Insights
Welcome to our blog. Using this area we will keep you up to date with all the news and views of John Hodge Solicitors.
Buying or selling a property is one of life’s biggest decisions. But what happens between having your offer accepted and getting the keys? That’s where conveyancing comes in. You may have heard the term ‘Conveyancing’ a lot, but...
An issue that the haunts the dreams of Conveyancers and Leaseholders alike. Highrise cladding was brought to the attention of the UK public in light of the tragic circumstances of the Grenfell Tower disaster in 2017. The outpour of emotion following the...
Blended families are increasingly common, with many people entering new relationships later in life. While forming a new family can be a source of great happiness, it can also bring legal and financial challenges that require thoughtful planning, especially...
We are pleased to introduce Kerry Graham, a new consultant solicitor in our family department. Kerry is a highly qualified solicitor of some 27 years and member of resolution. She is a former partner and has headed up family law teams in the southwest for...
No-one expects to be injured but if you are, it can impact your whole life. Injuries can cause pain and suffering, as can the treatment that may be required for those, such as steroid injections or surgery. They can result in time off work causing financial...
23 June 2025 is International Widows Day, a United Nations initiative dedicated to highlighting the challenges faced by widows worldwide. Often overlooked in society, many widows face not only emotional grief but also legal, social and economic hardships...
As a Private Client solicitor, my role is to help individuals and families through some of the most difficult and important moments of their lives. Working in Private Client is highly personal, requires technical expertise, and is centred on building...
On Sunday 15 June 2025, we observe World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), a United Nations initiative aimed at highlighting the abuse and neglect faced by older individuals worldwide. This day serves as a reminder of our collective responsibility to...
When someone dies, all of the items that they own, including their property, finances, personal belongings and liabilities, are known as their estate. The management of this estate requires careful administration to ensure all assets are appropriately...
When someone agrees to act as a trustee, they take on a position of significant legal responsibility. Trustees are entrusted with managing assets for the benefit of others and must act in their best interests. Whether you are considering becoming a trustee...
Cases involving children are not always easy. They can often be an emotional process as a dispute evolves of a young child whom both parents are likely to care for very much. During these disputes, there can often be misconceptions of some of the...
We receive a significant number of enquiries every year from people looking to change either their own or their child’s name. We are pleased to announce that we can now offer a fixed fee to assist people with changing their name or wanting to change...
The 19 th May 2025 is the start of “Action for Brain Injury” week, an annual event which aims to raise awareness of brain injury and its impact upon not only the individual but their families too. The week encourages discussion, and advocates...
The Law Commission has released a landmark report proposing significant reforms to the law governing Wills in England and Wales. These recommendations aim to modernise the Wills Act 1837, making the process of Will making more accessible, secure, and...
Health is something that can be difficult to define as each person may have their own position on what they believe to be healthy. The World Health Organisation (WHO) takes the view that health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being...
The start of April brings with it a new financial year. As part of this, HM Courts & Tribunal Service have made the changes to many Family Law Court Fees. Many of the fees for the main applications to the family Court have increased as highlight...
When a decision is made for a married or civil partnership couple to separate, one of the issues that can become relevant is that of pensions, which for many people, can be quite frightening. The following summaries try to explain the different types of...
With reality television often promoting “perfect” bodies, and the increased use of social media platforms, more people in the UK are using products and procedures to improve their appearance. The UK Government estimated the health and beauty...
Have you had an accident at work? Statistics from the Health & Safety Executive tell us there were over 600,000 accidents at work in Great Britain in 2023/24. An employer has a duty to take reasonable care of its employees. An employer must provide: A...
Shared Ownership properties have returned to the forefront of the property market in recent years with the increase in property value in England and Wales. How Shared Ownership works It is a government scheme that is generally aimed and subsequently...
Overages (also referred to as “Clawback/Uplift agreements”) usually arise upon the sale/purchase of undeveloped or agricultural land, and represent an agreement between the Seller and the Buyer that, if the property was to benefit from the future...
Do I need a solicitor to draft my Lasting Powers of Attorney? For many, we plan for our future by making a Will, which dictates what happens to our assets once we have died. However, what might happen if we are no longer able to make decisions for...
Registering with the Trust Registration Service is a key requirement for many UK trusts. This guide answers common questions about the Trust Registration Service , including who can register a trust, how to access the Trust Registration Service, and when...
This week (27 th – 31 st January 2025) is Family Mediation Week and is hosted by the Family Mediation Council. https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/fmw/ Mediation, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) have in recent years...
A very rare occurrence has happened in the family Courts! A Judge has made the decision to enable the public to be aware of various details of a case even though it involved a child. Normally family court proceedings involving a child would have to be kept...
The terms ‘parental alienation’ and ‘alienating behaviours’ are regularly used by family law professionals and the concepts of the meaning of such terms are widely debated within the profession. Unfortunately, there has been a lack of...
