Ian Fisher celebrates 50 years with Ware & Kay

Ian Fisher, now a Consultant with Ware & Kay Solicitors with offices in York, Wetherby & Malton has recently celebrated 50 years with the firm as one of the leading Wills & Probate Practitioners in Yorkshire. Ian celebrated an evening with family and colleagues at a Greyhound Racing evening in Sheffield on 19th July where the firm sponsored a race called Ware & Kay – Fisher’s Nifty Fifty Fanfare!  Ian is the longest serving employee at Ware & Kay Solicitors. He joined the Wills & Probate department when the firm was known as Newbald Kay & Sons on 7th July 1969 at its office in Lendal, York. He studied law in evening classes at Leeds Polytechnic and later correspondence courses to complete his Chartered Legal Executive finals. He then went on to qualify as a…

Key concerns for farming businesses in 2019

Uncertainty and risk go hand in hand in the farming industry. As well as the unremitting inconsistency of the British weather, disease, changing eating habits, tax demands and outside political factors are constant worries for farmers in the UK. At Ware & Kay, our specialist agriculture lawyers are widely experienced in recognising and dealing with the many issues and risks involved in the farming sector and strive on a day-to-day basis to minimise the variety of stresses which arise for their many farming clients. Our agricultural law specialists at Pearsons & Ward Solicitors in Malton outline four current concerns for farming businesses and offer practical advice on tackling them. Uncertainty of Brexit The UK’s exit from the European Union is currently pencilled in for 31 October 2019, but with the current political turmoil circling Westminster, whether this…

Keeping it in the Family

Deciding how best to protect a farming business before a divorce or separation occurs in the family, requires careful consideration, planning and specialist advice. The most prudent advice would be to ensure as far as possible that a number of measures are taken before any dispute leading to divorce or separation arises.

Has your commercial lease been validly contracted out under the landlord and Tenant Act 1954?

In a recent case FS Stores Limited v The Designer Retail Outlet Centres (Mansfield) General Partners Limited and others [2019] the High Court considered whether six separate commercial leases had been validly contracted out of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. TFS Stores Limited (“TFS”) which trades as The Fragrance Shop is a large retail operator with over 200 stores nationwide. TFS claimed that six of its leases at a number of McArthur Glen outlet shopping centres had not been validy contracted out of the 1954 Act so that they were entitled to renew the leases at the end of the contractual term. The court was asked to consider 3 issues: Whether solicitors for the tenant, in the case of two of the tenancies, had authority in each case to accept service of the “warning…

The benefits of a clean break agreement on divorce, even if you have no assets

You may feel overwhelmed with the changes you are facing as you go through a divorce, and quite often going from a household with two incomes to one can be a struggle.  If you do not own a house or have other assets, it can be tempting to cut costs and ignore seeking advice from a solicitor in relation to a financial agreement.  Iain Cutts family law expert at Ware & Kay explains why this could be a costly mistake. 

Splitting up on good terms

  If you have decided to end your marriage, dissolve your civil partnership, or separate from the person you live with, Robert Bellhouse and the experienced family law team at Ware & Kay can help. Separating couples can find it difficult agree about how joint property such as their home and finances are to be divided. Agreeing arrangements for children is often another area of contention, as emotions run high. However, not all relationships have to end acrimoniously. The process of Collaborative law, provides an alternative way for couples to reach an agreement about their finances and arrangements for children on separation. Using the collaborative process is often quicker than going to court. Under the collaborative process each person and their solicitor attend a series of meetings. Other professionals such as accountants, pension experts and financial…

Tax planning for your inheritance

Planning how to deal with your assets in a tax efficient manner is an important but potentially complex task. An increasing number of estates will be liable to inheritance tax (IHT) on death, so it is vital to consider how your will can be drafted to reduce the amount of tax that will be taken from your estate after you die, freeing up more money for your loved ones. You can also consider whether to make gifts during your lifetime to minimise your IHT liability but this raises other tax considerations. Sian Foster, wills, trusts and estate planning solicitor with Ware & Kay (with offices in York, Wetherby & Malton), explains what you need to think about when planning for your inheritance if you wish to minimise your tax bill. Why should I think about…

The Tenant Fees Act 2019: what it means for landlords

From 1 June 2019 landlords and lettings agents are no longer able to require tenants to pay certain fees in relation to assured shorthold tenancy agreements, students lets or licences to occupy private residential housing. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 has introduced fundamental changes which ban all payments from a tenant unless they are expressly permitted. The Act applies to all new agreements entered into after 1 June 2019. For agreements entered into before 1 June, landlords will still be able to charge the fees and payments until 31 May 2020 but after that date the ban will apply. A landlord who fails to get it right now could face a financial penalty of £5,000 and may face criminal prosecution. Landlords need to take advice on the changes and ensure that tenancy agreements are compliant with the…

Changes in employment law and Brexit

Brexit has dominated the agenda and so, when it comes to introducing new employment law, April 2019 is unusually quiet compared to previous years. However, as Gillian Reid, employment law expert with Ware & Kay in York & Wetherby explains, the government has found time for a few changes. Gill also outlines the anticipated effect of Brexit on UK employment law and the implications for EU workers in the UK. April 2019 changes Employers need to be ready for changes which are expected to come into effect from the following dates: 1 April 2019 increase in the national living wage for workers aged 25 and over from £7.83 to £8.21 per hour; increase in the national minimum wage for workers aged at least 21 but under 25 from £7.38 to £7.70 per hour; increase in…

Is your Will as tax efficient as it can be?

Nobody likes to pay any more tax than is necessary. We can help you to ensure your Will is as tax efficient as possible. Inheritance Tax (IHT) IHT is charged on your death at 40% on the value of your assets which exceed your tax allowances. Individuals currently have a nil rate band (NRB) allowance (of £325,000. In April 2017, an additional allowance was made available if your family home is left to your Direct Descendants. This additional allowance is called the residence nil rate band (RNRB) Rate of RNRB The RNRB is currently worth an extra £150,000 and it will be increased to £175,000 from 6th April 2020. It is not available for estates of over £2.2 million. However any unused RNRB can be carried forward for use in the estate of a surviving spouse…