Can you force your neighbour to give access to their property?
Legal proceedings to gain access The Supreme Court can and will make orders forcing a property owner to give access. This is governed by s.88K...
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What is an easement?
There are two types of easements, private and public. Private easements A private easement exists between two private property owners. Common...
Options to renew in commercial leases – don’t get caught out!
How option renewal periods work Most commercial leases require the tenant to notify the landlord if they wish to exercise an option to renew...
Avoiding conveyancing traps – special conditions
Conveyancing is the process involving the transfer of legal title of real property from one person to another.The conveyancing process...
Buying Property with Someone Else – Tips and traps
However, there are pitfalls to buying a property with someone else. It is better to think about these issues up front and take steps to ensure...
New law to protect the Sydney’s home unit boom
NSW has about 50% of the total number of occupied apartments in all of Australia.[1] At first glance, this might seem staggering, given that...
We’re still friends, why do we need a legal property settlement?
Ex-partners who remain on good terms may choose to make informal arrangements regarding the division of their property. However, the failure...
What is the time limit on suing your builder?
Generally, a claim for negligence must be made within 6 years of the plaintiff suffering loss. Sometimes, negligent building work does not cause...
Somerville Legal – Newcastle office
After 35 years as one of the leading law firms in Sydney's north, in 2018 Somerville Legal expanded to incorporate a Newcastle office, enabling...
If you are subpoenaed
A subpoena is a Court order and cannot be ignored, no matter how unreasonable it is. It remains valid unless and until it is set aside and ignoring...