Property boundaries and rights of access: what are they and why do they matter?

Boundaries determine the extent of any land or buildings you own. They are, in simple terms, the line which separates your property from that of your neighbours. They may take the form of a wall, a fence, a hedge, a piece of barbed wire or even some other less noticeable feature, such as the edging of a driveway. So, what happens where you need to cross a boundary line to maintain or repair your property, or even to read your gas and electricity meters? A recent court case considered this issue and highlights the importance of taking legal advice. .

Holidays and holiday pay: What employers need to know

While the right to 28 days’ paid holiday was a welcome addition to workers’ rights, employers have been less enthusiastic about the complicated development of the rules, particularly if staff work irregular hours or their pay packets include commission or bonus payments. With the law being so hard to navigate, it is easy to unwittingly miscalculate holiday pay or to wrongly deny your employees the right to carry forward holiday. This could leave you exposed to an employment tribunal claim for back pay. Gillian Reid, employment law expert with Ware & Kay in York & Wetherby, summarises how to work out holiday pay, when workers can carry forward holiday and how to manage rolled-up holiday pay. She also takes a look at how things may change in the future.

Disagreements and decisions about your children

If you are separated or divorced, you will probably have an arrangement with your ex-partner dealing with where your children live and how often they see their other parent. However, a specific issue might arise not covered by this agreement and on which you do not see eye to eye, for example if one of you wishes to relocate and the other objects. Discussing the issue with a family solicitor as soon as it arises will help you reach an amicable solution. Robert Bellhouse, family solicitor with Ware & Kay in York & Wetherby explains more. Disagreements relating to children Both parents usually have parental responsibility for their children, which means a child’s mother and father both have a duty to make important decisions about how they are raised, educated and looked after. Even parents who…

Freeing your land from old covenants

Farming is an ever-evolving business, with needs and demands often dictating that the use of the land requires change. You may want to erect new structures, change the way fields are used, or even sell off part of the land to developers. However, such plans can often be dealt a blow by the existence of a restrictive covenant – a contractual obligation which regulates what the landowner can or cannot do with their land. Andrew Little, Commercial Property Solicitor and agricultural property law specialist at Pearsons & Ward in Malton explains what a restrictive covenant is and how you can go about changing or removing them to allow you to use your land as you wish. Restrictive covenants are usually written into a transfer deed between the buyer and seller when a piece of land…