Author: Marta Williamson

Czym jest „rozwód bez orzekania o winie” i czy jest to lepsze rozwiązanie.

 

Rozwód bez orzekania o winie

 

Przejście z wzajemnego obwiniania się do bardziej nowoczesnego rozwiązania.

 

Obecne prawo rozwodowe jest od dłuższego czasu uznawane przez profesjonalistów za archaiczne i problematyczne.  Uważają oni, że obowiązujące reguły doprowadziły do dodatkowych problemów pomiędzy małżonkami, gdyż obwiniają się oni wzajemnie, co oznacza, że w niektórych przypadkach rozwód staje się zagmatwany i nieprzyjemny. Był to główny powód zatwierdzenia Ustawy o Rozwodzie, Rozwiązaniu Małżeństwa i Separacji z 2020r. Celem tej Ustawy jest unowocześnienie sposobu w jaki przeprowadza się rozwody i przywiązanie większej wagi do takich kwestii jak mienie czy dzieci, a nie separacji indywidualnych osób.

 

Obecnie obowiązujące prawo rozwodowe

 

Aby uzyskać rozwód na terenie Anglii i Walii należy przekonać Sąd, że nastąpił całkowity rozpad związku małżeńskiego. Jednak znacznie łatwiej udowodnić to, jeżeli małżonkowie mieszkali osobno przez ostatnie dwa lata.

 

Co jest brane pod uwagę przez Sąd przy rozwodzie?

 

Składając wniosek o rozwód, należy pamiętać, że istnieje pięć prawnych powodów do rozpadu małżeństwa:

 

• Zdrada małżeńska
• Nierozsądne zachowanie współmałżonka
• Opuszczenie przez współmałżonka
• Mieszkanie osobno przez przynajmniej 2 lata, przy czym obydwie strony muszą wyrazić zgodę na rozwód
• Mieszkanie osobno przez co najmniej 5 lat, przy czym druga strona nie musi wyrazić zgody na rozwód.

 

Jak od tej pory zmieniły się zasady?

 

Nowe prawo wchodzi w życie 6 kwietnia 2022r i ma na celu ułatwienie procesu rozwodowego dla par pragnących się rozwieźć.

 

Powód rozwodu – jedną z największych zmian jest usunięcie potrzeby obwiniania drugiej strony za „całkowity rozpad związku małżeńskiego”. Innymi słowy, rozwód może zostać orzeczony w związku z rozpadem małżeństwa, którego nie da się uratować, gdyż nie ma już potrzeby opierania się na jednym z pięciu powodów.

 

Minimalny 20-tygodniowy okres przejściowy – Od złożenia wniosku do wydania warunkowego orzeczenia rozwodowego będzie musiało upłynąć co najmniej 20 tygodni. Da to stronom czas na przemyślenie ich decyzji oraz na sprawdzenie czy mogą dojść do porozumienia.

 

Wspólny wniosek rozwodowy – strony będą teraz mogły złożyć wniosek o rozwód wspólnie, co powinno zminimalizować konflikt między nimi.

 

Jasna terminologia – nowa Ustawa została unowocześniona i zostało z niej usunięte archaiczne słownictwo, na przykład osoba, która stara się o rozwód będzie określana mianem „applicant” (wnioskodawca), a nie jak poprzednio „petitioner” (powód/ powódka)

 

Brak możliwości oponowania rozwodu

Zgodnie z nowym prawem, jeżeli jedna strona stara się o rozwód, druga strona nie może się na niego nie zgodzić.

 

Dlaczego doszło do zmiany w prawie?

Największym problemem w obecnie obowiązującym prawie jest to, że za rozpad małżeństwa obwiniana jest jedna ze stron. Doprowadziło to do ogromnych problemów między parami oraz oznaczało opóźnienia. Również, w sytuacji, kiedy jedna ze stron nie chce pozostać już w związku małżeńskim, a druga nie chce tego zaakceptować, wpływa to na długość postępowania rozwodowego. Usuwając konieczność obwiniania drugiej strony, oraz podważania powodów do rozwodu, nowe prawo umożliwi skrócenie czasu potrzebnego do uzyskania rozwodu, a cały proces rozwodowy będzie mniej stresujący dla stron.

