http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/ Wilson Nesbitt Solicitors - News RSS feed en-gb reception@wilson-nesbitt.co.uk info@flamegreen.com 30 http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1523/01072009/outlook_improving_for_smes.html New research has revealed that small businesses in the UK and Northern Ireland are slowly beginning to recover from the effects of the economic downturn.The study by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) found 23 per cent of its members have had a rise in trade in recent months, which is an... Wed, 1 Jul 2009 15:15:45 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1524/01072009/uk_debt_hits_%C2%A31459bn.html The total amount of personal debt in the UK and Northern Ireland has hit £1,459 billion, according to new figures.Credit Action's latest findings, which could impact on the number of firms using debt recovery services, revealed that total secured lending on dwellings at the end of... Wed, 1 Jul 2009 13:52:15 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1522/30062009/northern_ireland_house_prices_continue_to_fall.html The price of property in Northern Ireland is continuing to fall at a more significant level than in any other part of the UK, it has been claimed.Nationwide's latest figures on housing have revealed that the cost of buying a home in the province fell by 4.7 per cent quarter-on-quarter... Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:58:05 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1519/29062009/residential_property_costs_fall.html New research has revealed that the cost of both running and owning a residential property in the UK and Northern Ireland has dropped in the past 12 months.According to the figures from Halifax, the average annual cost of housing dropped by almost a fifth in the year to April 2009 to... Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:59:17 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1520/24062009/recession_changing_the_employment_landscape.html Research from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has revealed that a number of employers have made changes to the organisation of their operations and working patterns.The survey, which was carried out in conjunction with recruitment firm Harvey Nash, found that firms in the UK and... Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:43:40 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1521/23062009/adults_not_clear_on_inheritance_tax.html New research has revealed that adults in the UK and Northern Ireland are not sure of rules around inheritance tax issues.The study by independent financial advice firm Pryce Warner International found that 64 per cent of people do not understand the basic rules and regulations, while 72 per cent... Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:32:33 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1518/17062009/property_asking_and_selling_price_gap_narrowing.html The gap between residential property asking and selling prices is narrowing in the UK and Northern Ireland, according to new figures.Research by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) found that homes are selling at an average of 11 per cent below their asking prices, while some... Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:30:08 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1517/15062009/figures_reveal_improvement_in_commercial_capital_growth.html The pace of decline in commercial property capital growth across the UK and Northern Ireland is slowing, new figures have revealed.According to the latest Monthly Index from Investment Property Databank, such growth stood at -1.6 per cent in May, which was an improvement on the figure of -2.3 per... Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:51:48 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1516/12062009/employment_matters_to_remain_in_focus_in_2009.html Issues concerning employment in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will remain in the limelight throughout this year in light of continuing redundancies, according to debt charity Credit Action.Reacting to recent figures from Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) showing that enquiries about debt and... Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:09:05 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1515/10062009/80%25_of_men_in_the_uk_without_will.html New figures from Friends Provident published ahead of Men's Health Week 2009 have revealed how men in the UK are leaving themselves and their dependants open to financial hardship. According to the data, which revealed that more than 90 per cent of men in Northern Ireland and the rest of the... Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:11:54 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1513/09062009/consumers_lose_faith_in_buy-to-lets_as_lending_drops.html Investments in the buy-to-let market in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are going to make a loss this year, according to nearly a third of Brits who believe the economic climate will hamper their performance.Research from professional advice website Unbiased.co.uk has found that consumer... Tue, 9 Jun 2009 16:42:13 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1514/08062009/over_60s_divorce_rate_above_13k_annually.html Divorce cases among people aged above 60 are rising in the recession, according to research from equity release trade body Ship, which shows women are coming off worse in such incidents.The number of over-60s divorcing has jumped 49 per cent since 1981 despite the overall rate recording a 12 per... Mon, 8 Jun 2009 17:13:21 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1511/04062009/take_advantage_of_low_rates_to_repay_more.html Businesses and people in Northern Ireland can continue enjoying the historically low interest rates following the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee's decision to leave the official borrowing rate at its current level.The institution has decided to maintain the base rate at 0.5... Thu, 4 Jun 2009 17:45:06 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1512/04062009/union_calls_for_review_of_regulations_governing_asbestos_management.html There are huge discrepancies in the rules governing the management of asbestos in people's homes, according to the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT). A new report from the organisation, entitled As Safe as Houses, has warned that homeowners are at risk of being... Thu, 4 Jun 2009 17:43:36 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1510/03062009/mortgage_approvals_edge_up_but_lending_capacity_could_hamper_growth.html Mortgage approvals for house purchases in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK continued to rise last month, according to data from the Bank of England, which showed the figure hitting 43,000, up 