Powers of Attorney
The Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 changed the way Powers of Attorney are dealt with in Scotland, requiring the documents to be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before being operated. Postal registration used to take up to 12 weeks, meaning that there was a considerable delay before the […]
Property Sales – 2013 Review
2013 has seen a turnaround in the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire property market. There has been a marked increase in both the volume of property sales and the prices achieved. Levels of activity are significantly higher than they were even a year ago. Figures from Aberdeen Solicitors Property Centre show a 30% increase in the volume of […]
Snowy Days
As the leaves begin to change colour and the days become shorter you may already be experiencing some trepidation about winter. Snow in particular whilst beloved of children and skiers can cause serious disruption and inconvenience, especially for employers and employees. Employees have an obligation to attend at their workplaces unless they are sick or […]
Scottish Hockey Appointment
Angie Keith our IT Manager (pictured) was appointed in 2013 to the board of directors at Scottish Hockey. Angie has been involved in hockey since her school days and currently both plays for, and is a committee member of, Aberdeen Bon Accord MBC Hockey Club. Angie’s specialism lies in her 25 years’ experience in IT […]
To sign or not to sign – is that the (only) question?
There is a Bill appearing before the Scottish Parliament in the coming months which seeks to make the signing (or ‘execution’) of contractual documents, easier. This Bill, when given Royal Assent, will be called the “Conclusion of Contracts (Scotland) Act” The current law on this area is contained in the Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act […]
A New Dawn
James Collie and George Collie joined forces to establish the Firm of James and George Collie in 1856, some 158 years ago. Partners and staff have come and gone, but throughout the years the ethics of the Firm remain unchanged – to provide, in a professional and caring manner, the full range of services that […]
Use it, or Lose it!! Have You Made the Most of Your Allowances?
At this time of year we are normally more interested in making sure that we keep warm and dry than anything else, but believe it or not spring officially begins with the vernal equinox on March 20 at 12:57 P.M. only five weeks away! Whilst this welcome movement from winter to spring is a time […]
Liability for Rent in Company Insolvencies
A recent case from the Court of Appeal in England and Wales has been hailed as a landmark case and is welcome news to landlords. The case of Pillar Denton Ltd & Others v Jervis & Others, 25 February 2014 considers whether part of an instalment of rent payable in advance under a lease should […]
A New Dawn for Stamp Duty in Scotland
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) will cease to apply in Scotland from April 2015, writes Raymond McCombie, Senior Solicitor, based at Kinnear & Falconer, Stonehaven, and will be replaced by a new Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT). Resulting from powers available to the Scottish Government under the Scotland Act 2012, SDLT will end in […]
Construction Act: importance of payment notices
Amendments to The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (“the Construction Act”) came into force in respect of building contracts set up on or after 1st November 2011. The pre-existing “withholding notice” was replaced by what is now known as the “pay less notice”. What is to happen is that the payer (usually the […]