Advances in technology mean that rural Yorkshire is these days a viable location for large scale solar farms – so yet another string is added to the diversification bow. However, the scale and longevity of such schemes means that greater care needs to...
Each year Legal 500 publish a report focused on the quality of advice and nature of work undertaken by leading law firms in the UK, including our own. Legal 500 base their assessment, to a significant extent, on feedback given directly to Legal 500 by our...
Legal 500 have just published their latest report (‘the 2023 edition’) and the firm has, once again, achieved a strong showing. We have received formal recognition of our excellent service delivery and high technical standards across nine...
My parents’ Wills set up a trust for the family home to help with care fees planning. Will I have to pay second home stamp duty rates on the purchase of my own property as I am a beneficiary of a property under my parents Will? This is a question we...
Unsurprisingly, the restrictions on forfeiture of business tenancies for non-payment of rent are to continue in England until 30 June 2021 - but what is likely to happen after that? Central government are likely to want to avoid an abrupt cliff-edge...
Our Agricultural, Commercial and Private Client Teams have been successful in winning new instructions in the Ryedale area in recent months. As a result, we have opened a base in Malton so that we can more easily look after our clients and contacts in the...
Hopefully the vaccine rollmout means the threat of Covid-19 will recede as we move further into 2021. However, media stories over the past year, and possibly personal experiences, will have underlined the important and beneficial role of having your affairs...
Legal 500 undertake an independent assessment of the reputation and quality of service of leading UK law firms. Their latest report, published in September 2020, recognises the quality of our service across seven practice areas, as defined by their research...
The British farming industry has proven its clout during the Covid-19 pandemic, not only as a producer of quality food, but also as a resilient, forward thinking sector which contributes significantly to the British economy. As farmers, in these...
Across the country, landowners have seen public rights of way used more than ever in the last couple of months due to the country’s population exercising from home and exploring their local areas because of the lockdown restrictions. Whilst some...
All our offices are open for pre-arranged appointments as well as for telephone or video meetings. Contact us as normal by phone or email and we will happily arrange a scheduled meeting to discuss your matter. Please bear in mind that, with...
There has been a lot of coverage in the business media about commercial tenants seeking to change the payment of rents under leases and of commercial landlords trying to ensure they are protecting anticipated income as much as possible. Obviously it tends to...
One of Yorkshire’s best-known agricultural solicitors has joined Harrowells Solicitors. Jenni Bartram, a long-standing member of the Agricultural Law Association and former president of the Yorkshire Law Society, joined Harrowells in February...
Budgets can be tight when buying or selling residential property , so it can tempting to go for the cheapest quote when selecting your conveyancing service. However, as with so much in life, cutting corners can result in unexpected expense and hassle. In...
We are long term supporters of Fashion City York, an initiative to co-ordinate the promotion of York’s fashion retailers to locals and visitors alike. The centrepiece of that promotion is York Fashion Week with a series of workshops, runway shows and...
Selling your leasehold property may seem like a daunting task. You will have been aware of the issues involved when you first purchased your leasehold property. Being adequately prepared prior to instructing a solicitor will help ease any added stress...
The Christmas and New Year break often gives a chance to pause and reflect. For some, it means thinking about moving to their ‘perfect place’, perhaps a type of property or a particular location they have always had in their sights. The extended...
Think you would not be affected by a ‘No deal’ Brexit because your business is not directly reliant on exports or imports or heavily dependent on staff from other EU countries? If you are in this situation, be careful to think about what are...
Every year Legal 500 assess the reputation and quality of client service of the top 10% of UK law firms using a mix of primary research and feedback from a sample of law firms’ clients. The latest report has just been published and I am pleased to...
We are all aware that the process of ‘Brexit’ is likely to involve considerable change whatever the short term and longer term outcomes. The challenge for business owners and senior managers is deciding how to prioritise and plan. Trying to...
We won 'Overall Conveyancing Firm of the Year - Gold Award' at the Law Firm Services National Conveyancing Awards at The Vox Conference Centre, NEC Birmingham on Wednesday 19th September. This follows on from winning the silver category at last...
Earlier this year property agents Knight Frank published a report on ‘retirement housing’, covering everything from age-restricted over-55 housing to ‘housing with care’. Their key finding was that homes purpose built for retirement...
If you are the landlord of commercial premises, there are situations where you will want to terminate a current tenancy at or following the end of a contractual term, even if your tenant is reliable and is not defaulting on rent or other obligations. For...
York was acclaimed Britain’s ‘best place to live’ in a Sunday Times league table earlier this year because of its ‘perfect mix of heritage and hi-tech’. Inevitably this has further boosted the city’s popularity with...
We are delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted for this year's Yorkshire Legal Awards in two categories: Private Client and Residential Property . Organised by Barker Brooks Communications, publishers of Leeds & Yorkshire Lawyer ...
Buying an existing retail business can be a sound commercial move as it often means you have immediate access to customers familiar with the shop’s brand and location. However, in these situations you will often be taking over a leasehold premise and...
In our experience, the single biggest threat to a property transaction completing successfully is the sudden revelation of a ‘last minute’ problem elsewhere in the property ‘chain’. These can revolve around mortgage finance, other...
Rising affluence has given increased opportunity for individuals to pass on wealth to chosen members of their family. Unfortunately, in our experience, this has also led to a rising number of wills that are being challenged by those either not included in a...
Every September, the prestigious LFS National Conveyancing Conference brings together law firms, mortgage lenders and related specialist IT and data providers from across the UK. The highlight is the presentation of coveted national and regional awards. In...
Harrowells has been shortlisted for the ‘Best Marketing, Website and Social Media’ category in this year’s Law Firm Services annual conveyancing awards. To be shortlisted, law firms have had to demonstrate to judges a coherent approach to...
Whether they are buying, leasing or selling commercial property, our job is to help our clients strike the right deal for their business and to deal with any issues that might threaten to delay or compromise a successful conclusion. Where transactions rely...
We sometimes get asked why documents like driving licences, utility bills and bank statements need to be shown to our solicitors when buying or selling residential property. The short answer is: to defend you against cybercrime and identity fraud. In a...
Government rules concerning what types of property need HMO licences are changing this autumn. Make sure you are not caught out. The current rules cover properties that are three or more storeys high, have 5 or more people in more than 1 household and share...
Property fraud – where someone mortgages or sells a property you own without you being aware and pockets the proceeds – is still relatively rare but is on the rise. You are at potential risk if the property is rented out or not mortgaged or...
We have expanded our Private Client Department with the appointment of a new partner. Philip Nelson (pictured left with Head of Department Ed Ryder) lives near York and joins from specialist national private client law firm, Wrigleys, Leeds....
We have scooped two major home conveyancing awards, one for the second year in succession. We have become Yorkshire and North East Regional Firm of The Year in the Law Firm Services National Conveyancing Awards, an accolade we previously...
Larger than average gardens, existing outbuildings and land can be very attractive features of many rural properties for sale. If you are looking for residential/commercial development or conversion potential though, have an early discussion with the...