Fawcett & Pattni Solicitors: News | property conveyancing | Walsall, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, West Midlands | Family Law, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Conveyancing, Personal Injury

Home Information Packs: Midsummer Madness!

The government’s controversial HIP scheme has been put firmly on the back boiler. Not thrown down the drain yet but “delayed” from the scheduled start date of 1st June 2007 to 1st August 2007. And then it will only apply to...

Tuesday 22. of May 2007

First catch your energy inspector

It is reputed that the recipe for jugged hare in Mrs Beeton’s famous cookery book started “first catch your hare”. The government’s recipe for a do it yourself Home Information Pack says you’ll need to “locate a Domestic Energy...

Thursday 26. of April 2007

Freedom of information or snoopers charter?

Since October 2006 members of the public have the right to see court papers in civil actions. These are usually compensation claims for personal injury or breach of contract, or other “civil wrongs” such as harassment or even...

Thursday 26. of April 2007

Home information packs compulsory from 1st June

If you put your house or flat on the market after 1st June 2007 you or your estate agent must have a “Home Information Pack” ready to give to prospective buyers. If your property is already on the market before 1st June you don’t...

Thursday 26. of April 2007

Budget leaves Stamp Duty thresholds unchanged

Despite continued rises in house prices the Chancellor has left the threshold for Stamp Duty on residential property unchanged at £125,000 (£150,000 in disadvantaged areas). The cost of an average house in West Midlands is now...

Thursday 26. of April 2007

Home Inspectors neither up nor down

To say that the government is behaving like the Grand Old Duke of York, over Home Inspection Reports is grossly unfair. Every child knows that the Grand Old Duke of York was a renowned military tactician who marched his men...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

WISP Launch

The Walsall Interagency Sanctuary Project (WISP) was launched today at The Council House Walsall. The project will support victims of domestic abuse to remain safely in their own home. Over the past two years an increased...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

Battle of the Titans

The prints are abuzz with news of Yahoo's fight back against Google in the battle to be top world internet portal and search engine. Test results from our own site suggest that Yahoo and MSN may now be quicker on the uptake than...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

HIP HIP for Ruth Kelly

Those people nerdish enough to care, will have noticed that the Office of The Deputy Prime Minister ceased to exist (on the web anyway) at about tea time on Friday 5th May 2006. This momentous change was accomplished by removing...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

Police Probe Bonkers

While there are known divorce law and employment law risks associated with bonking in the workplace, consenting adult participants don't usually expect to end up "assisting the police with their enquiries". However,...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

Birmingham Election Fiasco Continues

BNP candidate Sharon Ebanks has officially taken up the position of Birmingham City councillor despite being told that her election "win" in the Kingstanding ward was a mistake. Acting Chief Executive and Returning...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

Birmingham Vote Mixup

Election officials in Birmingham say the wrong candidate was declared the winner of a seat for the Kingstanding Ward in last Thursday's Council Election. But the declared result can only be changed through a court action called...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

The Smithy Code Revealed

The lure of arcane mysteries strikes again. Mr Justice Peter Smith is the judge who ruled on the copyright action brought against the publishers of "The Da Vinci Code". He has confirmed that a series of italicised...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

Web Site Success

The recently re-launched Fawcett & Pattni web site is achieving success in improving the web visibility of the firm said Neil Fawcett today. The content of the site is being expanded all the time and its position in search...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

Charles Clarke 'Be Afraid"

Home Secretary Charles Clarke launching the Serious Organised Crime Agency SOCA on 2nd April 2006 warned the organised criminal underworld to "be afraid". The new organisation with a £4.5m budget for 2006/2007 is headed by former...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

CPS Moves into Schools

A District Judge in Salford Youth Court has been criticised for halting a prosecution against a schoolboy from Irlam, Manchester, who had been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence. The boy had been charged...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

The Da SOCA Logo Code

Lovers of mysteries, Da Vinci code freaks, and conspiracy theorists will find much to ponder over in the logo of the newly launched Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). Within a circle motif, a fierce snarling beast (a...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

CPS Rubbish Case

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has decided not to prosecute the Metropolitan Police officer who put a 15 year old boy in a Hackney rubbish bin last October. Announcing the decision on 6th April 2006 The Independent Police...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

Kidney Calls for Account

David Kidney, Labour MP for Stafford is asking the police for for a "full account" relating to the recent arrest of four men at Stafford Hospital under the Terrorism Act. The men, at least one of whom is a constituent...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

Old Honours Laws in the News

Its always interesting to see one of our less used laws getting some attention. The Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 has had only one outing in its 80 years on the statute book. It was passed following the scandal of...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

Deafening Silence

On 30th March four men were arrested at Stafford Hospital under the Terrorism Act. They had come to the hospital with a fifth man who was seriously ill. It is unclear from the media reports, exactly why staff at the hospital...

Sunday 26. of November 2006

Home Information Packs Latest

Government plans for a shake up of the conveyancing system in England and Wales took a step forward with the announcement on 16th March of the timetable for implementation of the Home Information Pack scheme. From 1st June 2007,...

Sunday 26. of November 2006