How to avoid being a victim of property fraud

Property fraud is where fraudsters try to ‘steal’ your property, most commonly by pretending to be you and selling or mortgaging your property without your knowledge. Since 2009, the Land Registry has stopped fraud on properties worth more than £80 million. Holly Stevens, Head of Residential Property at Ware & Kay in York advises how you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of property fraud. Who is at risk? You are more at risk of property fraud if: your identity has been stolen; you rent out your property; you live overseas; the property is empty; the property is not mortgaged; or the property is not registered with the Land Registry. Ways to protect yourself There are several steps you can take to protect your property from being fraudulently sold or mortgaged: Ensure…

Preventing claims of stress at work

According to the Health & Safety Executive stress is ‘the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them’ by their job.  As an employer, you owe your employees a duty of care. That is, a duty to provide a work environment where employees are not caused psychological harm and should they suffer work-related psychological harm, you must do everything that is reasonable to prevent continuing harm. ‘In determining whether an employer is responsible for stress in the workplace and therefore liable to pay compensation, the court will determine whether an employee’s work-related stress was 'reasonably foreseeable' by the employer,’ explains Gillian Reid, employment law specialist at Ware & Kay in York & Wetherby.  ‘In other words, could you have predicted the work-related psychological harm and should you have prevented…

Legal top tips when building a granny annex

Building a granny annex can seem a perfect solution to many families; not only is it a way of consolidating family assets and passing on wealth but it also provides an immediate solution to childcare and a longer term plan for caring for elderly parents. However, before embarking on this project it is important that you consider and avoid the potential pitfalls! Disputes about ownership further down the line are unfortunately common and so it is essential that the arrangements are properly documented and legal advice is obtained. If you are combining finances with other family members then it is important that this is properly documented. If, for example, it is intended that the property will be owned jointly, as tenants in common, consideration needs to be given to what happens after your parent dies and…

Know your rights over land access

Agricultural landowners will almost invariably have utility company-owned apparatus running somewhere across their property – whether this is electricity lines, water pipes or gas pipes. Utility companies will, at times, need to access such infrastructure to carry out repairs, replacements or upgrades, but as Jacqueline Barr agricultural expert at Ware & Kay in York & Wetherby explains, “Farmers should ensure their rights are protected before they enter into any access agreement”. Utility companies usually have statutory powers of entry onto land under legislation such as the Water Industries Act 1991, Electricity Act 1989 or Gas Act 1986, but exercising these powers can be expensive and time-consuming, and most companies generally prefer to reach a negotiated agreement with the landowner instead. The two main access agreements for this type of situation are through the use of a…