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A risky environment

25 October 2007 / James Sherwood
Issue: 7294 / Categories: Features , Property
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Lack of environmental information is a problem for practitioners, says James Sherwood Rogers

Despite guidance from the Law Society and the accepted “best practice” of the vast majority of solicitors, there are still a number of homes that are sold without regard to the environmental risks.

From our experience, one of the key reasons for this is that a local solicitor has good knowledge of the local area. While this is true, risks from contamination can go back over 100 years or more. Old industries such as tanneries in the late 1800s used mercury for removing flesh from hides in large quantities which simply soaked into the ground. This historic mercury poisoning has led to remediation costing many thousands of pounds.
An environmental report uses historic mapping data to unearth potential risks that today are not so apparent.  Recently, during one of our continuing professional development (CPD) seminars, we were able to demonstrate to one Stoke-based solicitor that a neighbouring street they thought they knew well had a hidden past, as a brickworks with a broad

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From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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