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Keeping fit in the gym is good for both the body and the mind, and around 10 million people in the UK currently hold a gym membership, according to recent research . But a gym, with its weighty specialist equipment and their plethora of moving parts, is...
Your establishment will need to have a valid sponsor licence to sponsor most types of skilled overseas nationals to work for you in the UK, including Skilled Visa workers. To secure a UK visa sponsorship licence, you will need to make an application...
‘Trusts are typically used to preserve assets for loved ones in private client estate planning, and many trusts are fairly inactive a lot of the time,’ says Partner, Silviya Maclean . ‘Often action is only required when the trust is first...
No commercial landlord wants their property empty. A vacant unit costs money in repair, insurance, and business rates, without producing any income; and it could be vulnerable to vandalism or squatters. Getting a short-term occupier into your...
We are committed to Gravesham and the surrounding area and are passionate about supporting our community in any way we can. This year for harvest we will be supporting our local food bank, Gravesham Foodbank - who distribute food to those...
Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as common law marriage and if you are not married and your live-in partner dies, you have no automatic legal right to inherit all of your loved one’s estate unless they made this clear in their will. ...
Indemnities and limited liability clauses are often the most negotiated provisions in business contracts. It is a fine balance between agreeing appropriate risk and allocating protections, while at the same time remaining reasonable in order to conclude the...
Whether the beneficiary of an estate is entitled to inherit a small personal item, a share or even the majority of the assets of the person who died, it can be a stressful time for them while they wait for probate to come through. Delays at the probate...
With predictable revenue streams, it is understandable why a subscription business is attractive. Recent years have seen the launch of various innovations, such as monthly recipe boxes, coffee pods or health products, with numerous digital apps adding to...
Tackling tenant harassment: what are your options? Harassment can take many forms but, depressingly, it is commonly experienced by tenants, whether at the hands of their landlord, their agents or by workmen who come around to make repairs. Recognising...
A relationship breakdown often means a dramatic change in life for all involved and when parents live apart, arrangements need to be agreed about how and when children will see each of their parents. If a couple can agree arrangements between...
The client is king and businesses will usually do anything they can to keep and grow clients, but not everyone is committed to increasing diversity and inclusion at the same pace. This can create some tricky dilemmas. Should an employer accommodate a...
If you are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting with a long term partner, and thinking of making or updating your will, you may have heard the expression ‘mirror wills’ and wonder if this would be suitable for you. ‘Mirror wills...
Hatten Wyatt are pleased to announce the promotion of Hardeep Gill to the role of Partner. Joining the firm in 2016 as a trainee solicitor, with a background in personal injury and civil litigation, Hardeep has been a valued member of Hatten Wyatt to both...
‘Performance management can be challenging and time-consuming,’ according to Kenneth Amakye , an associate solicitor in the employment team with Hatten Wyatt. ‘The first challenge is to determine if this is a capability issue...
If you develop a site and your scheme includes new roads, you will probably want to get them adopted by the local highways authority. This will shift the long-term burden of maintenance to the highways authority, but there may be short term costs...
Since April 2022, couples have been able to seek a divorce after one year of marriage without having to blame their former partner for any reason. Prior to the change in the law, couples who agreed to separate had to wait at least two years before they could...
A will is an important part of everybody’s legal planning no matter your circumstances, but for anyone who is in business a well written will is vital to ensure the minimum disruption after your death. ‘Whether you are a sole practitioner, a...
If you want software that is unique to your business, and which is specifically designed to meet your operational needs, then the commissioning of a bespoke solution is almost certainly the way to go. However, to ensure that your vision marries up to what is...
Probate is a term which is loosely used to cover the administration of an estate, and it has a reputation for being a lengthy process. The administration includes a number of key stages, including obtaining the grant of probate, paying out to beneficiaries,...
It is forecast that, by the end of this year, 90 per cent of the UK adult population will use a social media account at least once a month. This is a remarkable statistic, but perhaps even more remarkable is that the average user is estimated to spend...
On top of the heartbreak and worry that a diagnosis of a life-limiting illness can cause, there will be a raft of concerns and uncertainties about your care and financial affairs, and it can be difficult to know exactly how to prepare from a legal...
Recruiting the right senior executive can be an immense benefit to a company if they bring the right mix of skills, experience, and contacts to the business. It is not uncommon for the recruitment process to include some informal occasions, at which terms,...
Have you ever signed a contract which seemed to be perfectly clear, straightforward and reasonable at the time it was agreed, but which later turned out to be ambiguous in important respects or which gave rise to unintended and arguably unfair results? If...
