Residential Tenancies – an update on future developments
The Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill was recently passed by the Scottish Parliament and is expected to come into effect perhaps as early as 2017. The aim of the legislation is to create simpler tenancies, offer stability and security for private tenants and ensure predictability over rent increases. It also fundamentally changes the nature of […]
JAMES AND GEORGE COLLIE CHARITY FUND RAISING
James and George Collie are proud to be raising funds for both Maggie’s House and Mrs Murray’s Cat and Dog Home throughout 2016. Both charities were selected by staff at the Firm and signify causes close to their hearts. We are pleased to report that we are on course to eclipse the total funds raised […]
Pre-nuptial Agreements – for one and all!
The popularity of the pre-nuptial agreement in Scotland is continuing to grow and we are regularly asked to prepare and advise on such agreements. These are not just for international celebrities with vast fortunes, but can be equally as important for the man and woman in the street. A pre- nuptial agreement is a contract […]
Brexit Decision Made: The Divorce, the Fallout and the Reaction
Now that the United Kingdom has chosen to head for the EU exit door, the ramifications for investors, savers and borrowers have been quick to be felt. Falling interest rates, Sterling weakness and market volatility are already with us and once ‘Article 50’ is invoked things will really start to happen. The initial market reaction […]
Residential property review of the year
2016 has, to put it mildly, been a challenging year for property sales in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. The well publicised downturn in the local economy, as a direct result of the decrease in the price of oil from mid 2014, has led to numerous job losses and a consequent negative impact on the property market. […]
Voluntary Registration – Jen Davidson, trainee solicitor, asks what’s in it for you?
The Land Register for Scotland is a digital map-based system of land registration established by the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979. The Scottish Government have asked the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland to complete the Land Register by 2024 with all public land being registered by 2019. The most recent data shows that around […]
Autumn Statement: What it means for you?
In the Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced that the government will move to a single major fiscal event each year. Following the spring 2017 Budget and Finance Bill, Budgets will be delivered in the Autumn, with the first one taking place in autumn 2017. So what could this Autumn’s statement mean for you? Pensions: The […]
Inheritance Tax – New Residence Nil Rate Band
From April 2017 a new residence tax free allowance is being introduced for Inheritance Tax purposes. How will this affect you? At present Inheritance tax is payable at the rate of 40% on the value of the estate over and above the tax-free allowance (known as the ‘nil rate band’) of £325,000 per […]
E-MAIL – AN EFFICIENT OR IMPERSONAL MANNER OF COMMUNICATING?
There is no doubt that e-mail has transformed the way we communicate in business as well as socially but how impersonal and sometimes irritating it has become. Long gone are the days of letters being sent with time to breathe before the reply arrived 2 or 3 days later! The merits of e-mail in business […]
Market Overview – Quarter 1, 2017
This last 6 month period of 2016 has been one of the most significant since the credit crisis and potentially marks a change in long term investment trends. Equities have strengthened worldwide, whilst in contrast there has been a continued downward trend away from the long term bull-run of the bond market. The period began […]