One of the main issues which is often brought to light when selling a flat is the length of the lease term. Too often I find that the property in question has a short lease term, which is unacceptable to a mortgage company and potentially very expensive to any purchaser.

As the number of years left on a lease decreases a lease becomes harder to sell and it may be difficult to raise a mortgage on the property. Most purchasers do not want the hassle of extending a lease themselves so will expect a substantial discount in the purchase price if they are to buy such a lease. Extending the lease makes the property more marketable.

Under the Leasehold Reform (Housing and Urban Development) Act 1993 tenants of long leases are subject to fulfilling certain criteria, given the right to extend their leases. The right provided for by the Act is for the grant of a new lease for a term of 90 years, plus the present unexpired term, all at a peppercorn rent (that is, rent free) i.e. if you had 33 years left to run on your lease you would end up with a lease of 123 years after extension. The tenant is required to make a one off payment of money to the landlord known as a “premium” in return for the new lease. The process is initiated by the tenant serving a notice on the landlord calling on him to grant an extended lease.

Generally speaking you will have the right to seek to extend your lease if it was originally granted for a term of more than 21 years and you have owned the lease for at least 2 years (whether or not you have lived there).

One of the world’s oldest professions is learning from one of the youngest as Leamington law firm Blythe Liggins has engaged digital marketing agency Media Beard to provide guidance on promoting their services through social media.

Partner Claire Kirwan is at the vanguard of helping the practice to better market its legal services though its website and digital platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

Media Beard specialises in helping traditional businesses get maximum exposure through search engine optimisation (SEO) by boosting their Google ranking, and is helping companies such as Blythe Liggins to build digital communities online.

“Online marketing tools such as top tips on writing wills can assist online consumers many of whom are a younger demographic who may need legal advice – although, like the Internet itself, it is for all ages,” said Media Beard director Sarah Law.

Claire Kirwan said: “Everyone seems to have a digital footprint, a LinkedIn profile, a Facebook page or is using Twitter, not just for pleasure, but to communicate professionally. Media Beard is helping us harness the potential of these platforms to reach our existing clients as well as our potential news ones. Even though we have been established for over a hundred years, we are a modern law firm and want to embrace the world of social media.”

Photo caption: Claire Kirwan of Blythe Liggins (centre) with Katie Mellers-Hill and Sarah Law of Media Beard

Issued by Newsline PR.
March 2014

The winners of the competition to win two signed books about the First World War recently gathered at Leamington solicitors Blythe Liggins to meet the authors.

Blythe Liggins, a main sponsor of the First World War centenary concert which was held at the Spa Centre on Friday 31st October, hosted the evening at which winners had their books signed by local authors Sir Andrew Hamilton and Alan Reed.

Richard Thornton, joint senior partner at Blythe Liggins, greeted the president and the secretary of the Leamington branch of the Royal British Legion, Frank and Pat Edgington, before welcoming the authors and congratulating the winners.

The books – Stolen Lives – Individual Tragedies of the Great War (£25) and Meet at Dawn, Unarmed (£15) – can be bought at Warwick Books and Kenilworth Books.

CAPTION: (Seated left to right) Alan Reed, Sir Andrew Hamilton and Richard Thornton; (standing left to right) Michael Harris, Pauline Norton, Margaret Fisk and Frank and Pat Edgington. Winners Danielle Ochoa and Paul Stafford were unable to attend.

A full capacity 4,000 runners are expected to take part in the run, for which the online registration system will open on Saturday (March 1) at 8am.

Organisers Kenilworth Rotary Club are reminding all those who wish to enter that there is always a stampede for places – last year all 4,000 were taken in just 19 hours.

The Leamington Cycling and Athletics Club will again be lending their support and Leamington solicitors Blythe Liggins have agreed to be the principal sponsor for the ninth year running.

“It’s a wonderful event and the whole firm looks forward to taking part, whether as runners, marshals or by manning our water station,” said Blythe Liggins joint senior partner Richard Thornton. “It’s a very exhilarating event and we are very proud to have been connected with it for so many years.”

The Two Castles is one of the best-loved athletic events in the Midlands and is both for serious runners and for those who run for sheer enjoyment or charity – more than £110,000 was raised for charities last year.

Visit www.twocastlesrun.org.uk to register from 8am on Saturday.