If you are a landlord of commercial property, you will have chosen your tenants carefully. A landlord wants to be sure that a tenant will pay the rent and service charge, and that the tenant will comply with the obligations in the lease so that the...
Deciding who should inherit from you in your will, how much they will get and in what shares, are big decisions to make. This can be made more difficult if you have particular concerns about a beneficiary and whether the inheritance could be at risk. ...
Nearly 60,000 people benefit from invitro fertilisation (IVF) and donor insemination at HFEA licensed fertility clinics in the UK, and it is not uncommon for an unlicensed clinic or ‘at home’ informal arrangement to be used for sperm...
As your business grows, instead of taking on more staff, you may decide to outsource certain services either on a temporary or more permanent basis. There is almost no limit to the type of services that can be outsourced nowadays, from manufacturing and drop...
When applying for probate in regard to an estate which is subject to inheritance tax, the Probate Registry requires tax to be paid before the grant of probate application. This can prove difficult as most financial institutions will not pay out sums to...
When a child is involved in an accident, the injuries they suffer can be severe and possibly life changing. As a parent all you want in this situation is to make them better, but this can be hard if the treatment they need is not readily available or if your...
If you have developed a new product, or perhaps come up with an innovative way of doing something, you may find that other businesses who are keen to make use of your ideas or creations ask you to enter into an intellectual property (IP) licensing agreement....
While celebrities often have many professional advisors who look after their business affairs, like many ordinary people they sometimes do not get around to making a will and setting out their particular wishes. ‘When you die without a will,...
‘At some point, many businesses will receive a tribunal claim against them from an employee, former employee or even an applicant,’ says Kenneth Amakye , an associate solicitor in the employment team with Hatten Wyatt. ‘Although a...
Once a commercial tenant has agreed a lease and moved into business premises, they will rely on having unobstructed access to easily enter the premises for the purposes of their business. Unless premises sit alongside a public road, they will probably...
If you are applying for a financial order as part of your divorce then the court will list your case in for a financial dispute resolution hearing, often called an FDR hearing. This is a private court hearing and is aimed at trying to assist parties in...
While the specific terms of any will are up to the individual who makes it, after they have died there may be circumstances where those left behind wish to pass their gift to someone else. ‘Beneficiaries are not obligated to accept their inheritance,...
Retail, leisure, and hospitality businesses will be banking on a good festive season this year. Shops will want to stay open for longer and may want to add to their usual offer, to attract as much footfall as possible. Landlords with empty units will be...
The rising popularity of online Will writing has the potential to increase the risk of future disputes over the validity of those Wills and the risk of other contested probate cases. Between 2019 and 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people...
3,574 inheritance tax investigations were launched from 2020 to 2021 because of the rise of house prices across the country. Since launching the probes, HMRC has gained an additional £254 million in revenue, with the average investigation securing an...
If you cannot reach an agreement with your former partner about arrangements for your children, one of you may apply to the family court for an independent decision. The courts have a wide range of powers in deciding where a child should live and how...
In a recent case, the Court of Appeal declared that a section 21 notice seeking possession was valid, despite the landlord failing to provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) prior to the notice. Typically, a landlord cannot serve a valid section 21...
Making a lasting power of attorney for your finances is an important part of lifetime legal planning, especially if you have built up a portfolio of assets and investments which require regular management. While this legal authority needs to be set up well...
Once a relationship has broken down, while many couples remain on good terms, sometimes the situation is irretrievable and behaviour can go beyond what is acceptable or legal. In particular, disputes over who gets what in the financial settlement can...
The number of cycling accidents has risen significantly since the lockdowns, with car insurer More Than reporting that claims by vulnerable road users are up by 10 per cent. With gyms closed, restrictions on group sports and people working from home, it was...
Next of kin is a commonly used term in everyday language, yet despite its frequent use ‘next of kin’ only provides legal rights where children are concerned and, even then, only in certain circumstances. The general rule is that the parent or...
Making a will or giving a gift on your deathbed Living through a global pandemic has meant seeing loved ones taken from us at an alarming rate, and it has been distressing for many to see someone taken into hospital and not know if you might be able to...
Relationships with manufacturers can become the backbone of your business in the long term, which is why it is important to have legal agreements in place that will grow with these relationships. ‘Before any contract conversations even begin, you need...
Preparation is the key to success with most things in life and is particularly important when you are trying to attract a buyer for your business. This is because any potential acquirer will almost certainly want to carry out pre-purchase checks to...
If you have been injured in a road traffic accident that was not your fault, then you may be entitled to compensation. To secure this, it is usual to employ the services of an experienced personal injury lawyer who will lodge a properly assessed and...
