September marks the start of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month https://www.worldalzmonth.org/ with World Alzheimer's Day taking place on 21 September 2018.

The Justice Secretary, David Gauke has announced plans to introduce no fault divorce. It has been reported that he is preparing a consultation on reforming the current divorce law which is over 40 years old!

The rules defining a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) are changing. ACT NOW! At present the following criteria must be met for the property to be classed as an HMO: Comprise 3 or more storeys; Are occupied by 5 or more people living in two or more single households; and The occupiers share basic amenities such as bathing and/or cooking facilities. That will change on 1 October 2018. If you have a license already, you still need to pay attention to these rules as they may affect you.

You may be aware that the Government has recently published four new guides aimed at helping both private rental landlords and their tenants. The guides – part of a new ‘How To’ series, have been put in place to provide more information on the Government’s official advice for the private rented sector in England. The guides were released at the end of June by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, and are available for free from the Government’s website.

Leading law firm, Ramsdens Solicitors are pleased to welcome six new trainee Solicitors onto the firms training scheme. Alastair James, Eve Sellens, Holly Dale, Nicole Natur, Rebecca Gerrard and Thomas Jagger embark upon their two-year contracts, starting this September, working across all 14 offices.

This September our staff are doing something spectacular for the Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust! On the 28th September our team of superheroes will be unleashing their masked alter ego’s as they take on the 120 mile route across our 14 offices, starting in Easingwold at 5am and finishing at the Ramsden Street office in Huddersfield later that evening. The Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust are asking everyone to dedicate a day this September to join the fight against cancer in young people and to do something super to make this September Spectacular!

Ramsdens Solicitors are pleased to announce the retention of two of their newly qualified Solicitors, who were admitted to the roll at the start of the month. Laura Whiteley qualifies into our Private Client team and will be based at our Halifax office, while Emily Walker joins the Litigation and Employment team and will be based at our Edgerton office.

When you buy a residential property, you are usually liable to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on any amount of the purchase price over £125,000 (at rates that increase in bands proportionally to the purchase price, rising from 2% of the portion from £125,001 to £250,000, to 12% on any amount above £1.5 million).