3,000 on March.Despite the increase, which is the highest seen since April 2008, last month's... Wed, 3 Jun 2009 17:26:28 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1508/02062009/credit_crunch_easing_grip_on_businesses_cbi_says.html Businesses in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are beginning to feel less pressure from the downturn, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), which has stated that the grip of the credit crunch is relaxing.In the CBI's latest Access to Finance Survey, businesses... Tue, 2 Jun 2009 17:32:54 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1507/01062009/one_in_four_seeking_advice_on_employment-related_issues.html Employment-related matters are a concern for many consumers in the UK, according to LV, which has revealed that the recession is forcing many to contact solicitors for legal advice.The organisation has recorded a 21 per cent rise in calls to its legal helpline for advice, with one in four callers... Mon, 1 Jun 2009 17:35:21 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1509/01062009/a_good_contract_vital_for_those_going_into_rental_market.html People in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK contemplating renting out their properties in order to raise extra money should seek advice from an expert such as a solicitor or financial adviser before taking the step.Renting out a property in the current financial environment may seem like an... Mon, 1 Jun 2009 17:31:41 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1506/29052009/good_news_for_homeowners_as_house_values_rise_in_may.html Property investors in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK have received some positive news following the publication of data showing house prices rose in May by 1.2 per cent.This is the second time in three months the value of houses has gone up and the increase has also resulted in a sharp... Fri, 29 May 2009 15:54:29 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1505/27052009/asbestos_linked_to_ovarian_and_larynx_cancer.html A group of World Health Organisation scientists has shed more light on the effects of asbestos and added ovarian cancer and cancer of the larynx to the diseases that can arise from exposure to the material. Mesothelioma is the cancer most associated with the disease and solicitors in Northern... Wed, 27 May 2009 14:03:15 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1504/26052009/over-50s_afraid_of_discrimination_in_recession.html Employers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK have been called upon not to discriminate against employees on the grounds of their age following news that over-50s are afraid they may be forced out of their jobs.Research conducted by Age Concern shows that more than one in four (28 per... Tue, 26 May 2009 17:06:14 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1503/22052009/belfast_man_to_sue_care_trust_for_asbestosis_misdiagnosis.html A Northern Ireland man suffering from an asbestos-related ailment is to enlist the services of a solicitor to sue the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust for getting his diagnosis wrong, it has been reported.First diagnosed with asbestosis in 2002 at the Mater Hospital, 69-year old Arthur... Fri, 22 May 2009 14:08:11 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1501/21052009/overvaluation_of_property_can_cause_problems_when_remortgaging.html Solicitors in Northern Ireland may want to advise their clients to ensure that their properties are properly valued following the publication of new figures showing many homeowners do not know the correct value of their property.Research from Abbey Mortgages has found that property owners in the... Thu, 21 May 2009 17:19:52 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1502/21052009/limiting_new_legislations_could_help_businesses_retain_staff.html The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has stated that limiting the flow of new regulations from the government and European legislators could give businesses in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK much needed breathing space.According to FPB spokesperson Phil McCabe, a commitment to such a... Thu, 21 May 2009 12:03:15 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1499/19052009/construction_companies_risk_facing_compensation_claims_due_to_safety_issues.html Construction firms in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are risking being fined or sued for compensation following news that one in five construction sites failed recent health and safety inspection checks.According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which visited 1,759 refurbishment... Tue, 19 May 2009 14:23:33 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1500/18052009/homeowners_considering_letting_as_recession_continues.html The recession is forcing an increasing number of homeowners into being reluctant landlords and nearly five million have considered walking down this road according to professional advice website Unbiased.co.uk.People in Northern Ireland tempted into adopting a similar move may want to first check... Mon, 18 May 2009 14:20:59 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1498/18052009/former_visteon_employees_get_better_pay_deal.html Solicitors of the Visteon car components plant in Northern Ireland may be breathing a sigh of relief following the conclusion of a seven-week sit-in by sacked workers.Some 200 former employees who have been protesting at the plant have agreed to end their sit-in after a better compensation... Mon, 18 May 2009 10:19:18 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1497/15052009/repossessions_in_northern_ireland_rising.html Repossessions in Northern Ireland have jumped by 35 per cent in the first three months of this year, plunging more people in the province into misery, according to figures from the Court Service.The High Court registered 1,020 writs and summons in relation to mortgages, which is nearly twice as... Fri, 15 May 2009 18:34:25 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1496/13052009/over_46000_now_unemployed_in_northern_ireland.html New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) paint a grim picture on the job front in the UK, highlighting a fall in both the employment rate and the number of people working.Last month saw the number of people registered as unemployed jump by 2,000 in Northern Ireland and the... Wed, 13 May 2009 16:48:45 BST http://www.wilson-nesbitt.com/articles/1495/12052009/billions_wasted_through_poor_iht_planning.html Consumers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are wasting billions of pounds on unnecessary inheritance tax (IHT) payments, new figures from consumer website unbiast.co.uk show.Some 2.2 billion pounds is being wasted on the so-called 'death tax', which the website says is... Tue, 12 May 2009 17:10:08 BST