What Are Separation Agreements These agreements are a type of matrimonial (nuptial) agreement that can be entered into by a married or civil partnership couple when they are considering divorce or dissolution. These agreements can be binding on a couple...
The number of cyclists in Bristol who cycle at least once a week increased from 5% in 2015 to 28% in 2021, Sustrans reported. According to the Department for Transport’s ‘Reported Road Casualties in Great Britain’ annual report for 2023,...
If someone has been left out of the Will of someone close them then it may be possible for that person to make a claim for “Reasonable Financial Provision” from the estate of the deceased. The Inheritance (Provision for Family & Dependants)...
What is an escalating ground rent and why are escalating ground rents problematic? Escalating ground rent clauses are provisions in a lease that enable the freeholder to review and amend the ground rent after a specified period of time has elapsed. ...
There is no other way to put it – rentcharges are a nuisance for property owners and property lawyers alike. Not all properties are affected by rentcharges, but they are common throughout North Somerset and Bristol. This article examines the...
With the introduction of no-fault divorce back in April 2022, one of the new measures put in place by the court was the ability for individuals to be able to make a joint divorce application together. This was largely done in an attempt by the courts...
Winter is coming, and with that, Christmas will soon be upon us. Making contact arrangements for children over the holiday period can be a difficult task for separated parents. However, as difficult as it may be, you are better to address it early as doing...
In a situation where a person instructs a professional to draft a Will but the professional does not draft it correctly, a claim can be made against that professional by those who should have benefitted under the Will but don’t because of that mistake....
Domestic abuse over recent years has become a much more widely discussed topic within society, with increasing recognition for male sufferers of domestic abuse, such as in the recent Channel 5 documentary ‘My Wife, My Abuser’. Family solicitors...
If you do not order your food shop online, you most likely visit a supermarket to purchase your groceries. Supermarkets can be hazardous places to visit due to the following: Rainwater accumulating on the floor in and around the entrance / exit of the...
There are a variety of ways in which the validity of a Will can be challenged, however it is important to bear in mind a court cannot change the terms of an invalid Will to reflect what it thinks is fair (and nor is unfairness a reason to state a Will is not...
At the time of typing, The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (‘the Bill’) has just passed through the House of Commons and the second reading of the Bill in the House of Lords has just begun. The aim of the Bill is to ‘make the long-term...
Nuptial agreements – Is it right for me and what should I look out for? Pre-nuptial agreements are becoming more and more common now for couples within the UK. In the 1980’s, on average only 1.5% of newly married couples would look to have a...
Things to consider for a Tenant when negotiating heads of terms of a commercial lease Have you found a home for your business and decided to lease a commercial space? The next step will be to negotiate Heads of Terms. This process can be new and tricky...
As of the 6 th April 2022, the law on divorce/dissolution had one of its biggest changes in 50 years. The main change has meant that for spouses, or civil partners, you will not need to use fault as a reason for divorce/dissolution. The only thing that will...
Prior to 2007, many Wills contained Nil Rate Band Discretionary Trusts to ensure that both spouses could fully utilise their Nil Rate Band and not lose it. In 2007, the law changed so that any unused Nil Rate Band from the first death could then be claimed...
IT MAY NOT BE TOO LATE TO MAKE A CLAIM FOR YOUR ACCIDENT Have you or a family member had an accident, or been injured, and not had time to start a claim? Sometimes when just trying to recover from an accident or an injury, and dealing with the...
E-SCOOTERS – CONVENIENT BUT INCREASING RISK OF INJURY TO RIDERS AND OTHERS? Backed by the government, on-road e-scooter trials are currently taking place in the UK. Only e-scooters being used as part of the trial are legally allowed on the road and...
You may be familiar with Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA), as they have been advertised on government websites and in the media in general. They are very valuable documents to have, but before they can be used, they have to be registered with the Office of...
Parents must try to work together to agree any changes needed to contact arrangements for their children during these difficult times. 1. Make use of social media and video conferencing apps (Facetime, Skype etc.). This may need to be used more often than...
The Divorce Reform Act 1969 enabled people to end marriages that had “irretrievably broken down” without having to prove fault. Couples could end marriages after two years of separation, if both parties desired divorce, or five years if only one...
Most legal professionals view Rentcharges as an annoying quirk of a bygone era and while they may well be correct it is essential that you are aware of the implications of owning – or buying – a property which is subject to a Rentcharge. ...
Financial responsibilities of an attorney Dealing with the financial affairs of a loved one can be difficult, especially when you need to comply with serious legal responsibilities. The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) applied for court orders...
Are the costs consequences of not accepting an offer to settle about to change? In financial remedy proceedings ancillary to divorce, the general rule is that each party is responsible for their own legal costs and the court will only make a costs order...
Absent freeholders or landlords When a landlord is absent, the leaseholders might think “happy days” with benefits such as quiet enjoyment of the property without the interference of the landlord or the lack of expensive service charges. ...
