Did you know that the word bungalow is a throwback to Britain’s Colonial past? The bungalow came into the English language in the late 17th century from the Hindi word bangla, meaning belonging to Bengal. The word was used to describe the type of cottage built for early European settlers and traders in eastern India. The…
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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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April 5, 2018
March 22, 2018
In 2014 the Ministry of Justice introduced a 26-week time limit on care proceedings, but figures for July to September last year show that more than a third of cases went beyond this deadline. To address the problem a document outlining a more collaborative approach between ADCS (Association of Directors of Children`s Services) and Cafcass…
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March 22, 2018
The Hertfordshire legend of the notorious Nomansland highway robber, Lady Katherine Ferrers, persists some 350 years after her death. The pub named after her, The Wicked Lady, still stands on Nomansland Common between Sandridge and Wheathampstead, to the north of St Albans, as a permanent reminder to passing motorists and hikers. Several novels based loosely…
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March 19, 2018
You may have heard of Wat Tyler and the Peasants` Revolt of 1381, but it is unlikely that you will know the name John Ball and his connections to the uprising as he has all but disappeared from history. Few facts are known about John Ball`s early life, with some historians claiming that he was…
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March 8, 2018
Research recently undertaken by commercial property analysts CoStar has revealed that office rents in Hertfordshire are rising faster than in any other part of the UK. Average rents across the county for 2017 stood at £21.56 per sq ft, an increase of 17.2% over the previous 12 months. Office rents further north in Luton and…
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March 7, 2018
International Women’s Day is held on March 8th each year to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It is also seen as a call to action to accelerate gender equality across the globe. The day serves to remind the world of the many injustices still suffered by women and girls, be…
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March 6, 2018
Maggie Coombes, Accounts & Practice Manager at Bretherton Law, has retired after 44 years’ service with the company. Past and present members of staff joined Maggie to celebrate her retirement at the St Michaels Manor Hotel in St Albans. Joining the business in 1973 when Bretherton & Co had a staff of…
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March 4, 2018
The property market may be going through an unusual period at present, with calls to streamline and simplify the conveyancing process, stricter regulation for estate agents, and demands to reform leasehold property laws, not to mention the huge increase in online property sales. And we’re still a long way from knowing the effect Brexit will…
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February 20, 2018
Anyone who applied to register a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) between 1st April 2013 and 31st March 2017 could be entitled to a refund of up to £108, after cost savings made by the Office of the Public Guardian were not passed on to consumers. The OPG is the public body which registers Lasting…
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February 12, 2018
A report by the Local Government Association has revealed that over the last two years nearly one in ten new homes was converted from what had previously been office accommodation. Where such conversions were carried out there had been no provision for affordable housing, nor any corresponding investment in infrastructure such as schools, transport or…
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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
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 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
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
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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
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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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
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
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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
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