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New law requires landlords to ensure homes “fit for human habitation”   The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (“the Act”) becomes law on 20th March 2019 and requires...

Please note that from 1 April 2019, the practice of the partnership of Crane & Staples will be carried on as a Limited Liability Partnership (“LLP”), to which the partnership...

Government Consultation to extend Maternity Rights The Government has launched a consultation following the report of the Women and Equalities Select Committee in 2016 and the Taylor Review of Modern...

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) recommends that all solicitors display a digital verification badge on their website. This badge shows online visitors that we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation...

Frances O’Grady, the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress, recently described work-related stress as “a growing epidemic”. Why? Because according to statistics published by the Health and Safety Executive...

Increase in statutory rates and compensation limits – from April 2019 Every year the rates payable for unfair dismissal, redundancy and other employment law claims increase in line with inflation.   We...

It was announced recently that the Government intends to consult on abolishing Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988. This is the provision that allows residential landlords to recover possession...

Crane & Staples is proud to support charitable causes in the community. Over the last few months, our team have participated in a range of exciting events. Here is a...

On 6th June, the Crane & Staples team attended the annual Hertfordshire Law Society Dinner at Hatfield House. As always, this was a fantastic event, celebrating the success of solicitors...

This year, we are celebrating the centenary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919. This law ensured women’s entry into professions for the first time, and finally allowed women to be...

There are currently unprecedented delays in the issuing of Grants of Probate at the Probate Registries. We understand that there is an approximate three-month wait, and as of June 2019,...

In this personal article, Letters Administrator and LPC student Kerrie Atlee reflects on the importance of taking a constructive, non-adversarial approach in Family cases. My journey into law began with...

Now that we have settled in to September, we have time to reflect on a fantastic summer at Crane & Staples… Hertfordshire Law Society Dinner The celebrations started back in...

We are absolutely delighted to announce that we are ranked in The Legal 500, 2020! Commercial Property Our fantastic Commercial Property team have maintained their ranking for the second year!...

National Adoption Week National Adoption Week 2019 takes place from the 14th-20th October and aims to raise awareness about adoption and encourage people to consider adoption as a way of...

Buyer Beware: Tips to stop you buying a House of Horrors Caveat Emptor – put simply, ‘Let the buyer beware’. Buying a property is usually the most important purchase you...

Please click here to read the full Judgment. I represent a young mother in these ongoing care proceedings. Her son presented at school with an injury to his arm, and...

When I joined Crane & Staples in 2013 my department was called “Litigation” and it covered any type of dispute between people and/or companies. However, we changed its name to...

What are the disadvantages? The bonus is paid on completion of your purchase of a property; it cannot be used towards your initial deposit before exchange of contracts. The maximum...

This year’s World Children’s Day marks 30 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a Convention which has helped to transform the lives of children all over...

“Employers owe a duty of care to employees and have a legal responsibility to provide a safe and effective work environment. Preventing and tackling domestic abuse is an integral part...

In December 1919, the British government passed the very first piece of equal opportunities legislation: the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act. This Act enabled women to join the legal profession for...

As we come to the end of another busy year at Crane & Staples, it is a good time to reflect on all the exciting things that we have been...

Lifetime gifts could be the perfect way to spread the love this Valentine's Day. There are several advantages to making lifetimes gifts. However, there are also various rules, exemptions, and tax implications you should be aware of when making lifetime gifts. So, if you are Clueless about lifetime gifts but think it’s About Time you made some, you may find this romcom-themed article helpful!

Celebrating the achievements of women This Sunday 8th March is International Women’s Day. The motto this year is #EachforEqual and one of the themes is ‘celebrating the achievements of women’. We...

Last Updated 5th October 2021Reviewed daily We are continuously monitoring the situation and complying with Government advice regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19). We take the health and safety of our staff, clients...

Commercial Property We will continue to assist all our existing and new clients with any queries regarding commercial property. There are likely to be issues regarding the terms of leases...

Where there is a chain, all of the parties must agree. If one party changes their mind you cannot complete. Without a clearly set completion date, there is a risk...

Helpful Organisations If you are not in immediate danger you can seek assistance from a variety of organisations by phone or online. National Centre for Domestic Violence – https://www.ncdv.org.uk/ Herts...

5. What should I do once my Will is signed? Ensure that you date your Will. This will avoid potential problems arising when your estate is being administered. At this...

Monday morning catch ups! Conference calls! Appraisals! Department meetings! Staff meetings! Thursdays are the new Fridays! After work drinks! Team lunches! Month End drinks! All face to face and direct...

CAFCASS has launched a Co-Parent Hub, this is a free online resource for separated families which combines expertise from across the family justice sector.  The website may help your family...

In late March, due to the Coronavirus crisis, the housing market was in effect put on hold when the government advised against all non-essential house moves and banned agents from...

via GIPHY If you require urgent mental health support, please call the Samaritans helpline on 116 123. You may also wish to speak to your GP so they can help...

Today, 15 June, marks the official Elder Abuse Awareness Day.  Elder abuse is a stark reality which occurs on a daily basis on a global scale. The abuse tends to...

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has announced that there will be a temporary change to Stamp Duty rules as of 8 July 2020. The new rules will apply until 31 March...

We are absolutely delighted to announce that three members of our fantastic team are finalists in the 2020 Women in Law Awards! Sharon Montgomery is a finalist in the Law...

As lawyers, we aim for perfection, not just for our clients but for our employers and ourselves. It is because of this conditioning that we feel we live in a...

This Autumn, we are pleased to be part of Wonderful Welwyn Garden City’s gift card initative. Shoppers who use Hunters Bridge Car Park can claim a £5 gift card from...

On 31st October, the Prime Minister announced that the country would go into a second lockdown for at least four weeks, starting on Thursday 5th November. On 1st November, Housing...