Dramatic Increase in the cost of obtaining a Grant of Probate With the Non-Contentious Probate (Fees) Order 2018 passing through the House of Commons Delegated Legislation Committee in February, the cost to obtain a Grant of Probate is due to change...
Whilst people are now becoming more aware of the need to provide for someone to look after their financial affairs if they lose mental capacity to cope, and are putting in place Lasting Powers of Attorney for Property and Financial Affairs, the uptake for...
In recent years licensed conveyancers have grabbed a share of the market. There are though several disadvantages to using an out of the area conveyancing house as opposed to a local solicitor. Conveyancing houses tend to operate from out of town call...
If a relationship is already under pressure then Christmas and the New Year season can serve to bring matters to a crisis. It is true to say that Family Solicitors find the New Year and January to be a busy time. This may be for a couple of...
We all know that changes in our family and financial circumstances may need to be reflected in our Will but all too often we forget to review this important document and to seek specialist advice that protects our loved ones. There have been significant...
Everything is agreed in my separation, I don’t need legal advice right? Wrong! A recent case highlights the dangers of proceeding based on a verbal agreement on separation. A couple who had married in 1986 and had two children agreed to...
It is normal that where a marriage has broken down, there is usually at least one party feeling angry, sad, disappointed, or a mixture of all of those things. It is therefore very easy for a divorce, and any associated financial or children related...
A recent pilot divorce administration system run in the South West Regional Divorce Centre in Southampton, under which contested financial remedy proceedings are ‘de-linked’ from the main divorce proceedings has proved a success. Under the...
The Court of Appeal has rejected a claim by a heterosexual couple that their civil partnership be recognised. The law provides civil partnership only for same sex couples whilst it now provides marriage for both same sex and heterosexual couples. ...
The Family Team at John Hodge Solicitors are all members of or prescribe to the code of conduct of Resolution an organisation, which represents 6,500 family justice professionals who are committed to supporting couples to reach constructive solutions to...
At lot has been reported in the press recently about taking children out of school during term time for a holiday but what about time away during the official holiday period where parents are separated – particularly holidays abroad. If you plan to...
In an ever changing financial and social setting, making or reviewing a Will has never been more important. In recognition of this, John Hodge Solicitors is proud to support Weston Hospicecare by participating in their “Make Your Will Week”...
Each year around 240,000 children in the UK experience the separation of their parents. More than one in three children will see their parents split up before they reach their 16th birthday. When parents split up, children can often believe they are...
When divorce is not the end. All family lawyers will have anecdotes of clients who, even after difficult divorces, will reunite with their former spouse. This can have some unintended consequences. Some reunited couples will of course remarry, and...
The case of Wyatt and Vince has recently highlighted the importance of obtaining an Order dealing with financial matters during divorce proceedings. Mr Vince and Ms Wyatt met as students in their early twenties and married in 1981. The pair had a son...
Maintenance on divorce; how much and for how long? One of the questions we are frequently asked by newly separated clients is how much maintenance they should either pay to or receive from their spouse. Where the maintenance is being paid in respect...
Once you have found a buyer for your home, you will no doubt hope that the sale goes through quickly. Delays are often attributed to the legal process, and yet nowadays (with electronic conveyancing and email) solicitors can move the conveyancing ...
Many people have never set foot inside a court building and wouldn’t dream of doing so without a lawyer to guide them through the process. However, more so than ever before, people are having to represent themselves in family court cases. If you find...
Unmarried couples - How does my position differ from someone who is married? If you are married or in a civil partnership and your relationship breaks down then you can claim maintenance, lump sums, and other financial provision including pension...
At John Hodge Solicitors we understand that clients facing divorce or financial disputes following the breakdown of a relationship are likely to be experiencing a period of emotional and financial turmoil. We are therefore delighted to announce that,...
From 1 st October 2014, anyone who dies without leaving a Will (known as dying “Intestate”) could be affected by the new Inheritance and Trustees' Powers Act 2014. Although none of us like to think about death, anyone who has not made a Will...
Supporting Weston Hospicecare - “Make Your Will Week” 2014 John Hodge Solicitors were delighted to be asked once again to take part in Weston Hospicecare’s – “Make Your Will Week” which took place on the 3 rd...
There is not often much news regarding the law on Wills and in fact most of the provisions are still governed by a Wills Act from as long ago as 1837. However, the recent case of Marley v Rawlings and another has attracted the attention of the...
Never got round to making that Will? Looking for a good excuse? What better than to make a Will and benefit a worthy cause at the same time. On 3 rd March we will be again taking part in Weston Hospicecare’s “Make a Will Week”...
The deposit requirements for landlords of residential properties continue to cause problems. They apply to people letting out their home as well as professional landlords. To recap; for tenancies agreed after April 2007, landlords who take a deposit need...
Search site
Contact us
Make an enquiry
