The new Contract Disputes guide has been published. Read more...

By Lawyers are delighted to announce the release of our two comprehensive guides to UK Immigration law, providing practitioners with detailed but easy to follow commentary and a complete suite of precedents for managing any immigration matter, from initial engagement to final determination. Read more...

An exciting and useful new guide to Leasehold property disputes has been published, with extensive commentary discussing commercial and residential properties from the point of view of both landlord and tenant clients. Matter plans which are tailored to acting for landlord or tenant claimants and defendants will assist practitioners to ensure that the right precedent is used at the right time. The commentary covers: Overviews of the court and tribunal systems, funding and alternative dispute resolution; Breaches of lease covenants by tenants; Breaches of lease covenants by landlords; Remediation and forfeiture; Commercial dilapidations and residential hazard reporting; Going to court under Parts 7 and 8 of the Civil Procedure Rules; Going to the First-tier tribunal. A number of precedents are included such as: Initial letters before action; Letters of response covering various situations; Notice before forfeiture under s 146 of the Law of Property Act 1925; Counter-notice claiming the benefit of the Leasehold Property (Repairs) Act 1938; Notice of landlord’s breaches of repairing covenants; Notice to former tenant regarding goods left and commercial premises; Example content for particulars of claim for a variety of circumstances; Quantified demand and schedule of dilapidations; Tenant’s response to dilapidations documents; Notice before tribunal application under s 22 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985; All the standard forms and letters for court and tribunal proceedings. We invite you to explore this new publication and to consider the wealth of assistance the Leasehold Property Disputes publication offers.

The Sale of Property, Purchase of Property, Mortgages and Leases guides have been enhanced with the inclusion of guidance around the Safe Harbour Standard which is being introduced by HM Land Registry. The standard is designed to assist practitioners in meeting the strict requirements for verifying client identification and provides practical clarity in this area.

By Lawyers has added a new document called ‘Enclosure – General advice to buyers’ to the ‘Getting the matter underway’ folder of the Purchase of Land Guide. This enclosure gives clients a basic overview of the various issues that may arise during the purchase transaction and will be useful for practitioners in explaining some of the conveyancing terms and concepts.

Both the Wills and Probate publications have been augmented with a treatise on challenging the validity of a will. This includes an appreciation of The Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987 which apply where there is no challenge or question as to the validity of a will. Read more...

The Nuptial agreements publication was recently reviewed by UK author Robin Charrot of Evolve Family Law with particular focus on law and practice as it currently applies to nuptial and cohabitation agreements in England and Wales. Although there is no indication that legislation is imminent regarding binding Qualifying Nuptial Agreements as envisioned by The Law Commission, By Lawyers continues to maintain a watching brief over all UK legislation to keep users informed and our publications up to date.

By Lawyers has published a new publication: Trusts. With a comprehensive commentary and precedents, the Trusts publication deals with establishing a new trust, amending an existing trust, and bringing a trust to an end through vesting or termination. Read more...

The Financial remedy guide has been enhanced to include recent case law and additional guidance on protecting the family home

Important updates to By Lawyers Care Proceedings guide, from practical new AI prompts, to expanded guidance on accommodations for neurodiversity at court locations, contact arrangements, and appeals.

Practitioners now benefit from a section of the Looking to the Future commentary that has a breakdown of the relevant pledges from the manifesto documents of the main political parties. Read more…

Our recent spring clean of the Private child arrangements guide has seen additions to the commentary including case law, guidance around spotting and responding to parental alienation, and applying for barring orders under s 91(14) of the Children Act 1989.

Two new precedent Deeds of Easement have been made available on the Sale of Land matter plan: a general deed of easement which can be adapted to suit the grant of standard rights between grantor and grantee; and a deed of easement which incorporates mutual obligations for positive covenants to run with land.

We are pleased to announce a new Short residential tenancy disputes guide, with detailed commentary including rent arrears, noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour and deposit disputes. Repossession proceedings are stepped through in detail when acting for the landlord and acting for the tenant. Tribunal and court proceedings are discussed, as well as the current impact of COVID-19. The comprehensive matter plan is divided into two folders; Acting for the landlord and Acting for the tenant. Precedents that practitioners will find useful include: Letters and notices to tenants in breach of their tenancy agreements; Letters and enclosures for a rent repayment plan; Letters and enclosures relating to the use of a deposit protection dispute resolution scheme; A library of carefully drafted common possession notices under both s 8 and s 21 of the Housing Act 1988; A full suite of litigation letters and documents, and example content for claim forms and defences. This Short residential tenancy disputes guide is an invaluable resource for practitioners who regularly conduct landlord and tenant matters, as well as those with limited experience or those supervising junior lawyers. We invite you to explore the new guide. Comments and feedback are always welcomed.

We are very pleased to announce the release of the Short Residential Tenancies guide to complement our many comprehensive Conveyancing and Property guides. This guide covers all aspects of practice and procedure when preparing, managing and ending a short residential tenancy. The commentary is practical and easy to understand and is supported by numerous helpful precedents. Key content includes: Commentary on the types of short-term residential tenancies; Guidance on creating short-term residential tenancies; Tenancy agreements to suit various situations; An inventory and inspection report to assist with managing a tenancy; and Notices to end a tenancy. The Short Residential Tenancies guide is an invaluable resource for all practitioners who wish to prepare, manage and end a short residential tenancy. We invite you to explore the new guide. Comments and feedback are always welcomed.