Getting a foot on the property ladder

The Council of Mortgage Lenders recently announced the number of first time buyers reached a five year high in the first two months of the year.
 
Perhaps surprisingly, first-time buyers accounted for 43% of all house purchase loans in February. Does this signal an end to the myth of would-be buyers struggling to get a foot on the property ladder? 
 
We are now seeing more lenders offering mortgages giving buyers a route to their first home and the figures are up 17% from the same period last year.
 
This encouraging news goes hand in hand with two schemes announced by the government in last month’s budget in an attempt to get the housing market moving.
 
Help to buy scheme
 
The ‘Help to Buy’ scheme offers loans worth up to 20% of the price of a new build property. Along with your 5% deposit, this allows buyers access to mortgages which will only lend up to 75% of the property value.
 
The second scheme, to be launched next year will see the government guaranteeing up to 15% of a loan to the lender.
 
Whilst these schemes will open up even more mortgage offers to enable first time buyers to get the foot on the property ladder and are clearly great news for the housing market as a whole, a note of caution should be sounded.
  
Let us remind ourselves how the last credit crisis started. You guessed it – the property bubble burst.
 
Experts warn that the chancellor's package of measures to boost the property market could instead stoke another housing bubble and leave taxpayers exposed to a future downturn in prices.
 
Some political figures take a different approach by suggesting the best way to tackle the housing crisis and help first-time buyers is to have a major programme of affordable house building.
 
However, it is clear that steps are being taken to address the problems. Here in Pudsey, we are seeing a number of new housing estates – both large and small - springing up. Hopefully this demonstrates the optimism is well placed and there is light at the end of the tunnel for first time buyers.

Pudsey Legal's conveyancing kitemark

Buying or selling a house is a big, often expensive decision, and you’ll want to know that the legal team looking after your sale or purchase is doing so to the highest possible standards.

Pudsey Legal is committed to achieving accreditations which offer its customers reassurance about the quality of service provided. So along with MASS, APIL, Resolution and the SRA's Family Law Scheme, Pudsey Legal is accredited by the Law Society’s prestigious Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS).

The CQS kitemark is a symbol of reassurance to customers that Pudsey Legal is adhering to the highest possible standards and procedures.

Law Society chief executive Desmond Hudson explains CQS on the Law Society website: “Many people assume that only solicitors do conveyancing, but there are other service providers out there who are not solicitors. CQS allows consumers who are buying a home, one of the biggest purchases of most people’s lives, to not only be assured that it is a solicitor they are using for this important legal process, but it is one which has gained recognition for the high standards it provides through CQS."

Seema Gabbi, Head of Conveyancing at Pudsey Legal says “We aim to promote a high standard of service. We want to ensure that our clients, buying and selling homes, in and around Pudsey, are informed of our skill and knowledge in this area of law. Holding CQS status from the Law Society assures them of that. We’re very proud to be wearing this badge of honour". She goes on to explain that being accredited helps to guard against fraud and says that “our clients come first”.

Nigel Beck, a director at Pudsey Legal concludes: “Buying or selling a house can feel like a complicated process. By having CQS status, we can offer even more reassurance to our clients that they are in safe hands. We’re delighted to be part of the CQS initiative”.

Hare & Hounds training update

Our Hare & Hounds challenge in support of Pudsey Live at Home, our charity of the year, is now only five weeks away and our training is stepping up a gear.
 
Last weekend Pudsey Legal director and our 'hare', Paul, ran the Blackpool marathon in a commendable time of 4 hours 19 mins for the 26 mile route. This was Paul’s first attempt on this course which he described as ‘up and down.’
 
Our 'hounds' have been slightly less enthusiastic with older members of the team (directors Nigel and Andrew!) using a variety of excuses to explain why their bikes are still in sheds gathering dust.
 
Top marks go to team members Lesley and Michael who are braving the cold mornings by ‘test driving’ our route on the canal towpath. So far they have spotted no hazards which would see us taking an early bath.
 
Richard is taking the event very seriously, having not ridden a bike for some 12 years, he has opted for a more sustained training regime involving not only cycling on road and mud tracks but also gym work and swimming.
 
Richard estimates we shall complete the ride as a group in around three hours. As Paul is hoping to complete his task in around four hours, the one hour head start we are giving him should make for a tense finish!
 
Whilst training is going well (for the majority of participants who have started it!), we need even more support to raise as much money as we can for Pudsey Live at Home. Founded in 1996, Pudsey Live at Home does amazing work helping older people in the local area to remain independent in their own homes. Pudsey Live at Home organises social activities and groups such as Tai Chi exercise classes, a walking club and computer group to help people keep both mind and body fit and active.
  
Show your support on our JustGiving page ›

Watch this space for further updates and follow our training progress on Twitter.