Recent research by Loughborough University shows a sharp rise in the so called ‘boomerang’ generation of young adults returning to live at home until their late twenties or early thirties. This trend has continued as a result of the...
Using legal documents overseas is not as straightforward as you might imagine. Even a solicitor’s signature is often not enough for certain legal documents to be accepted in other countries. The legal professional you need to help with this is a ...
If you have a great idea for developing a piece of unused land, you may find that you need to get control of some neighbouring property to provide access or just to make the development large enough to be financially viable. Assembling a site can be...
The statutory definitions of the three categories of employment status have long been criticised as being unclear, and over the years a body of case law interpreting these definitions has grown up. Despite this, it remains difficult to set out a definitive...
Starting any new business comes with a steep learning curve, especially as a founder when you often find yourself wearing all the management hats. This is why it is important to deal with the core legal issues early, so that when the time comes to scale up,...
Following the introduction of civil partnerships in 2005 and same sex marriages in 2014, there has been an increase in families and then relationship breakdown between same sex parents. Finding agreement over issues relating to children can be tricky...
While certain changes are already in place as a result of Brexit, we can expect a continuous stream of legislative reform that will affect businesses and their commercial contracts. As the new trading relationship with the EU evolves, it is likely that you...
According to the Health and Safety Executive there are 1.6 million workers in Great Britain suffering from work-related ill health. The two main causes are stress and musculoskeletal problems, both of which commonly affect people working in healthcare. ...
‘If your business is struggling and you lease your premises, it might be tempting to simply hand back the keys and walk away from your lease,’ says Graham Beach commercial property solicitor with Hatten Wyatt in our Tonbridge office . ...
If you are coming out of a relationship, whether you were cohabiting, married or in a civil partnership, you may be asking if you need to formalise that separation. A separation agreement is a formal contract which can be agreed between you and your...
It tends to be only in Hollywood movies that a will is read aloud, usually for dramatic effect where the contents of the will are unexpected and lead to the sort of tensions which create a good plot. For example, in the 2019 film ‘Knives Out’ the...
In 2006, the American multi-billionaire Warren Buffet astounded the media by making a pledge to give away 99 per cent of his wealth to charities. He plans to do most of this in his lifetime and intends the remainder to be given away within 10 years after his...
While 2020 has been a difficult year on the high street, there has also been a surge of new business startups responding to increased demand for online and local shopping. Many startups are born and continue on the kitchen table, but if yours has...
Our family lawyers look at how a spouse’s future earning capacity is treated in divorce.
Our commercial solicitors highlight how track and trace data collection is different to normal GDPR compliance
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, there is increased momentum in addressing racial inequalities at work. But this is against a backdrop of significant and long-standing barriers for workers of black and minority ethnic heritage. For...
Now that hotels, pubs, bars, and restaurants are back in business, leisure and hospitality operators are looking for ways to attract enough customers to remain viable. Most caterers are acutely aware of the number of customers required to break even...
Like many government organisations, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Services (HMCTS) has been increasing its digital services over the past few years as it aims to provide a more streamlined system for probate registries. While the online service...
If you are in the middle of getting divorced , or contemplating getting divorced, you may be worried about how the present COVID-19 pandemic will impact on your financial security after separation. If financial arrangements are disputed, how easy will...
As the lockdown continues, the Government has extended access to its coronavirus job retention scheme and employers are settling in to a new way of working. Business life may have drastically changed, but employment law still applies. Selwan Yousif , ...
With the business world in turmoil due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus and our determined efforts to bring it under control, company directors need to proceed with caution over the coming weeks and months to ensure that decisions made under pressure...
With more cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), being reported in the UK each day, employers will be wondering how to handle the issue especially as they may need to react fast if a situation develops in the workplace or if there are concerns about the health of...
For clients in the midst of trying to buy, sell or rent a property, the coronavirus outbreak is causing particular uncertainty at all stages in the process. We want to reassure you that our property law team will continue to operate as normally as...
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL CLIENTS It is no secret that the Coronavirus is affecting, and will continue to affect, the ability of the UK to continue with daily life, as normal, for some time to come. We are striving towards limiting disruption to our service...
A proposal for DNA testing of family members can arise in a number of circumstances, most commonly where there are questions over paternity (although occasionally maternity is tested too), when establishing contact and residence, or when determining a...
It is with deep sadness and regret that we write to inform you of the recent passing of a dear friend and colleague, Mr John Brasington. Having worked for Church Bruce from 1960 and supporting the firm through its developments until almost present day, it...
With an increasing number of people struggling to get on the property ladder, it is not surprising that there has been a corresponding rise in the number of properties being bought by friends who have pooled their resources, or by parents who have agreed to...