 

Jaki będzie teraz koszt rozwodu?

 

W MLS zdajemy sobie sprawę, że rozwód jest trudny, emocjonalnie i finansowo. Dlatego zawsze staramy się oferować ustaloną sumę oraz darmową konsultację wstępną, aby sprawdzić czy jest to możliwe w Państwa konkretnych okolicznościach.

 

Informacje na temat przejrzystości naszych opłat znajdują się pod tym linkiem.

 

Artykuł ten zawiera jedynie informacje i nie stanowi porady prawnej. Aby umówić się na darmową konsultację, prosimy o telefon pod numer 01244 478 730 lub maila na adres hello@my-local-solicitor.com

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RENTING HOMES (WALES) ACT 2016. WELSH LANDLORD’S – TIME TO SHAPE UP OR PAY UP!!!

The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 is due to come into force on the 1st December 2022.

Landlords and Agents need to be aware of the serious financial repercussions for non-compliance.

Non-compliance means that your tenants (contract holders) are legally entitled to pursue you in the Courts for financial compensation should the new legislation be breached.

As of 1st December 2022:

1. The tenant becomes the contract holder.
2. The tenancy agreement becomes the occupation contract .
3. Any existing assured short-hold/secure tenancy agreement or licence will convert to an occupation contract.

 

Compensation/damages is payable by the landlord if he or his agents:

 

1. Fail to give the contract holder a written statement within 14 days from the occupation date specified in the occupation contract.
2. Fail to provide a complete written statement.
3. Fail to provide a correct written statement.
4. Fail to provide a written statement in respect of a conversion from assured short-hold etc; to occupation contract.
5. Fail to provide information in relation to the landlord – the landlord’s identity and address.
6. Fail to provide information in relation to a change of identity of a landlord and their address.
7. Fail to provide a written statement of variation of a periodic standard contract.
8. Failure to provide a written statement of variation of a fixed terms standard contract.

Examples of compensation/damages

Failure to provide written statement – compensation is payable in accordance with section 87 of the Act and is equivalent to a day’s rent for each day that the written statement is not provided, up to a maximum of two month’s rent until the statement has been provided.

However, If the contract-holder believes the failure to provide the written statement was intentional, section 87 also enables the contract-holder to apply to the court for the compensation amount to be increased.

Interest will be added to the compensation amount if the landlord fails to provide the statement within the two month period.

Section 88 enables the contract-holder to set off any compensation he or she is owed against rent.

Failure to provide a complete written statement of the contract – the contract-holder may apply to the court for a declaration. If  the court concludes that the provision of an incomplete statement was deliberate on the part of the landlord it can order the landlord to pay compensation to the contract-holder and that  compensation may be increased up to a maximum of double the original amount.

 

MLS

Here at MLS we are regularly instructed by landlords to advise on compliance and possession claims. If you have any questions please contact us on 01244 478 730 and  we will be happy to help.

 

Useful Links

https://gov.wales/landlords-housing-law-changing-renting-homes

 

This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please contact us for advice.

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What is “no-fault divorce” and is it better?

No fault divorce

• Shifting from blame game to a modernised way of doing things

 

The current law on divorce has been considered archaic and problematic for a while by legal professionals. It has been argued that the existing rules have created further problems between couples, as matters can escalate into a blame game and can get quite messy. This was the main reason for The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 being passed. The Act aims to modernise the way divorces are carried out and to place importance on issues such as property and children rather than the individuals separating.

 

The current law on divorce

 

In order to be granted a divorce in England and Wales, you would need to convince the court that the marriage has ‘irretrievably broken down.’ However, if a couple has been living separately for the past two years, it is a lot easier to show this.

 

What does the court look for when granting a divorce?

