many other reasons, not directly related to COVID-19, that you may wish to exit a commercial lease. Maybe your operations have downsized...
With recent announcements from both the UK and Scottish government about further lockdown restrictions, you might be planning to fill your time with some lockdown home improvements. At the time of writing, tradespeople are exempt from lockdown restrictions and may enter your home to carry out necessary repairs. However, you should be aware that certain...
The Job Support Scheme (JSS) will replace the furlough scheme and will come into play on 1 November 2020. In this article, we look at FAQs covering how the scheme works, who is eligible and specific difficulties employers and employees might have concerns about. Which employees are eligible for JSS? Employees who have been on...
In recent years there has been an increase in the number of claims brought against executors by beneficiaries. Coupled with increased financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, it is vital that executors understand their duties and obligations to avoid claims. In this article, we set out what is required of executors, and...
The law of wills in England and Wales is to be amended to allow the remote electronic witnessing of wills under certain conditions. The change is to be backdated to 31 January 2020, in order to reassure the public regarding any wills that may have been remotely attested during the coronavirus epidemic The existing law...
The Chancellor has announced that the stamp duty threshold will be temporarily raised from £125,000 to £500,000. … The stamp duty holiday will run until 31 March 2021. It means that nearly nine out of 10 transactions will no longer be subject to stamp duty. Buying a new home is exciting and with the current...
We have now reopened our offices for short, appointment-only meetings. In order to ensure the continuing safety of our staff and clients, meetings and appointments, wherever possible, will be held in outdoor areas at our offices. Where meetings do take place indoors, they will be restricted in length and appropriate hygiene and social distancing measures...
At Farnfields, we have been and remain extremely grateful for all that the front-line NHS staff are doing for the community throughout the COVID-19 crisis. As a small gesture of appreciation, we would like to offer a discount of 10% on legal fees on all new family instructions with immediate effect, excluding mediation. We...
With the existing Furlough Scheme coming to an end soon sadly many employees may find they are facing redundancy if current predictions about the economy are correct. It is increasingly common for employers to manage the redundancy process using the Settlement Agreement procedure (previously known as Compromise Agreements). This is a process whereby in return for...
The current Covid-19 situation across the UK is making it difficult for some child arrangements orders to be put into effect, specifically where the child is to spend time with the other parent in another household. The parent with whom the child is ordinarily resident may have concerns about the transmission of the virus and...
The Farnfields Family team is still very much available to you through these unprecedented times. We are aware that problems within a relationship, or problems about contact between separated parents with children and disputes about maintenance and finances are on the rise due to the requirement to stay at home and the economic impact of...
In the Farnfields Family Team, we are aware that there is currently lots of conflicting advice about the arrangements for children to spend time with separated parents. We are here to help you and have brought together in this article guidance from CAFCASS and the Family Court. The key points are: Keeping a sense of...
Although present restrictions mean that we are unable to undertake face to face meetings, and while our doors may be closed, we are very much open for business, and we are continuing to offer support to existing and new clients during this difficult time. Farnfields Family Team is fully operational with all of our staff...
In light of the uncertainty we all face with the outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), we wish to update everyone, to keep you informed of the steps we’ve taken to ensure we are prepared for all scenarios. At Farnfields, we are committed to protecting the wellbeing of our staff and our clients, and we are adhering...
