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22 April 2010 / James Naylor
Issue: 7414 / Categories: Opinion , Property
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Hot property

David Cameron describes the forthcoming election as: “The most important election for a generation.” But, how important is it for property professionals?

David Cameron describes the forthcoming election as: “The most important election for a generation.” But, how important is it for property professionals? Tory policy is mostly contained in two documents: the Conservative Manifesto (April 13 2010) and a Green Paper, Open Source Planning (February 22 2010). The key policies are as follows.

Housing

The Conservatives would increase the stamp duty threshold for first time buyers to £250,000 on a permanent basis. They would also strengthen shared ownership schemes to allow those on low-to-middle incomes to own or part-own their home. Home Information Packs would be abolished.
Council tenants with a record of five years’ good behaviour would be offered a 10% equity share in their social rented property, which could then be cashed in when they wanted to move up the housing ladder. Mr Cameron also wants to introduce a Right to Move scheme to allow every family in social housing the chance to

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Switalskis—Naila Arif, Harriet Findlay & Ellie Thompson

Switalskis—Naila Arif, Harriet Findlay & Ellie Thompson

Firm awards training contracts to paralegals through internal programme

Ward Hadaway—Matthew Morton

Ward Hadaway—Matthew Morton

Private client disputes specialist joins commercial litigation team

Thomson Hayton Winkley—Nina Hood

Thomson Hayton Winkley—Nina Hood

Cumbria firm appoints new head of residential property

NEWS
Freezing orders in divorce proceedings can unexpectedly ensnare third parties and disrupt businesses. In NLJ this week, Lucy James of Trowers & Hamlins explains how these orders—dubbed a ‘nuclear weapon’—preserve assets but can extend far beyond spouses to companies and business partners 
A Court of Appeal ruling has clarified that ‘rent’ must be monetary—excluding tenants paid in labour from statutory protection. In this week's NLJ, James Naylor explains Garraway v Phillips, where a tenant worked two days a week instead of paying rent
Three men wrongly imprisoned for a combined 77 years have been released—yet received ‘not a penny’ in compensation, exposing deep flaws in the justice system. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Jon Robins reports on Justin Plummer, Oliver Campbell and Peter Sullivan, whose convictions collapsed amid discredited forensics, ‘oppressive’ police interviews and unreliable ‘cell confessions’
A quiet month for employment cases still delivers key legal clarifications. In his latest Employment Law Brief for NLJ, Ian Smith reports that whistleblowing protection remains intact even where disclosures are partly self-serving, provided the worker reasonably believes they serve the ‘public interest’ 
Family law must shift from conflict-driven litigation to child-centred problem-solving, according to a major new report. Writing in NLJ this week, Caroline Bowden of Anthony Gold outlines findings showing overwhelming support for reform, with 92% agreeing lawyers owe duties to children as well as clients
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