Read more: Race on for the Two Castles Run starting line

Image: Blythe Liggins’ joint senior partner Richard Thornton (centre) with Kenilworth Rotary Club president Richard Martin (left) and race organiser Philip Southwell. (s)

Fundraising for The Myton Hospices will receive a boost this month when local solicitors offer to write free Wills in return for donations.

Almost 20 law firms and Will writers will be supporting the hospice’s ‘Will Week’ from October 21 – 25, including Leamington solicitors Blythe Liggins, who have again named the hospice as their charity for the year and who last year raised £6,000 through various events.

Donna Bothamley, head of trust & probate at Blythe Liggins, said: “All the participating firms will be giving their time free of charge to write or update basic Wills for Myton supporters, in return for a donation to The Myton Hospices. Any sum is welcome, but suggested minimum donations are £80 for a single Will and £160 for a pair of mirror Wills.“A Will written by a solicitor is the best way to ensure that your family, friends and favourite charities will benefit exactly as you would wish”, said Mrs Bothamley, adding that two-thirds of people above the age of 50 didn’t have a proper updated Will.”

David Pratt, The Myton Hospices donor and supporter care manager, added: “There is no obligation to remember Myton in your Will but you might be interested to know that around one in four of our patients are cared for because people leave us a legacy.”

A list of participating firms is available on www.mytonhospice.org. Anyone wishing to make an appointment with Blythe Liggins for a Will to support Myton Hospice should contact Paul England on 01926 884765.

CAPTION: Blythe Liggins trust & probate team (l-r) Sam Thornton, Donna Bothamley, Emma Wallbank and Paul England.

A well-known Leamington solicitor – who was also national chairman of the Standard Motor Club – has retired from Blythe Liggins after almost 40 years to pursue his interest in classic cars and steam trains.

Peter Lockley, a former Warwick School pupil who read law at Wadham College, Oxford, before joining the firm in 1977, was a popular figure on the local licensing scene, where he represented scores of local pubs, restaurants and hotels in their licence applications.

A classic car enthusiast, he was national chairman of the Standard Motor Club for 18 years from 1992 – 2010 (and remains a committee member), and his love of steam trains took him around the world – Europe, the Far East, North and South America, Africa and the West Indies. “Wherever there were steam trains operating I went out to photograph them,” said Mr Lockley, whose partners at Blythe Liggins presented him with a painting of a steam express train for Liverpool passing the old Milverton Station in Warwick New Road, Leamington.
Mr Lockley, who lives in Long Itchington and whose certificate of admission as a solicitor was signed by the great Lord Denning, Master of the Rolls, worked in almost every branch of the legal profession except conveyancing.

Richard Thornton, joint senior partner, said: “Peter was tremendously popular, not just with the firm, where he worked tirelessly for his personal injury clients and was always willing to help, encourage and advise younger members of staff, but also with the local licensing trade, whom he represented for many decades.”

CAPTION: Retiring solicitor Peter Lockley in his 1955 Swallow Doretti leaves Blythe Liggins for the last time, watched by joint senior partners Richard Thornton (left) and David Lester.

Leamington law firm Blythe Liggins has won the contract to provide legal services and a members’ helpline for Bowls England, the sport’s national governing body.

Kevin Mitchell, a partner in the commercial department and sports unit, said the firm has been appointed to act for the national organisation, its regions and 2,500 clubs across 35 counties; and to provide a legal helpline. “Bowls England, which is in the process of moving its headquarters from Worthing to Leamington, is just the right organisation for our sports unit, which has considerable expertise and experience in acting for sports bodies and running legal helplines for members,” said Mr Mitchell.

In addition to Bowls England, Blythe Liggins acts for British Swimming, British Eventing, British Blind Sport, the national Rugby Coaches Association, the national Elite Cricket Coaches Association and Riding for the Disabled. It also represents international rugby players, county cricketers, athletics coaches and Olympic horsemen, as well such local concerns such as Warwick Boat Club and Leamington Cricket Club.

Tony Allcock, Bowls England chief executive and 15 times world champion, said: “Blythe Liggins came to us well recommended and we’ve got on really well with them. They speak the language that we want to hear and they have a great track record with other sporting organisations.”

Bowls England resulted from a merger in 2008 between the men’s English Bowling Association and the English Women’s Bowls Association.

The move means that regional, national and international men’s tournaments will now be played at Leamington; which has long been the national base for women bowlers.