The stories of companies which received investment after an appearance on Dragons’ Den are legendary, but every so often one turns down the opportunity to work with a famous investor. Such was the case with The Great British Porridge Company,...
Husbands, wives and civil partners can find themselves abandoned through a variety of different situations. Sometimes the reason is obvious, such as a forced marriage, a scam marriage where one person was simply seeking a visa, an abusive marriage or...
Employers often get caught out by thinking that just because a worker owes them money they can simply take it off the next pay package. The law on protection of wages is not as straight forward as many employers might assume. Jasvinder Gill , Senior...
Coming to terms with the death of your spouse or partner will take time, but at some point you will need to think about financial and legal issues . Once probate has been obtained and their estate has been settled, you may need to think about whether you...
You and your business partner may have a fantastic business idea and wish to launch your business as soon as possible, but before you do so it is vital that you give adequate thought to what type of partnership will best suit your needs. Alternatively, you...
As part of Hatten Wyatt’s expansion plans, we are delighted to announce that as of 1st September 2019, Bailey & Cogger Solicitors of Tonbridge is now incorporated into the Hatten Wyatt group. Now with 5 offices across Kent, incorporating the team...
Is your business struggling to get an insurance claim settled? Our latest insurance disputes blog offers useful tips on how to achieve a good outcome.
It saddens us to announce that on Friday, we received news of the passing of one of our valued colleagues, Cyrus Grant. Cyrus was taken seriously ill at the end of last year and unfortunately, did not make the progress that everyone hoped he would. A...
Once signed, a contract represents a formal record of the agreement made between you and your customer. The obligations under that agreement are often absolute, with any failure to satisfy them will be considered a breach of contract which could result in...
Everyone should have lasting power of attorney, along with a will, and in setting this up you will need to appoint people to act as your attorney to look after your affairs if you become unable to. You need to consider very carefully who you will...
Company directors are subject to a range of statutory duties geared at protecting the interests of shareholders and, to a lesser extent, corporate creditors. Where one or more of these duties are breached the consequences for the company can be...
Homeowners who feel that the boundary at their property is not where it should be, or that a neighbour’s extension goes over an existing boundary line, could go to court to have this dispute determined. This is usually only viable if you have...
After years of hard work building up a business, the prospect of selling it on to another company or the current management team will be the light at the end of the tunnel. Unless you are a serial entrepreneur, a more leisurely life is ahead when the...
It can be flattering to be asked by a relative or close friend to be a trustee of their estate, but this is a role with important legal obligations and disputes can arise when beneficiaries do not agree with the actions of trustees. One such area of...
I was excited and proud to be offered a training contract at Hatten Wyatt Solicitors. I knew that the competition had been tough. Training contracts are hard to come by and the number of applicants means that the process is very...
As any lawyer will tell you, the consequences of lying under oath in court can be very serious indeed. In one case, an accountant who forged his dead mother’s will in an attempt to get his hands on her stake in the family’s £160 million...
One very good reason why you should sign an up-to-date and professionally drafted will is to ensure that your chosen beneficiaries are accurately identified. A High Court case on point concerned gifts to a cottage hospital that did not exist and to equally...
Many businesses rely heavily on Home Office licences that enable them to sponsor the entry into the UK of skilled workers from outside the European Economic Area. As a High Court case showed, however, such licences are a privilege, not an entitlement, and...
The short answer to this is no. So why, do you ask, should you instruct a probate solicitor at Hatten Wyatt? At Hatten Wyatt our experienced private client department can provide their knowledge in order to deal with the legal process of applying for...
Christmas Past and Present - how to try and ensure that Christmas this year is a joyful time for the Children and not saddened by memories of past disputes Christmas is fast approaching and soon we will be seeing Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas...
Hatten Wyatt Sponsor Gravesham business awards Following a successful first year we are proudly supporting Gravesham business awards 2019. As a local business we have been in Gravesham for more than 170 years and we believe it is important to support...
Moving home can be one of the most stressful times of your life, but it can also be an exciting and positive time. The conveyancing process is full of uncertainty. Your transaction may be linked to numerous other transactions over which you have no control...
I often hear “I haven’t got any money to leave my kids so why should I bother?”. My response is “You have kids? If they are under 18, you definitely should have a Will to leave your kids to someone”. As loving...
After 6 years as a Civil Litigation Paralegal in Yorkshire, I moved to Kent, the Garden of England, almost 3 years ago. I was fortunate enough to secure a training contract with Hatten Wyatt. I put my heart and soul into the application process...
Are insurance companies really working for the dark side? The government has stated that it intends to introduce whiplash reforms in April 2019. The Ministry of Justice has consulted numerous associations including the Motor Accident Solicitor Society...