The government has stepped back from a pledge to abolish leaseholds and replace them with a new system of commonhold property ownership. Despite previous criticisms of England’s “feudal” property system the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has put any major reforms on hold, citing concerns over the legal complexities involved. Ownership of a…
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Latest News
We regularly produce news articles related to local topics or legal updates. The articles are always published on this blog but we also publish on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In so please do follow or like us!
We also publish a quarterly enewsletter where we summarise our most popular articles which we hope will be relevant to you and your family, and very occasional emails about our current offers or events.
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May 22, 2023
May 5, 2023
At the end of April the Ministry of Justice announced that an additional £6 million would be made available to people looking to provide care for vulnerable children within their extended family group. Under the plans funding for free legal advice will be provided to family members seeking to offer a long-term stable home to…
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May 1, 2023
Bretherton Law’s experienced and reputable child law team specialises in cases involving social services, including child protection, PLO and care proceedings. We understand parents’ rights against social services and represent families across London and the Northern Home Counties including Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Essex and Oxfordshire. If you and your family are experiencing social services’ intervention…
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April 27, 2023
Successive governments have come under pressure to increase the number of homes available in the UK. In their manifestos for the 2019 elections all the main parties pledged to increase the supply of housing, with the Conservatives aiming to add 300,000 housing units per year and more than one million over the course of their…
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April 24, 2023
The launch of a new, not-for-profit, organisation called Now Foster is aimed at encouraging a new generation of foster carers to come forward. The focus will be on people who have not previously considered becoming foster carers, and those who now have the time and resources to make a difference to the lives of young…
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March 30, 2023
The Hertfordshire village of Wheathampstead has been included in The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list for 2023, published on March 25th. Situated just a few miles north of St Albans, Wheathampstead has been listed among the best eleven locations in the south-east, as well as one of the top 72 places in the…
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March 23, 2023
Hertfordshire County Council’s Children’s Services department has been given an “Outstanding” rating for overall effectiveness following an unannounced inspection by Ofsted in January. This is an improvement on the ranking of “Good” which the council had been given four years ago, and is the highest classification available. The review places Hertfordshire Children’s Services among the…
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March 15, 2023
A new law came into force in February which raises the legal age of marriage to 18 in England and Wales. The introduction of the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 means that 16 and 17 year olds will no longer be able to marry or enter a civil partnership, even with parental…
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March 8, 2023
The latest Wealth and Assets Survey carried out on behalf of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) claims that gifts and informal loans from family members have further skewed the pattern of home ownership in the UK. Between 2018 and 2020 annually funds and assets worth £17 billion were passed between family members, an increase…
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February 20, 2023
A two-year programme, backed by £200 million of government funds, has been launched with the aim of transforming the children’s care system. Under the plans vulnerable children will be given more support to stay with their families, using early intervention as a way of avoiding crisis actions later on. The proposals follow three independent reviews…
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We recently used Bretherton Law for a sale and purchase. We were really pleased with the service received. The team were responsive and professional at all times. They took the time to answer any queries we had in detail to ensure we fully understood everything. Most importantly, there was a sense or urgency throughout the whole process. We would highly recommend Bretherton Law.
Adam
My name is Ruth Palmer Cooper. I am posting this review to publicly confirm that this solicitors is simply the best in St Albans. I have had the pleasure of dealing with Mr Osman Dervish and his team for the past 18 months. Throughout the entire process , Mr Dervish has been outstanding. He is a remarkable solicitor who answered various queries and handled all of the ups and downs with great professionalism and clarity. He supported me through so many very tricky moments and explained everything to me in a way that I could understand. He is polite and courteous.I would recommend him highly and the company are very lucky to have such a brilliant solcitor working within their establishment. Many thanks for making this whole episode so much more bearable.
william palmer cooper
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I have done three conveyancing transactions and handled a Probate via Bretherton Law in the last 6-8 months. Bretherton Law is probably not the cheapest option in either case, but you do get the service and attention you pay for. Both Anne Stockley (Probate) and Isobel Doherty (Conveyancing) were outstanding and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.
Joe Hames
We recently completed on the sale of a flat and the purchase of a house, with Osman Dervish acting for us. Osman was responsive, professional and commercial to ensure the transaction was done as efficiently as possible. He faced an inexperienced and extremely rude solicitor who acted for our purchaser but always maintained a cool and professional manner notwithstanding how infuriating she was! This really helped to ensure we worked our way through the issues she created. Brethertons were also good value. Highly recommended.
Sarah Wright
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Sandra Bradley and team, assisted my partner and I through a very difficult time. They guided us through a very complex arena that was completely foreign to us with professional dedication and compassion throughout. I still have them on speed dial and would use Bretherton Law for all my legal needs in the future and have recommended to many family and friends already, who have also had a highly positive experience.
Richard Saunders
We are so pleased to have worked again with Osman Dervish at Bretherton Law.
Osman always goes out of his way to support us when buying or selling and is such an incredibly nice gentleman to converse with.
Thanks for all your support Osman. D Grant
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Huge thanks to Lucy Madley and her team. They were friendly, helpful and proactive, keeping us informed at every turn and we have now bought our first house. I would recommend happily to friends and family.
Jack du Pille
Sandra Bradley and her team were extremely knowledgeable and efficient. Her care, consideration and professionalism were outstanding. I felt totally supported & extremely well represented throughout a very complex & complicated case for nine months. Words cannot express my gratitude for the result she achieved. Highly recommend to everyone.
Jen Bullock
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I know this law firm cover many different areas which I would use if I ever needed them. I can never thank Sandra Bradley enough for her professionalism and hours of work over the past 6 months in what was a complex family case. Her support was incredible she was always honest and never gave false hope. I have every confidence in recommending this law firm and will go back to them if I ever need further help or advice. Thank you once again. Dawn
Dawn Brett
Serving Communities
We have been advising our local communities in the Northern Home Counties and London for over fifty years but now, from our base in St Albans, we also serve clients across England and Wales