by Blackett, Hart & Pratt

The benefits and dangers of limiting your liabilities
One of the main reasons that an individual may have for creating a limited company is to trade with the benefit of limited liability.

Landowners braced for taxing developments
Changes to the tax system for land development which are likely to have a major financial impact on landowners and developers are expected any day now.

Confidentiality needs to be ensured in any takeover talks
IN the current climate of increased corporate activity, many more businesses are finding that buyers are making offers for their companies.

Put sites forward before the report or miss the boat
Changes to planning rules that will shape the development of our region in years to come have moved closer following a public inquiry earlier this month.

Landlords face stiffer regulations on properties
Fresh rules to raise standards in private rented houses in multiple occupation have come into force in the past week. Landlords who run their properties well have nothing to fear - but those who do not may find their local authority exercising its new powers.

Think you can just evict a problem tenant?
WHEN leasing commercial premises from a landlord, tenants have rights under Part 2 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. They are protected in three ways:

Don't let IHT catch you
Earlier this year, we looked at Inheritance Tax (IHT) and the possible application of Business Property relief to cover business assets.

The death of a salesman could be more costly than you think
FEW businesses would run the risk of failing to insure their premises, machinery or vehicles. Yet many never consider protecting their most important asset - their people.

European law could consign squatter's
Squatters' rights have for a long time supported the adage that possession is nine-tenths of the law. Someone who is not the legal owner of a piece of land can become so by possessing it for a specified period, usually 12 years.

Hurry up and register before the squatters set up home
COMPANIES have started making applications to register for .eu domain names for their websites and e-mail addresses.

When uninvited guests can be a liability
New access rights under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW) are now in place, opening up large swathes of land that were previously off limits.

Landowners may be liable under UK pollution laws
The framework for environmental liability is based on the principle that the "polluter pays".

Why limiting your company's liabilities could be a smart move
Limited liability status offers many advantages and for this reason solicitors often advised businesses to go limited.

Climbing the property ladder may not be as easy as it looks
There seem to be endless television programmes about becoming rich through property development, and with interest rates at their lowest point for many years, some see property as a sure way to make easy money.

Modernisation moves are to be welcomed
The UK has long enjoyed a reputation as a favoured country in which to incorporate a company. However, in recent years company law has come in for criticism because it has been seen as failing to reflect the commercial realities of running a business in the 21st Century.

Companies must act now to avoid falling foul of ethical standards
Changes in the ethical standards set down for accountants by their professional body raise issues for many companies that need to undergo a valuation.

Time called on licensees
Time has been called on licensed premises with the deadline for applications under the new licensing laws now nearly a month old.

What to do when a debt isn't settled
THE late payment of debts can be a scourge to any business, no matter what size. The effect is most acutely felt among small and mediumsized businesses, whose margins are much tighter and where late payment of a large debt can lead to such cash flow problems that the business goes bust.

EMI is music to the ears of small firms
ONE of the key issues facing businesses large and small is finding and retaining good people. It is a major talking point among owners of limited companies who fear they cannot compete with the bigger salaries, share options and other incentives offered by corporate giants to attract staff.