By Linda Kirk of Adkirk Law

A leading regional law firm is offering its package of specialist services to NHS staff across Lancashire.
The services of Adkirk Law, including conveyancing and regulatory law, are offered in partnership to the 6,000 members eligible for the staff benefits scheme run through the NHS intranet across the county.

The move means key workers can benefit from discounted rates when moving house, re-mortgaging their property or facing leasehold issues.

In addition, Adkirk Law specialises in defending professionals through investigations and any enforcement proceedings in all regulatory and criminal issues affecting people as individuals or businesses. This includes regulatory action and fitness-to-practice issues going before the General Medical Council, Nursery and Midwifery Council or the Health and Care Professions Council.

Linda Kirk, director of conveyancing at Adkirk Law, said: “Our services are discounted to help NHS staff with all of our legal services and they will receive the same personal level of care that we extend to all of our clients.
“We want to make these services as accessible as possible for NHS employees to tap into when they need it. NHS workers are doing a fantastic job of looking after us all during the pandemic and hopefully we can offer them our support by handling their legal issues and making their lives easier.

“We think issues such as the changes in leasehold legislation and the stamp duty holiday which may be extended will be important to many NHS staff who are property owners and who we can help guide through the changes.”

The Government is reviewing the current March 31 deadline of the stamp duty holiday, which raised the minimum threshold for house buyers paying the tax from £125,000 to £500,000.

The Government wants legislation in the current session of Parliament to allow house and flat leaseholders to extend their lease to a new standard 990 years with the ground rent set at zero. 

Adkirk Law offers a niche practice with expertise in lease extensions, residential conveyancing, regulatory law, including healthcare, fitness to practice, serious fraud, general regulation and police misconduct.

ENDS

By Linda Kirk of Adkirk Law

Plans unveiled to reform the leasehold housing system affecting up to 200,000 homeowners in Lancashire has received a cautious welcome by Adkirk Law.

Costs of extending residential property leases or purchasing the freehold of their property - to be brought before Parliament this year - could save some homeowners up to £9,000

The move comes following Adkirk Law’s support for the National Leasehold Campaign, which has been lobbying the Government for leasehold changes over the last four years.

Linda Kirk, director of conveyancing at Adkirk Law, said: “As the region with one of the largest number of leasehold properties in the UK, this is a welcome step.

“However, the devil is in the detail here and we need to see how this will be rolled out. We will need to see if this is fit for purpose across the different types of leasehold and that it works for those who have been so badly affected across the region.”

It is estimated around one million homes in the North West are leasehold, the highest proportion outside of London, and that the changes could save homeowners between £8,000 to £9,000.

The Government wants legislation in the current session of Parliament to allow house and flat leaseholders to extend their lease to a new standard 990 years with the ground rent set at zero.  They are also going to abolish the marriage value which is used to calculate the premiums payable. However the finer detail as to how this will be implemented is yet to be announced and whether this will be sufficient to resolve all the issues with leasehold property.

The Government is working with the housing sector to develop commonhold as a potential alternative to leasehold in the years ahead where flat-owners hold the freehold to their property, and blocks are jointly-owned and managed.

Adkirk Law offers a niche practice with expertise in lease extensions, residential conveyancing, regulatory law, including serious fraud, regulation and police misconduct.


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By Rachel Adamson of Adkirk Law

A specialist North West law firm is warning care homes to be extra vigilant in making their spaces safe as the care industry regulator steps up monitoring during the current lockdown.

Rachel Adamson, head of fraud and regulatory at Adkirk Law, highlighted the importance of safety for care homes during the current pandemic, which is managed by the Care Quality Commission.

She said: “There has been a lull in the monitoring and inspections because of the pandemic but care home operators and managers should be aware that just because we are in lockdown doesn’t mean there will be any less rigour in dealing with safety.

“It seems obvious, but the issue of infection control is one of the key measures being examined and care homes should be ready to be visited at any time, and having robust processes and systems in place will provide evidence of safety.

“The CQC has increased the level of enforcement action over recent years and has made it clear that it will take action if people are at risk during the pandemic. It is important that providers be prepared for the calls with their inspector.”

Whilst the CQC has temporarily halted routine inspections during this emergency period, it has retained its regulatory role by implementing a new Emergency Support Framework, designed to ensure risks can be identified and acted on.

The CQC inspectors are looking at four key areas of care home provision covering safety including infection control, staffing arrangements, protection from abuse, neglect and discrimination and processes dealing with the health, safety and wellbeing of staff.

Adkirk Law offers a niche practice with expertise in regulatory law, including serious fraud, regulation and police misconduct, and residential conveyancing.


ENDS