Mr Allcock, who was awarded the MBE for services to sports and sport in the community (working with disabled and blind bowlers), said the move was primarily about economics and geography and would make Leamington the new ‘Wimbledon’ of bowls. “It makes sense for us to have our headquarters in Leamington as it is much more central than Worthing and it will make it easier and cheaper for players to get to tournaments at the Leamington club in Victoria Park, Archery Road.”

CAPTION: Bowls England chief executive and 15 times world champion Tony Allcock MBE with commercial lawyer Kevin Mitchell from Blythe Liggins

Following recent changes to the legislation it will be easier for employers and employees to discuss a possible termination package without fear of those discussions being used in a court or tribunal as evidence. Prior to the change in the legislation on 29 July, 2013 “without prejudice” discussions could only remain confidential from the court if there was an existing dispute between the parties.
The new law permits both parties to offer and discuss settlement terms even where no employment dispute exists in the knowledge that their conversations cannot be used in any subsequent unfair dismissal claim. But employers should be aware that if any of their conversations relate to automatically unfair reasons for dismissal such as whistleblowing or relate to claims of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or other behaviour prohibited by the Equalities Act 2010 or claims relating to breach of contract or wrongful dismissal, then those conversations will not be protected.

Richard Moon of Blythe Liggins Employment Law Unit says:
“I can see employers using the new law where there is a poorly performing employee and they wish to offer a deal rather than having to go through a lengthy disciplinary process”

There are additional provisions to make sure that the employer is not behaving improperly towards the employee in relation to the settlement agreement negotiations or offer. ACAS recommend a minimum period of 10 calendar days for the employee to consider the proposed settlement terms and received independent advice. Any terms must be recorded in a formal agreement. This was previously known as a compromise agreement that has been renamed a settlement agreement under the new law.

CAPTION: Richard Moon

Blythe Liggins Solicitors has launched a new will disputes and Court of Protection unit after seeing its caseload increase.
Partners at Blythe Liggins said there had been a substantial increase in the number of family disputes over wills and over the personal affairs of elderly relatives who can no longer manage their own finances.

Donna Bothamley, who runs the Wills and Probate department and heads the new unit with senior partner Richard Thornton, said: “We have seen the number of cases involving family disputes increase substantially over the last couple of years. This is a growing niche area of law that requires specialisation.”

Mrs Bothamley – who is experienced in handling contentious issues in the Court of Protection – said that the ageing population was partly the cause.
“People are living so much longer now and that can cause family strife as the elderly – either through the natural ageing process or through illness, such as dementia – can no longer manage their own affairs. There are particular problems when people have not delegated decisions to family members or friends through power of attorney documents, or who have not ensured that their wills are up-to-date.

“Inevitably, this can lead to friction amongst family members and some disagreements are so severe that they require the Court of Protection to resolve them. Such is the increasing number of cases that the Court of Protection no longer only sits in London, but now also has regional courts, including one at Birmingham”, she said.
The new unit at Blythe Liggins also includes two recent additions to the firm – Sam Thornton and Emma Wallbank.

CAPTION: Blythe Liggins’ new wills disputes and Court of Protection team: (l-r) Sam Thornton, Donna Bothamley, Emma Wallbank and Paul England

Sponsors and organisers of the annual Two Castles Run between Warwick and Kenilworth were here at Blythe Liggins Solicitors last week to cheer on the law firm’s team of runners.

Richard Thornton, joint senior partner of Blythe Liggins, which is sponsoring the event for the eighth year, joined Kenilworth Rotarians Bob Kelly and Philip Southwell and race referee Alan Edwards as the law firm’s squad of runners and marshals were put through their paces.

Race organisers Kenilworth Rotary Club said all 4,000 places for the 10km event on Sunday June 9 had sold out within 24 hours.

Mr Kelly, Rotary’s press officer, said: “In recent years there has been an explosion in its popularity, brought about in part by The Leamington Cycling and Athletics Club expertise in helping to raise the status of the event, and by providing a race for both serious runners, and people running for charity or just for the fun of it.”

Mr Thornton said: “This is an enormous endorsement of the popularity of the Two Castles, which just goes from strength to strength. Kenilworth Rotary Club does an amazing job with its organisation and promotion of the race – now in its 31st year – which last year raised more than £110,000. A fantastic effort.”

Caption: The Blythe Liggins team at Kenilworth Castle having completed the run.