 

There are five legal reasons which can be used when applying for a divorce, these include:

 

1. Adultery
2. Citing unreasonable behaviour
3. Desertion
4. Living apart for at least two years and both parties agree to the divorce
5. Living apart for at least five years, regardless of whether one party disagrees

 

How have the rules changed since?

 

The new law will come into effect on 6 April 2022 and intends to simplify the process for couples looking to divorce.

 

Reason for divorce- One of the major changes include taking away the need to blame the other party for an ‘irretrievable breakdown of marriage.’ Put simply, divorce can be granted by stating that the marriage has broken beyond repair, as the five reasons for divorce have been removed.

 

20 weeks minimum timeframe- There will now be a minimum of 20 weeks waiting time between an application and a conditional order being granted. This will allow couples some time to reflect on their decision and provide them with the space they need to see if they can work through their differences or not.

 

Joint application for divorce- Couples can now apply for divorce together which should result in less conflict.

 

Clear terminology- The new Act has been updated to remove outdated words, for example, the person applying for the divorce will now be known as an ‘applicant’ rather than a ‘petitioner.’

 

No option for contesting a divorce- Under the new law, if one party applies for divorce, the other cannot contest this.

 

Why have the laws changed?

 

The biggest issue with the current system is that one party must take the blame for the marriage breaking down. This has caused huge problems between couples and delayed matters. Also, in situations where one party no longer wants to stay in the marriage but the other refuses to accept this has also contributed to the length of time it takes to obtain a divorce. By removing the blame altogether and the ability to challenge the divorce, the new law will be able to shorten the time it takes to get divorced and make it a less stressful procedure for those involved.

 

How much will a divorce now cost?

 

At MLS, we understand that divorce can be an emotionally and financially challenging time. This is why we will always try to offer a fixed fee  and you can have a free initial consultation to see if that would be possible in your particular circumstances.

 

Please see out price transparency section here to find out more

 

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Six-month notice periods extended in Wales and why landlords should act now.

Welsh Landlords – the requirement for Landlords to provide 6 months notice to occupants who are protected tenants, statutory tenants, secure tenants, assured tenants, assured shorthold tenants , introductory tenants and demoted tenants (except where those notices relate to anti-social behaviour or domestic violence) is EXTENDED  once more to 24 March 2022.

This extension is NOT applicable to English Landlords.

We are sure that a renewed extension period will be both heart-breaking and frustrating for many Landlords across Wales. However, Landlords do not have to wait to take positive legal action.

Landlords should seriously consider serving their tenants with either a s21 notice or a s8 notice. Actual receipt of the notice correctly drafted and served with an appropriate letter from your solicitor, could provide the catalyst for tenants leaving the property without the necessity and expense of issuing court proceedings.

An extension to the notice period for eviction is not a waiver of the tenants contractual responsibilities to pay the rent.

Landlords are reminded that there is no defence (provided the s21 notice is correctly drafted) to obtaining possession of a property should possession proceedings be initiated. Furthermore, the tenant could be responsible for the legal costs of the Landlord.

If Landlords rely on a s8 notice served on their tenants as a first step initiating  possession proceedings, the tenant will not only be ordered to leave the property but also be held  responsible for all outstanding rent arrears and legal costs.

Government Support

To help prevent people getting into financial hardship, there has been an increase in the local housing allowance (LHA) as of in April 2020 to the 30th percentile of local market rents.

For 2021-22 the Government has made available £140 million in Discretionary Housing Payments funding for local authorities in England and Wales to distribute to help support vulnerable people with housing costs.

In Wales there is a Tenancy Hardship Grant. The tenant must have experienced financial hardship due to the Covid-19 pandemic and have been unable to  pay their rent. (Previous blog on website).

MLS

Here at MLS we are regularly instructed by Landlords to advise on compliance and possession claims. If you have any questions please contact us on 01244 478730 and we will be happy to help.

Useful links

https://senedd.wales/media/1hgjene1/sub-ld14557-e.pdf

By Elaine Gunning

This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you require assistance please do not hesitate to contact us on 01244 478 730 or email us on hello@my-local-solicitor.com

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What is a Letter Before Action?

