News and Articles

CIVIL PARTNERSHIP ACT
The Civil Partnership Act came into force on 5 December 2005 and gives same sex couples the option of making a formal lifelong commitment to each other. Civil Partners have gained considerable rights under the Act and are provided with the same rights and responsibilities as married couples reflecting the new formal arrangement and commitment they are making to each other It is possible for Civil Partners to draw up Wills that include inheritance tax saving provisions. Previously same sex couples were treated as individuals for inheritance tax. This meant that on the first death the deceased’s estate was liable for inheritance tax immediately and could mean that the surviving partner was deprived of assets in order to settle the inheritance tax bill.		Civil Partners are now treated like married couples in that property left on death to the other partner is exempt from tax. Same sex couples previously had no automatic right to bring a claim against their deceased’s partners estate if they had died without making a Will. The new law amends this situation for Civil Partners and provides protection and recognition for their new status To discuss making Wills or the Civil Partnership Act in further detail please contact our Wills and Probate Manager.



HOME INFORMATION PACKS
Home Information Packs (HIPs) are a legal requirement for the sale of the vast majority of residential properties. Reynolds Johns Partnership can provide you with a HIP at a reasonable cost. Please check our website or telephone any member of the conveyancing department for details of the current price list or special offers available. We can provide the HIP to you in a variety of formats (paper, electronic or CD) and the HIP once produced is yours to keep.		Caution should be exercised in taking any pack offered from an Estate Agent as this can tie you to that particular Estate Agent and not allow either multiple Estate Agency or the pack to be utilised in the future if you should change Agents.



SOUTH EAST ASIA TSUNAMI APPEAL
Staff at Reynolds Johns are pictured with a cheque for £2,500 donated by the firm to the Charity Relief effort following the devastating Tsunami in the area. Individual members of the firm had contributed to the relief efforts in the immediate aftermath of the Tsunami but the firm itself wanted to help with the longer term projects to rebuild the communities that were destroyed. One of the firm's clients was working in Sri Lanka both before and after the Tsunami. She recommended a charity Sarvodaya which was giving help to local people to set up new business to provide employment and keep families together. We considered that the funds would be used more effectively by payment directly to a local charity already working in the community.