Legal News

Claims that title to land has been acquired by adverse possession are not easy to establish and can be resisted if it can be shown that the claimant has not been in possession of the land for the required period. Recently, a woman's claim to have acquired...

As part of the changes brought in by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 , the Private Rented Sector (PRS) database is set to be introduced, starting in late 2026. All landlords of assured and regulated tenancies will be required to register themselves and their...

The High Court has refused to strike out a claim seeking to propound a man's will despite the Court of Protection having previously declared it invalid, on the grounds that the Court had not had jurisdiction to make that declaration. The man had suffered...

The Upper Tribunal (UT) has ruled that the terms of a woman's leases did not permit her landlord to demand contributions to a 'reserve fund' by way of her service charges. The woman held a long lease of her flat and a further lease granting easements over...

A poll recently commissioned by the charity will-writing campaign Will Aid has revealed that two thirds of people either have not made a will or have a will which is out of date. The survey of more than 2,000 adults in the UK found that 57 per cent of them...

The Court of Appeal has confirmed that, when ruling on an appeal against an improvement notice served under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004 , the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) should consider how matters were at the date of service, rather than at the date of...

A husband and wife who abused their positions as attorneys of the husband's elderly parents have been sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to return the money they stole. The couple had made over 100 transfers from the husband's parents' bank...

The Upper Tribunal (UT) has modified a restrictive covenant to allow a couple to run a bed and breakfast business from their home. The couple owned a two-storey, four-bedroom house. In 2023 they had started running a B&B, having created two en-suite...

The High Court has rejected a claim by a clothing designer's partner for financial provision from his estate , finding that it had not been demonstrated that they had lived together as a married couple for the required period of two years before the...

The Upper Tribunal (UT) has rejected a claim by the owners of a property that their compensation for the grant of a wayleave authorising the retention of electricity lines over their land should include a share in savings achieved by avoiding more costly...

The First-tier Tribunal (FTT) has granted a couple's application to register a right of way over a small triangle of land belonging to a neighbouring property owner, finding that they and their tenants had crossed it as of right for at least 20 years. The...

Under Section 72 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 , the right to manage can only be acquired if the premises consist of a self-contained building or part of a building. Section 72(3) specifies that for a part of a building to be...

On 13 July 2026, the fee charged when applying for probate increased significantly, from £300 to £526. The fee applies where the value of the estate is more than £5,000. There is no fee for estates of £5,000 or less. If probate has...

Under Paragraph 5(a) of Schedule 4 to the Land Registration Act 2002 , the Land Register may be altered for the purpose of correcting a mistake. Recently, the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) granted an application for alteration of the Register by a woman who...

Imprecise drafting in a will is a recipe for litigation and dispute later on. A recent High Court decision on the interpretation of an ambiguous clause in a man's will illustrates the kinds of issues that can arise. The man had made a will in 2007 leaving...