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How to recover a commercial debt

 

Covid-19 has undoubtedly had a massive impact on the operation of businesses in the UK. Some have been left with very little to spare, which has hurt their operations and ability to grow. Recovering debt can be a time-consuming and stressful process for an organisation that is already facing repercussions from the pandemic. Data taken from Sidetrade showed that in March 2020, the rate of unpaid invoices increased by +23% as a result of the UK leaving the EU as well as the pandemic. Our firm can help you maintain business relationships by exploring an effective but sympathetic approach to your debts.

 

How long is the process?

 

Debt recovery can take as little as 24 hours to a few weeks to recover, in some cases longer depending on the nature of the debt and the amount involved. Using a third party such as a law firm can increase the chances of your debt being recovered as it puts pressure on debtors to pay up.

 

If pursuing action through the courts, it can take up to 30 weeks for a case to go to trial and extra time depending on whether the debt is disputed.

 

The steps involved

 

1. Check if adequate time has passed before taking action. You may wish to speak with the debtor personally and check any existing contract to allow them the opportunity to repay the amount owed.

 

1. Send a letter to remind the debtor by stipulating a deadline by which they must pay the outstanding balance. This can be used as evidence should the matter be taken to court and so it is essential for all communication to be in writing, particularly to avoid any misunderstandings.

 

1. A Letter Before Action (LBA) is an official letter that ought to be sent to the debtor before court proceedings are started.  Complex set of rules govern what needs to be included within LBA and it is advisable to speak to an experienced solicitor before it is sent.

 

Usually a LBA is highly effective in retrieving payment as it is a formal letter by a law firm and more likely to receive a response.

 

1. If the LBA does not work, the last step is to take the debtor to court and start proceedings against them. Although this is the quickest way to ensure that the money owed is returned, it can become a costly and lengthy process if there are large amounts involved or if the debtor does not have enough money to repay the creditor.

 

Once a judge grants a County Court Judgement, but the debt remains unpaid the creditor usually has several options to recover it, including:

 

• A charging order- This is the most common method of recovering debt and involves an order being made against the debtor’s property, shares and assets.

 

• Control goods agreement- Here the debtor agrees to grant the creditor control over certain goods for a fixed amount of time. If the debtor defaults, they risk losing ownership over these goods which are then put up for sale and the proceeds given to the creditor.

 

• Winding up order- This is where the court appoints a liquidator to recover any assets that are still owned by the debtor in order to obtain as much money as possible to cover the debt.

 

 

How we can help

 

We have an experienced team who can help you in recovering debt in as little time as possible and working in your best interest. We work closely with you and provide updates on each stage of the process to allow you to make the right decision. Click here to find out about our incredible and competitively priced subscription service for businesses.

 

This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Call us today on 01244 478 730 to book free consultation.

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How much notice do I have to give to my tenants in Wales?

RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES – WALES – EXTENSION OF PERIOD FOR EVICTIONS

By Elaine Gunning

Welsh Landlords – the requirement for Landlords to provide 6 months notice to occupants who are protected tenants, statutory tenants, secure tenants, assured tenants, assured shorthold tenants , introductory tenants and demoted tenants (except where those notices relate to anti-social behaviour or domestic violence) is EXTENDED to 31 December 2021. The alteration took effect on30 September 2021.

On 22 September 2021, a statement was issued by the Minister of Health and Social Services whereby  under regulations originally made: paragraphs 1(2) and 14 (1) of Schedule 29 to The Coronavirus Act 2020, the regulations were to be extended until 31 December 2021.

This extension is NOT applicable to English Landlords.

 MLS

Here at MLS we are regularly instructed by Landlords to advise on compliance and possession claims. If you have any questions please contact us on 01244 478730 and we will be happy to help.

Useful links

https://senedd.wales/media/1hgjene1/sub-ld14557-e.pdf

This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.  If you require assistance please contact us on 01244 478 730.

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Tenants making substantial improvements to your property – is it worth it?