Guilty or not guilty?

Our eagerly awaited mock trial event with Crashaw School took place despite heavy overnight snow under the watchful eye of our resident judge, councillor Mick Coulson.
 
Pupils braved the ‘arctic’ conditions to don their wigs and gowns and act the parts with fantastic enthusiasm and wonderful initiative.
 
Playing the roles of barristers, defendants, witnesses and jury members, which were allocated in advance, pupils were tasked with learning scripts and researching the various roles and courtroom procedure. It was clear they took their responsibilities seriously and had put an awful lot of work into the event.
 
Proceedings were expertly marshalled by judge Coulson who got fully into the spirit of the occasion by threatening to send the court reporter to prison for contempt of court when his mobile rang!
 
The performance of the pupils was a credit to them and the school and our thanks go to everyone who participated. 
 
We would also like to thank teacher Andy Cox, Councillor Coulson and Stuart Andrew MP who watched proceedings from the public gallery with great interest.
 
A fantastic day made possible by the pupils who have now set the bar extremely high for next years event!
 
“This is a really innovative initiative and a great opportunity to really understand what goes into a legal trial. The children learnt to practise their research skills, to think on their feet, to analyse evidence and facts, to understand the discipline of a courtroom setting and to realise how important their decisions are in this environment. I’m delighted to have taken part.”
 
Councillor Mick Coulson

Cheers! Raising a glass at Pudsey Civic Hall

14th to 16th March saw Pudsey Legal break new ground as we became the first non 'beer related' sponsor of the annual CAMRA Leeds Beer Festival. 
 
The event has been held at Pudsey Civic Hall for the last 20 years and never fails to attract large crowds eager to sample the delights of some of Yorkshire's finest breweries.

  
The Pudsey Legal Bar was home to a wide variety of unusual sounding but fantastic tasting beers from "Old Snarler" to "Magnificent 7", brewed in honour of Yorkshire's Olympic champions.
 
Our bar was a real ale enthusiasts paradise, and there was a great atmosphere as visitors sampled the brews on offer.
 
Pudsey Legal director, Nigel Beck (who felt is was his solemn duty to attend and sample the wares!) commented, 'It was great to see the sheer number of brewery's, both large and small, demonstrating their skills and we were delighted to support the festival as it showcases  Pudsey and the finest of Yorkshire tradition and heritage.'

Have a good week
 
Nigel Beck
Director 

Our thoughts on current changes in legal aid

As of 1st April 2013 the Government will reduce the legal aid bill by £350million and this will have a considerable impact on family law. This means that people who may have been entitled to legal aid will no longer benefit from this and will be forced to pay their own legal fees following these changes.
 
The implications of this are that for many people forced to attend court for divorces, children and financial proceedings they may have to do so without having a solicitor by their side.
 
We have recently advised a client who came in to see us about some financial proceedings where they represented themselves without any legal advice. The client ended up with a less than satisfactory outcome causing great financial loss. Regrettably, we were unable to assist the client because the final decision had been made.
  
Without knowing your legal rights and the law, many people will find themselves in a similar position because the Courts and Judges are not there to give advice.
 
We fear that the potential outcome following these changes will mean that the Courts will be inundated with people trying to represent themselves and this will delay matters further. Furthermore people will no doubt get frustrated and annoyed and, as a senior Judge stated, “it will lead to people taking the law into their own hands." 
 
What the Government has done is to pledge additional funds for mediation services, as they believe that this should be an alternative way of resolving disputes rather than applying to the Court. Although this method of dispute resolution may work for some, it is not suitable for everyone. We do believe that this will assist in some cases where the parties are willing to negotiate and are amicable to one another, but unfortunately this is not always the case.
 
We believe that solicitors should offer their services on a fixed fee basis where possible to assist those going through a difficult time both emotionally and financially. Solicitors should also offer to deal with cases on a ‘Sears Tooth Agreement’ which involves the client signing an agreement at the beginning of the case confirming that the solicitor can recover their fees in full before the client receives any settlement that is awarded.
 
Pudsey Legal considers each case on its merits and offers a fee package to suit the individual circumstances. This can include anything from fixed fees, fee capping, agreed hourly rates and we can also offer flexible payment terms.

Interview experiences with Crawshaw School

Everyone can remember their first interview and this will certainly be the case for some of the year 12 pupils of Crawshaw School this week.
 
I, along with our Head of Property Seema Gabbi, attended the first of two Interview Experience events as part of Pudsey Legal’s association with the Make the Grade programme which is run by the Ahead Partnership based in Leeds.
 
The event took place at the Leeds Trinity University in Horsforth and required the pupils (lower sixth formers in ‘old money’!) from Crawshaw School travelling under their own steam from Pudsey to Horsforth to attend the mock interview at a pre-arranged time. The pupils were also required to prepare a formal written application in advance of the interview which was for the position of ‘Account Administrator’.
 
