Welcome to the Spring edition of Gillhams’ quarterly e-newsletter.
After the very long, very cold winter, I hope this communication finds you well and with a renewed spring in your step!
We’re feeling very buoyant here at Gillhams. Despite the tough economic times our firm continues to move forward, not least because of the enormous importance we place on the relationships we have with all our clients. To that effect see below for details of an upcoming opportunity to meet our solicitors and get some free legal advice to boot.
We’re also very excited to be in the planning stages for some new legal services and client benefits that we’ll be ready to offer you later on in the year – so watch this space!
In the meantime, I very much hope you find this quarterly round up of interest, and please do let us know if you have any feedback or suggestions about the content. And as always, if you would prefer not to receive email communications from us in the future, please see the instruction on how to unsubscribe below.
With kind regards,
Russell Caller
Managing Partner
News From Gillhams
Free seminar for Clients – October 2013 – Spaces limited
Here at Gillhams we are constantly exploring new and engaging ways to meet the needs and expectations of our clients.
With that in mind we are happy to announce that we’ll be teaming up with local accountants Harris Lipman LLP and independent financial planners Forum Wealth Management to offer a free information seminar on Thursday 3rd October at the Wembley Stadium conference rooms. We will be hosting two sessions that day – 11am and 3pm, and attendance will also include a free tour around the stadium, lunch (11am session) and refreshments (3pm session). Topics covered during each seminar will include making a will, obtaining probate, administering an estate, inheritance tax considerations, powers of attorney, financial planning for your future and how to support a family member challenged by mental incapacity/dementia. A finalised agenda will be available shortly.
This will be a great opportunity to get some of your legal questions answered, have one on one time with a group of highly experienced and friendly solicitors, accountants and independent financial planners, and get to see behind the scenes at one of London’s iconic sporting facilities.
If you are interested in attending one of these seminars, please contact Susan Kench sk@gillhams.com, indicating whether you want the morning or afternoon session. Due to the size of the conference room we are limited to 20 spaces per session, so make sure to book early!
And now here’s a round-up of some useful topical advice and news from the world of legal services. If there is anything that concerns you, or that you need legal advice on, we look forward to being of assistance.
Don’t let a Boundary Dispute Escalate
If you are in dispute with a neighbour over the position of a boundary between your properties, you should try to resolve it as early as possible. This is especially important if you believe your neighbour, or indeed anyone else, has been using land that you own without your permission. If you leave it too long, the trespassers could become owners of the land by adverse possession, so don’t delay taking and following some legal advice.
By law, anyone who has been residing on, or using land for 12 years becomes its legal owner through adverse possession. In some cases this can happen after only 10 years. If your neighbour who owns land adjoining yours can prove that he believed some of your land belonged to him for the last ten years and used it with this belief, it will pass to him. This was a contributing factor in a judgement about a recent case regarding boundaries on an island in the River Thames. In this case the land was used to offer licences for mooring rights and its ownership had financial significance.
But the judge found against the claimant not only for this reason, but also in trying to fix boundaries from conveyancing plans drawn up in 1947, where features of the land had changed over the years. Even the Land Registry acknowledges that deeds only specify general boundaries which are not necessarily exact. Legal boundaries can be determined under section 60 of the Land Registration Act 2002, but a qualified surveyor would have to draw up a precise plan that meets the requirements of the Land Registry.
Arriving at an agreement with your neighbour and applying to add it to each of your land registers is an easier solution. If you have any concerns about boundaries, remember that swift advice and assistance is just a phone call away so contact us without delay.
Below is a rundown of breaking news in the legal world from the last three months. If there is anything that concerns you, or you need legal advice, we look forward to being of assistance.
The contents of this article are intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute legal advice. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this article.
