Latest Articles
The Autumn Budget 2024: What it means for you and your Estate Planning
On Wednesday 30th October, the delivery of the Autumn Budget 2024 saw the Chancellor Rachel Reeves announce major tax changes, most notably in relation to Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax. The changes ...
Private Client ‘Jargon Buster’
Explore and download our 'Jargon Buster' where we break down common legal terms used in will drafting, probate and estate administration to help you better ...
How much is too much?
Liz O'Connor, Partner at RDP Law discusses does 'money make the world go round' or is it the 'the root of all evil'? This is ...
Holiday Checklist
Katie Love explores why it is so important to have a Will in place when planning your annual family holiday. Choosing the right location, the ...
Where there’s a Will…
The start of a new year traditionally brings hope of a fresh start and better times. With 2024 expected to be another year of ...
Safeguard Your Future
A report by the Alzheimer’s Society revealed that it is projected that over 1 million people in the UK will be suffering with dementia by ...
A Day in the Life of a Trainee Solicitor
Each day as a trainee solicitor at RDP Law is stimulating and engaging, and no day is ever truly the same. However, a day ...
A Fresh Start for 2023
The start of a new year traditionally brings hope of a fresh start and better times. With 2023 expected to be another year of uncertainty, ...
A New Dawn for Renewable Energy
Renewable energy - keeping on trend Renewable energy schemes have become an increasingly "on trend" subject for landowners and the agricultural community since the start ...
Trust Registration Service
Who does it affect? Rules were introduced on 6 October 2020 extending the scope of trust registration with TRS to all UK express trusts and ...
Further Extension to Residential Tenancy Notice Periods in Wales
The extended six month notice period that residential landlords are required to give tenants to commence possession proceedings has been further extended by the Welsh ...
COP26
As COP26 takes place in Glasgow with world leaders coming together to discuss how our nations can reduce the impact of climate change, Hannah Curtis, ...
Why Agricultural Shows Matter
As the sun soon rises on the annual Usk Show, we talk about why agricultural shows matter to our farming and rural clients, to us ...
What to do when someone dies
We know how difficult it is to lose a loved one and understand that dealing with their estate can be a difficult and an often ...
An eye on the UK – is it good enough to be “adequate”?
Anyone with a passing interest in data protection compliance, or anyone who works in an organisation that receives / uses personal data from outside the ...
Make Your Move
With lockdown forcing people to work from home, many are now choosing to upsize their property. Natasha Bunclark, solicitor at RDP Law, advises how you ...
New phosphate guidance in Wales – a red flag for developers
January saw the release of National Resources Wales (NRW)'s "Compliance Assessment of Welsh Rivers Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) against Phosphorus Targets". The assessment, which ...
Use it or lose it – ‘Right to Regenerate’ consultation issued by Housing Secretary
I was particularly interested by the Housing Secretary’s recent announcement of a consultation on the possibility of the public being able to convert vacant plots ...
2021. Starting the Year Right.
After a tumultuous 2020, the start of a new year brings hope of a fresh start and better times in 2021. Looking to the future ...
Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitation (DNAR) orders, have you had the conversation with your loved ones?
A recent investigation carried out by the Care Quality Commission into the controversial application of Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitation (DNAR) orders on care home residents during the pandemic ...
‘Lasting Powers of Attorney for Health & Welfare’ and the huge importance they can carry in today’s world
The story of a 73 year old daughter who was arrested after she tried to remove her 97 year old mother from a care home ...
Virtual Witnessing of Wills Permitted During COVID-19
The recent announcement by the UK government (on 25th July 2020) confirming that temporary legislation has been introduced allowing people to virtually witness wills has ...
The Importance of Succession Planning
RDP’s Head of Agriculture and Private Client, Sioned Thomas answers some of the common questions asked around Succession Planning. 1. What is Succession Planning? A ...
Getting your affairs in order during lockdown – FAQs
Our private client specialists consider some of the common queries families have on Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Probate whilst in lockdown. 1. My ...
The impact of COVID-19 on commercial leases
Given the current circumstances, many commercial tenants are expected to suffer from reduced turnover and increased cash flow problems. There is now a considerable strain ...
The impact of COVID-19 on residential tenancies
Residential tenants already benefit from quite favourable statutory protection. However, given the current circumstances with many tenants struggling more than ever with meeting their monthly ...
COVID-19 Advice Series: Key steps for business owners
The Covid-19 outbreak has caused a lot of uncertainty for many people and is having a huge effect on businesses, small and large across the ...
COVID-19 Advice Series: Are you business ready for Coronavirus?
It could be said that the first quarter of 2020 has been somewhat challenging. With the World Health Organisation last week declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, ...
Commercial Lasting Powers of Attorney – Getting Down to Business
As the awareness and popularity of Lasting Powers of Attorneys steadily grows, business owners are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of putting in place ...
Welsh 2020 Commercial and Residential Property Forecasts
Leading property agent, Savills, has given its residential and commercial property predictions for the coming year. Last week Savills outlook event took place, at which ...
Rule Changes February 2020 : Spouse Inheritance Sum Rises to £270,000
On the 6th February 2020 a rule change came into play meaning the fixed inheritance sum for a surviving spouse rose to £270,000 if there ...