"The pupils certainly made a great effort"
 
Each session took the form of a 20 minute formal interview for each pupil followed by a further 10 minutes to provide them with constructive feedback.
  
We were able to advise the pupils on such things as how they greeted us; their use of body language; their verbal skills and particularly on whether they tried to sell themselves for the position.
 
And how did they get on? Well, the pupils certainly made a great effort to arrive smart and punctual and if anything, they had undersold themselves on their application forms.

They were excellent communicators and talked freely about where they wanted to be in the future. I was very impressed to meet a budding entrepreneur and Seema also uncovered a judo star!
 
The second round of interviews shall take place on the 6th March when it will be Farzana’s turn to meet some more of Pudsey’s up and coming talent.
 
All the best,
 
Andrew
Director

Understanding the future of whiplash claims

In December 2012 Chris Grayling (Justice Secretary) publicised new measures for reducing the number of whiplash claims. One of the key proposals to these measures is that the small claims limit be increased from £1000 to £5000.
 
So what does this mean for you?
 
Let’s take a simple road accident as an example; you are waiting at a red traffic light when a driver, who is not paying attention, slams into the rear of your car. Your car is un-drivable and you need a hire car whilst yours is off the road. In addition, you suffer an injury to your neck and are off work and lose pay as a result. The injury is quite severe and causes you problems, possibly for up to two years.
 
It is only fair that you recover any financial losses you have incurred (repair charges, loss of earning etc.). It is also only fair that you receive compensation for the pain and suffering and disruption to your lifestyle.
 
Would you be happy dealing with the claim yourself and negotiating with the insurance company?
 
What happens if the insurance company disputed any part of your claim, would you feel comfortable taking the case to court against an experienced insurance company? Don’t forget they will also have their lawyers to represent them.
 
Or would you feel more comfortable knowing that an expert and independent solicitor was representing you?
 
Under the current process if your injury claim is worth more than £1,000, the other party’s insurance company have to meet your legal costs in full if your claim is successful.
 
Under the proposed new system your injury must be worth more than £5,000 for the insurers to meet your legal costs and the above example would be caught under the new proposals i.e. your legal costs would NOT be paid by the insurers leaving you to either fight the claim on your own or pay the legal costs from your compensation.
 
The government suggest that this new cap on small claims will reduce overall claims for personal injury which in turn will reduce the number of fraudulent claims and, therefore, ensure savings for motorists through reduced insurance premiums.
 
The Motor Accident Solicitors Society has proposed a raft of reforms which would  go a long way to achieving the aims of the government without denying our injured driver access to justice. These can be seen by downloading the PDF below.

Announcing the Hare and Hounds challenge

 
We’re delighted to announce that our first major fundraising initiative for our 2013 charity Pudsey Live at Home,will be the Hare & Hounds Challenge taking place on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May.
 
Pudsey Legal director, Paul Kaye, is a keen runner who has completed many marathons, so we’ve decided to give him a bit of a challenge – all in the name of a good cause!
 
Seven members of our team, the Hounds, will cycle approximately 23 miles along the Leeds – Liverpool Canal tow path from Rodley to Skipton, stay overnight and then complete the same route back the following day. Paul, the Hare, will be challenged to run this distance on both days (we’ll give him a slight head start!) to see if he can beat the cyclists.
 
The Hare & Hounds will all be working hard to raise money for this worthwhile local cause and you can sponsor us at our Just Giving page.
 
Founded in 1996 Pudsey Live at Home does amazing work helping older people in the local area to remain independent in their own homes. Pudsey Live at Home organises social activities and groups such as Tai Chi exercise classes, a walking club and computer group to help people keep both mind and body fit and active.
 
We’ll keep you posted on how our training and fundraising is going and look forward to your support. Be sure to check our website regularly for updates – you can even follow us on Twitter @PudseyLegal to see how we are doing

The month of love?

Ahhh February. A romantic month, with Valentine’s Day and Marriage Week all snuggled up in the middle. In the office, romance, at times, hangs heavy in the air. Some make intricate plans and surprises for spouses and partners. Others look forward to being the surprised and delighted party. While a certain further contingent, put frankly, remember the “day of love” at the last minute and pop to the garage for some flowers and a card…

Full marks for the staff member who is handcrafting a card for her loved one on the basis she has no car to shop for one and it is snowing outside. Ahhh love knows no bounds!

Big tick goes to the staff member who is cooking a carefully thought through meal for his wife. This person is known for his cooking prowess (move over J Oliver!) so it doesn’t surprise us that he is sourcing ingredients locally today.

