With no changes to inheritance tax announced in the recent Budget below is a summary of the allowances and exemptions currently in place. At present each individual is allowed the first £325,000 of their estate free of inheritance tax, referred to as the Nil Rate Band. Inheritance tax at 40% is usually payable on any…
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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 6, 2021
March 23, 2021
The Times newspaper has announced a drive to clean up the property buying and selling process in England and Wales, with a campaign it calls Get Britain Moving. It says the focus of the campaign will be 3-fold: to Speed Up and Streamline the process, and in doing so Save Money. The covid pandemic and…
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March 5, 2021
Much-needed help for High Street businesses to reopen has been announced by chancellor Rishi Sunak. Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Mr Sunak announced a £5billion plan to help shops and hospitality firms to reopen their doors, with grants worth up to £18,000 per business becoming available. The so-called restart grants will replace the…
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March 5, 2021
Nowadays it seems that any significant date has to have a colour attached to it. We have Blue Monday for the most depressing day of the year (3rd Monday in January), Black Friday for pre-Christmas sales (the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the USA), and Pink Wednesday to recognise International Anti-Bullying Day (last Wednesday in…
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March 5, 2021
It is widely acknowledged that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a surge in incidents of domestic abuse, with women invariably bearing the brunt of the offences. Whilst we naturally focus on issues here in the UK it is clear that domestic abuse is a world-wide problem. In fact he UN has described the global…
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February 25, 2021
Figures released by children’s charity NSPCC have revealed alarming increases in the number of people contacting them with concerns over children’s welfare. In two reports the NSPCC revealed a 53% rise in calls about children living in violent homes, and separately announced a 66% increase in calls regarding children living with parents who regularly misuse…
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February 19, 2021
It is widely accepted that Covid-19 and the resulting restrictions on people’s movement and contact with others has led to a substantial increase in domestic abuse. Financial worries, job security, escalating alcohol consumption and substance abuse, issues with children’s education, as well as underlying health concerns, have all put pressure on relationships within the family.…
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February 5, 2021
It is said that where the USA leads, the UK and the rest of the world soon follows. This is certainly true when it comes to culture and the arts, as well as social habits and leisure, and can be put down to the worldwide dominance of American companies. We think nothing of switching on…
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January 20, 2021
It’s party time (when COVID restrictions allow) at St Albans solicitors Bretherton Law, as Director Sandra Bradley celebrates 35 years with the firm at the end of January. Sandra qualified as a solicitor in October, 1982, and joined Bretherton & Co, as they were then known, four years later. She became a partner in 1989,…
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January 20, 2021
The random nature of the Covid-19 virus has caused many of us to reflect on our own mortality during recent months. The long weeks of lockdowns have persuaded thousands of people to reassess their lives, and allowed them the time to focus on their financial circumstances. They have made new plans for their retirement, and…
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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 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
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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
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
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
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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
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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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
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