Landlords should beware of the dangers of encouraging tenants to pay for substantial improvements to their rented property.

Although in practical terms expenditure on a property by the tenant benefits both the parties, there is a hidden danger of a defence being raised when the Landlord seeks to obtain possession.

This defence is called promissory estoppel.

To succeed in this defence the tenant must prove

1. that a promise was made and
2. that the tenant acted on that promise to their detriment.

So for instance, if the Landlord agreed that the tenant could instal a new fitted kitchen and that the tenant could reside in the property for as long as he wanted to, but subsequently, the Landlord wanted to sell the property, the tenant could raise the defence of promissory estoppel.

Such a defence could easily be proven if there is a written agreement.

Alternatively, the tenant would need to provide receipts or other proof for work done at the tenant’s expense. If no receipts are available, the tenant could rely on photographic evidence, testimony from contractors who carried out the work, or their own testimony.

If the estoppel defence was successful, this would prohibit any eviction from the property.

MLS

Here at MLS we are regularly instructed by landlords to advise on compliance and possession claims. If you have any questions please contact us on 01244 478 730 and  we will be happy to help.

This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please contact us on  for advice.

 

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Wills for new parents : what you need to know.

Why do parents need a will? 

1. If you die without a will, a complex set of laws known as the intestacy rules come into effect. The intestacy rules are made for all those who have not made a will and unsurprisingly rarely reflect parent’s specific wishes.
2. It’s not all about money: most importantly, making a will allows you to appoint legal guardians for your children.
3. Not making a will could lead to uncertainty and financial worry for your family and dependents.

Making the will is the best way to ensure that your loved ones are taken care of and provided for as YOU wish. 

Writing the best will for your children — what to consider in five easy steps.

• Appoint a guardian for your children

A legal guardian is a person who takes care of your children in the event you and your partner die. It is important to consider legal guardianship.  If these plans aren’t outlined in a will, and both parents are deceased, the local authority or the courts will need to decide who should look after your children.  While immediate family are often preferred, the process is not automatic. You may also not wish for your children to be looked after by your immediate family in any event.  

NOTE: Choosing a godparent is not the same as choosing a guardian, as godparents have no legal rights. Guardianship will automatically end when your children reach the age of 18.

• Consider your child’s finances.

Unless the will says otherwise, the children will normally receive access to their assets at the age of 18. Many of our clients think that 18 is a bit too young an age to expect children to be financially responsible. With a will in place, they can set a higher age of inheritance such as 21 or even older.

NOTE: The assets will be held in trust and while the children will not be able to manage it personally, they will still be able to benefit from the inheritance.

• Appoint trustees for your child’s inheritance.

If you die before the age your children can inherit, their assets will need to be held in trust.

To manage that trust, you need to nominate people called trustees who, essentially, will stay in control of your children’s finances.

By having a will, you can nominate specific and trusted people to act as your trustees without having to rely on the “one size fits all” intestacy rules.

• Review beneficiaries from trusts, pensions or insurance.

If you have a life insurance policy, a pension scheme or other assets held in trust, these will not be passed down within your will.

If you want your children to inherit these financial products, you’ll need to contact each provider and nominate your children as your beneficiaries.

• Provide for your stepchildren or foster children.

If you have stepchildren or foster children, they will not automatically inherit from your estate unless you specifically include them in your will.*

• Bonus Point: schedule a will review

We advise reviewing your will at least every five years. This will allow you to step back and reflect whether people you’ve nominated to look after your children are still suitable, and whether your instructions still reflect your family’s situation. It is easy to change a will once you have one and at My Local Solicitor, we pride ourselves on building happy and strong relationship with our clients as we assist them in their life journey.

NOTE: circumstances can change at a blink of an eye and so it’s important to keep your will up to date to accommodate this. For example, if you marry or enter into a civil partnership, any existing will is automatically revoked. 

This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Why not book a free consultation with your local solicitor today? Call us on 01244 478 730 or email hello@my-local-solicitor.com

 

 

 

 

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