Why making a Will should be top of your New Year’s Resolutions list
It’s that time of year again for fresh starts and resolutions. This year, why not make one resolution that you can easily stick to and ...
Freezer clauses in Options – landowner’s guide
I’m increasingly seeing, when negotiating and drafting option agreements over land, a new clause finding its way into the drafting, which reflects, perhaps, a growing ...
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 – Your Duties as a Landlord
The Use and Control of Asbestos Asbestos was commonly used in building materials, insulation and electrical products. Many industries utilised asbestos for its properties, which ...
Single Farm Payments – ‘The Welsh Way’
The last few weeks have provided the people of Wales with much to think about in respect of decisions made by the Welsh Government. The ...
Planning Permission – A Conveyancer’s Guide
Planning permissions predominantly take two forms: An outline permission. This is best thought of as an application that seeks to establish the principle of a ...
Digital Assets
Have you ever thought about what happens to your digital assets on death? We do more and more on-line, and assets and personal information are ...
Planning agreements explained..
A planning agreement is a document that contains planning obligations, which bind land. It is usually entered into between a landowner and a local planning ...
Brexit and Our Land Consultation
On 10 July, the Welsh Government launched a consultation seeking views on their proposals for a post Brexit land management programme for Wales called ‘Brexit ...
To Gift or Not to Gift
In a recent ruling, a son appointed as attorney under his elderly mother’s Lasting Power of Attorney successfully applied to the Court of Protection for ...
Japanese Knotweed and Liability – Clarity in the Law?
Following a recent Court of Appeal decision originating from a decision handed down at the Cardiff County Court, some clarity has been provided on the ...
Conveyancing FAQs – everything you need to know
How do I know if my property is registered? The Land Registry hold an online database of all properties that are registered. This is something ...
Minimum Energy Efficient Standard (MEES) – A Guide for Landlords
The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) came into effect in England and Wales on 1st April 2018. This makes it illegal to rent either commercial ...
WAG Proposal to Disapply TAN 6.2
The Welsh Assembly Government has launched a consultation into the temporary disapplication of paragraph 6.2 of its Technical Advice Note 1 (“TAN”), the document that ...
The importance of a will when your family is expanding
It’s probably not at the top of your ‘to do’ list but, as your family expands, it is important to consider making or reviewing an ...
Silence in the context of settlement – to mediate or not to mediate?
A recent Court of Appeal decision has sent a firm warning to litigants and their legal advisers in respect of the use of Alternative Dispute ...
Brexit: Challenges and Opportunities for Agriculture
29th March 2019 will herald Brexit, at least for now. Any lawyer monitoring discussions between Brussels and Westminster can recognise a protracted mediation in full ...
Did you know July is Scams Awareness Month?
To reduce your risk of becoming a victim of property fraud, you can: Sign up to the Land Registry’s free property alert service - the ...
The power In your pocket – social media has changed the world, don’t let it damage your business
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - they connect us to friends old and new and give our businesses access to customers and markets we couldn't have dreamed ...
Enforcing property rights: can you still get an injunction?
If you own or occupy a property, and someone else's actions (or inactions) are causing you problems, then an injunction is your ultimate legal weapon. ...
On the line
The farmer's 'hedge and ditch' rule is still used to determine the line of a boundary. There is an old rule, or presumption, dating from ...
Claiming your fair share from an estate
Cases involving wills and estate disputes often hit the headlines. These are typically 'family at war' stories, where one or more family members were cut ...
Suspicious wills, and how to challenge them
When someone dies, their will can sometimes be a surprise to family members. The children of the deceased might be given only small bequests, with ...
Stamp duty changes: the effect on second home owners, landlords and the rental market
On 1 April 2016 a new higher rate of stamp duty was introduced for second homes. The change to the duty - formally called Stamp ...
Welsh landlords need to “rent smart”
A new scheme is in force for rented domestic properties in Wales. It means that landlords must be registered and licensed, and if they manage ...
Law catches up with Airbnb landlords
The popularity of Airbnb shows no signs of slowing. The holiday lettings website has given many people an extra income stream, allowing them to rent ...
Bringing the law of property “into the 21st Century”
Property owners are expecting the Government shortly to introduce significant changes to property law. The Queen's Speech included a proposal for legislation to implement the ...
Council liable to compensate property owner for emergency closure of commercial premises
The Supreme Court has set out the circumstances in which a local authority must compensate property owners where it forces them to close down their ...
‘Last will and testament’ – but not the last word
There are more and more disputes over wills, new figures show. The number of claims issued in the High Court increased by 10% in 2015 ...
Get ready for the online court!
The Government and the judiciary have announced that the civil courts are to be automated, with cases put online by 2020. The plan is ‘digitise’ ...
Landlord not liable for injury caused by property defect
A residential tenant will often seek to blame their landlord if they are injured by a defect at the property. But where the landlord is ...
Fixed costs: more fix, less cost
The courts have been concerned for some time about costs in litigation spiralling ever upwards. The press love to highlight legal cases where costs are ...
