Dementia Awareness Week Scotland - Powers of Attorney

Given that we are in the midst of Dementia Awareness Week Scotland, which runs from 29th May until the 4th of June 2017, it seems a good time to discuss Powers of Attorney and to reflect on the benefits of having a valid Power of Attorney in place.

Continue reading

Share prices fall as UK insurers hit back at change in personal injury rate

UK insurers have attacked the UK Government over their changes to the Discount Rate, a move that will cost the industry millions of pounds, and will see price increases in premiums for individual and business customers. This is the first time the rate has changed since 2001, and has been calculated based on the decline in strength of low risk investment schemes such as Investment-Linked Gilks.

Continue reading

Research Reveals Evolution in Housing and Mortgage Markets

New research into recent trends in the housing and mortgage lending markets has revealed that borrowing into older age is likely to be much more common over the next ten years.

Continue reading

Scottish Company Fined after Worker Seriously Injured

A Scottish construction company has appeared in Dundee Sheriff Court on health and safety charges after a worker was injured in a trench collapse.

Continue reading

Housing Market Confidence Stabilises

New research from Halifax has revealed that confidence in the UK housing market has stabilised following a record decline.

Continue reading

Workers’ Memorial Day

Friday 28th April was Workers’ Memorial Day, which is an annual international event that provides an opportunity to reflect on the many people who are killed, seriously injured or made ill while simply doing their jobs.

Continue reading

Exposure to Asbestos Continues to Put Lives at Risk

A recent BBC report highlighted the number of people who are continuing to suffer serious, and often, fatal illnesses as a result of exposure to asbestos.

Continue reading

Gender Pay Gap Reporting

April has been a busy month in the employment world with a few material changes emerging from it, one being, employers of larger work forces (250 or more) being obliged to provide the Government with information regarding gender pay gap.

Continue reading

Update on Help to Buy (Scotland) Scheme

In a move that aims to help more families onto the housing ladder, the Scottish Government has announced that the price cap on properties eligible for the Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme will remain at £200,000 in 2018/19.

Continue reading

Driver who Wins Unfair Dismissal Case Against Bus Firm, Faces Tax Bill

A Renton bus driver has won nearly £7000 in an unfair dismissal case brought against bus firm McColl’s travel, based in Dumbarton. As it has transpired, Steven Glover now faces a financial headache after the case has uncovered a tax black hole which has come around after years of incorrect salary deductions.

Continue reading

First Time Buyers Look to Family for Financial Help

New research has highlighted the difficulties experienced by some first time buyers as they try to take that all-important first step on the housing ladder.

Continue reading

Statistics Reveal Fall in Number of Personal Injury Cases

There was a fall in the number of personal injury cases initiated in the Scottish civil courts in 2015-16, according to the latest civil justice statistics from Scotland’s Chief Statistician.

Continue reading

Proximity to a Farmers Market Can Boost House Prices

New research by Zoopla has found that properties located close to a popular farmers market could be worth up to 26% more than the average home in the same county.

Continue reading

Rise in New Build Home Completions

The latest Quarterly Housing Statistics from Scotland’s Chief Statistician have revealed that 16,309 new build homes were completed in the 12 months to September 2016. This is an increase of 1% on the 16,152 homes completed in the previous year.

Continue reading

Protecting EU Consumers from Dangerous Products

The European Commission has recently published its latest report on the Rapid Alert System for dangerous products.

Continue reading

Succession in Scotland following the Succession (Scotland) Act 2016

The Succession (Scotland) Act 2016, which came into full effect in November 2016, has introduced a number of important changes to Succession law in Scotland. The Act marks the first major change to this area of law since the Succession (Scotland) Act 1964.

Continue reading

Mobile phones are a Fatal Distraction

Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart has described using a hand-held mobile phone while in control of a vehicle as a fatal distraction.

Continue reading

Employee, worker or self-employed? The Question is back in the courts

With the growth in the “gig economy”, more and more businesses are utilising innovative contractual arrangements to maintain their workforce. Big names like Uber and Deliveroo have been at the forefront of this development. In recent months though, persons working within the gig economy have been taking legal action with a view to enforcing employment rights for themselves and for their co-workers. Pimlico Plumbers v Smith represents the latest skirmish in this battle.

Continue reading

Compensation for Medical Negligence

The care received in hospitals in the UK is generally of a high standard, but sometimes mistakes are made, which can have tragic consequences for patients and their families.

Continue reading

Shortage of Houses Continues to Pose Problems

A lack of properties coming onto the housing market is continuing to prove problematic, according to the latest Residential Market Survey by RICS.

Continue reading