Life’s Little Legalities

Lawyers. Just the word can send chills up our spine because the context in which you might need one is rarely a happy occasion. Even buying your first home, which should be one of the best moments of your life, can be a nightmare from a legal perspective. But with all that’s said and done, lawyers can be your best friend and help you through most of life’s tricky areas. Here are four of the most common reasons you’ll need to instruct a lawyer…

Buying A House

Buying your first home is expensive. You have to save for a large deposit, pay estate agent fees if you’re selling a home, pay stamp duty (tax) to the government and pay your lawyer for the pleasure of dealing with your contracts. This is before you’ve paid for removal help and any furniture you’ll need in your new home! However, shopping around for the right law firm will pay out in the end – and not necessarily in cash. Go with a law firm such as Irwin Mitchell which is established and reputable. Just because one law firm’s fees are distinctly cheaper than another, if they’re slow or have a lot of cases to handle – your small house purchase may get pushed aside. Take a look online and get some recommendations from friends and relatives. Oh, and if you’re looking for a decent mortgage provider – I got mine through Santander and I can’t fault them at all.

Getting A Divorce

So your happily ever after didn’t end so happily in the end… So what? So if your partner isn’t being fair, a decent lawyer may be just what you need to bring justice to the end of your relationship. As with buying a house, make sure your chosen lawyer comes recommended. Ask for previous case studies to see if any match up closely to your own situation. Clearly, a lawyer who has fought your battle before is in the best position to do so again…

Writing A Will

Writing a Will is often something that people overlook, particularly younger people – and yet it is so important. Say you are 35, you’ve been living with you partner for 10 years, you have a house, perhaps a child or two – but you’re not married. What if one of you dies? Your partner receives the house and any other assets you’ve accrued together, right? Wrong. Not necessarily. If you’re an unmarried couple without a will your partner’s assets and possessions could be claimed by members of your partner’s family. Make sure you seek sound legal advice when it comes to writing a Will – it seems crazy now but it’ll make perfect sense if the worst happens.