On a more serious note, we read this week that the number of couples taking out “no nups” is soaring. ‘No nups’ are aimed at the increasing amount of couples who live together before getting married. Like pre-nuptial agreements (and often called “cohabitation agreements”), no nups  can help couples to discuss and agree what happens to assets should they spilt as well as lay out who pays for what in terms of bills and expenses during the relationship.

A “try harder” badge goes to someone who has not only failed to plan romantic gestures for her partner but has also secured his agreement to ignore Valentine’s Day completely! Mind you, she is pregnant, so surely that is the ultimate romantic gesture?

The growth in these contracts is a sign of our times as social trends have to adapt in response to economic realities. More and more couples co-habit rather than marry as this is a cheaper option. More and more couples need the financial support of their parents to pull together a deposit for a house.

And if you’re in the position of “supporting parent”, what if you want to help your child but you’re not exactly 100% in love with their choice of life partner?

If you give money to your child, to put towards a house deposit for example, a cohabitation agreement can take this financial input into account if their relationship breaks down. Parents may then consider further legal advice if they’d like full financial protection, by way of a “deed of trust” to legally protect their money.

It’s fair to say that most co-habiting couples don’t think about protecting themselves if things fall apart. However, many more would if they saw how simple the process is to set up a cohabitation agreement. This is an area of law we think will grow. Some may see that as a sad thing. We see it simply as taking sensible and practical steps to safeguard you and your family’s future – whether you’re a supporting parent or the one in the relationship.

Why it’s important to make a will

Pudsey Legal Picks ‘Pudsey Live at Home’ as its 2013 Charity of the Year

To mark the start of a fresh new year in Pudsey, Pudsey Legal is delighted to announce that it will be supporting Pudsey Live at Home as its charity of the year in 2013.

Founded in 1996 the organisation does amazing work helping older people in the local area to remain independent in their own home. Pudsey Live at Home organises social activities and groups such as Thai Chi exercise classes, a walking club and computer group to help people keep both mind and body fit and active.

Nigel Beck, Founding Director of Pudsey Legal explains, “We choose Pudsey Live at Home because of the excellent work that it does in our community to help older people live an active, independent life. With over 400 members and 55 volunteers in our local community, Pudsey Live at Home is thriving and we look forward to supporting them in 2013.”

Pudsey Live at Home offers a comprehensive signposting service run in association with West Yorkshire Police called Casac, which provides a list of local suppliers and companies who have been police-checked and have promised to deliver good work at a reasonable cost.

Another useful facility provided by Pudsey Live at Home is the organisation of monthly Dementia Cafes, which provide somewhere social for people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia to go with their carer. These events are attending by someone from the Alzheimer’s Society so there is always a professional available for carers to talk to. The organisation also organises outings such as day trips to the seaside, markets and trips to the theatre.

Pat Manning, Manager of the Pudsey Live at Home Scheme said, “We are delighted with the support we are receiving from Pudsey Legal. As a firm of solicitors, they are involved in all aspects of local community life here in Pudsey and we look forward to working with them this year.”

Cash for Clubs: Sign up, support and save!

Pudsey Live at Home is our charity of the year for 2013

How to keep the peace after Christmas

Christmas can be a stressful time which can make or break relationships. Here, our family law department gives advice on how to cope if you’ve experienced relationship difficulties over the Christmas period.
 

“As well as the joy and happiness that Christmas brings, it can also bring a lot of stress and strain. Traditionally there is a rise in the number of people starting divorce proceedings in January after putting a brave face on things to get through the festivities. Spending long periods of time with family members and the financial cost of Christmas can sometimes bring things to a head. Celebrities are not immune and we saw Heidi Klum and Seal separate in January 2012 after nearly seven years of marriage whilst Russell Brand filed divorce papers on December the 30th 2011 to end his marriage to Katy Perry.
 

If you’ve found the festive period taxing on your relationship, here are some simple tips which might make all the difference in the New Year:
 

• Once all the relatives have gone, plan some things to do together so that you have some quality time together
   
• If you’ve had a hectic Christmas doing lots of entertaining, try and have a more relaxing new year so that you don’t continue to feel stressed
   
• Find a new hobby to do together in the New Year, especially if one or both of you have the ‘back to work’ blues.

It’s a fact that Britain has the highest divorce rate in the European Union Latest figures show that the number of divorces in 2011 was highest among men and women aged 40 to 44, suggesting mid life crisis could also be a key factor driving marriage splits. If you feel as though you need some support and help with your marriage, think about mediation, which is a voluntary and confidential way to try and resolve disputes  with your partner.
 
Relate is a mediation organisation which has helped thousands of people to decide what is the best next step for them and their partner. They have over 30 years of experience and I often refer couples to Relate so that they can feel sure, with the support of impartial, objective advice and guidance, that they’ve done all they can to make the right decision about the future of their marriage.