Ask the experts: legal matters
-
How do I calculate how much it would cost to buy my partner out and who should pay ongoing housing costs such as insurance and repairs?
-
Landlords must be aware of their obligations towards tenants, as well as their own rights when renting out a property, says Alan Wilson.
-
-
My boyfriend bought a motorbike with a one-year warranty. After a month an oil warning light came on the bike, but since filling it up the light remained on. We then realised the light had a joint purpose - low oil and to indicate a service was due. The bike then broke down due to low oil, but we assumed the light was lit because the service was due. Now we are told we're not under warrenty for ignoring the warning. What can we do?
-
My sister lives in a flat she owns with our mum, who doesn't live there. She is going to work in America, but they don't want to fall off the property ladder. My sister has a mortgage of £170,000, as well as £70,000 in cash. My mother has around £50,000 to invest. I have no cash but have a £36,000 salary. Will a mortgage provider a) lend to me separately from my sister, and b) accept three owners in divisible equity shares?
-
I recently ordered a cake decoration stand with a local trader, and paid a deposit. I then changed my mind and went back into the shop to try and get a refund. The owner told me it is her policy that deposits are non-refundable. Can she do this?
-
-
Latin for "let the buyer beware", caveat emptor is a legal principle that applies to the sale of property. It means the onus is on the buyer to ascertain the quality and condition of a property before proceeding with its purchase.
-
I bought a house two-and-a-half years ago, which I have since discovered has rising damp. According to the papers that came with the property a damp proof course was installed four years ago, and I have a copy of the associated 30-year damp proof guarantee. This wasn't conveyed to me when I moved, which apparently invalidates the agreement. What can I do?
-
A dry cleaning company has lost my wife's wedding dress, or to be precise the courier firm that they sub-contracted lost the dress. We are in process of asking the cleaner for damages, but are unclear how we deal with the sentimental loss involved. What is the best way to approach this?
-
Telephone and doorstep selling are growing sales tactics, but you should know your rights before signing anything you might regret, says Alan Wilson.
-
Res ipsa loquitur is a legal term used in negligence claims meaning the thing speaks for itself. So if, for example, a cap fitted by your dentist fell out after a week you could argue res ipsa loquitur.
-
-
I bought a DVD and HDD recorder last year, which broke in January. They are now offering me a full refund to the card on which I bought the machine, but I no longer have it. Any ideas how to go about getting my money back and avoiding the dreaded gift vouchers?
-
-
Money-off vouchers and codes are a pot of gold to bargain hunters, but the terms and conditions can often prove frustrating, warns Alan Wilson.
Ask the experts: homebuying Do we need a deed of trust to reflect our shares in our house purchase?