RLC Call for Safe Winter Roads
22nd December 2009
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Unfortunately snow produces two conflicting effects: (a) It attracts children into the streets, (b) It causes cars ...
Drowning in Debt
15th December 2009
Citizens Advice Drowning in Debt Report
Summary of Key Points
Most people attempt to manage debt by their own means, i.e. without professional help, but these attempts often don’t succeed and sometimes even worsen the situation while the quality of life of debtors and their families suffers.
2/3 of people facing debt have considered bankruptcy as a way out.
1/4 have taken additional credit to pay back debt, but this frequently only protracts their indebtedness – a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
1/3 have borrowed from family or friends.
4/10 have gone without ...
RLC in Talks with Ministers
8th December 2009
On 7 December RLC took part in a meeting with Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill, and Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing, at the Scottish Government HQ at St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh. RLC Principal Solicitor Jon Kiddie formed part of a delegation from the Scottish Association of Law Centres alongside Angus MacIntosh of Castlemilk Law Centre, Paul Brown of Legal Services Agency, and Amanda Pringle of Drumchapel Law Centre.
The discussion dealt with various issues affecting local community justice and law centres in general, and in particular Scotland’s need for more secure funding for social welfare and humans rights ...
Repeal of Mortgage Rights Act
7th December 2009
The Scottish Parliament is at present considering important new legislative reforms in the Home Owner & Debtor Protection (Scotland) Bill, which was introduced on 1 October 2009. As part of the government’s response to the Credit Crunch, if passed this will make significant changes to the law, particularly relating to mortgage repossession, bankruptcy and trust deeds.
This article will look at the proposed changes to mortgage repossession law.
Mortgage Repossession
Part 1 of the Bill (section 1―8) proposes to reform the Heritable Securities (Scotland) Act 1894, the Conveyancing & Feudal Reform (Scotland) Act 1970 and the Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Act ...
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
2nd December 2009
Originally reported on Scottish Legal News.
The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) has issued its first guidance to the professional bodies to ensure legal firms tell their clients about the commission at the earliest opportunity and also notified them of a change to the SLCC rules.
The guidance states that practitioners should ensure that clients, or others, who may wish to express dissatisfaction with a practitioner or firm, should be advised of the SLCC as the appropriate gateway for complaints at an appropriate time.
The SLCC has also asked the Law Society of Scotland, Faculty of Advocates and Association of ...
Praise for RLC Website
1st December 2009
Renfrewshire Law Centre's website (this one) received its first critical review by Iain Nisbet, writing for the Journal of the Law Society of Scotland in November. Iain, himself a partner at Govan Law Centre, has had a regular column in the Journal, reviewing legal-themed websites for many years.
His review is as follows. We would only point out that the RLC logo was not inspired by the Reid Kerr logo, but in fact initially drawn up before the designer had even seen the Reid Kerr logo.
"Renfrewshire Law Centre is not a new law centre as such, but a ...
RLC & SALC to Meet Justice Minister
1st December 2009
Jon Kiddie, Principal Solicitor of Renfrewshire Law Centre, will meet the Justice Minister, Kenny MacAskill, next week along with principal solicitors of other Scottish law centres. The meeting, set up under the auspices of the Scottish Association of Law Centres, will focus on proposals for legislative reform relating to housing law, tenants' and home owners' rights, debtor protection, and on the need for secure funding for law centres and similar organisations in the future.
Watch this space for a report on the meeting.
Important Development in Law on Recalling Decree
1st December 2009
Glasgow Housing Association v Duffy 2009
Glasgow Sheriff Court ruled it was competent for a tenant to recall of decree despite having appeared in person and being represented at previous diets, and despite having stated a defence, with a proof and a pre-proof hearing having been assigned.
The tenant's solicitors withdrew from acting before the pre-proof hearing, and the tenant failed to appear in person, whereupon the landlords obtained decree for payment and ejection.
The court held that the pre-proof hearing was truly a continued diet, that decree had been granted under summary cause rule 8.2(5), and ...
RLC Volunteer Moves On
1st December 2009
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Renfrewshire Law Centre congratulates Paul Fairbridge, former volunteer lawyer, on his appointment as solicitor at Drumchapel Law and Money Advice Centre. |
Homeowners Sue over Unfair Mortgages
8th October 2009
By reason of the housing market boom of before the recession, some customers would have to repay up to almost 4 1/2 times the original loan, constituting an equivalent effective interest rate of over 35% per annum.
It is estimated that ...
Legal Services Bill
1st October 2009
The Legal Services (Scotland) Bill, nicknamed "Tesco Law", has been introduced into the Scottish Parliament.
It proposes the introduction of socalled alternative business structures, i.e. firms made of lawyers and other busines professionals, like accountants, who have previoulsy not been allowed to practise together except in certain limited circumstances, e.g. company in-house legal advisers. Based on recommendations by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), the Bill is intended to offer the public more choice of legal services.
The idea is that clients (or customers) may access a range of services under the same roof, while professionals from different ...
Gill Report Published Today
1st October 2009
Lord Gill's Report on his Review of Scottish Civil Justice was published today and is available to view online on the Scottish Court Website at: www.scotcourts.gov.uk/civilcourtsreview.
The Report's aim is to recommend means of improving civil justice by making it faster, cheaper and fairer. Having taken almost 2 1/2 years to prepare, it examines, among other issues, costs of litigation to parties and to the public purse, mediation and other methods of dispute resolution, modern methods of communication and case management, and specialisation of courts or procedures.
The Report is rather lengthy, comprising ...
Don't Panic Training Handout
29th September 2009
The handout for RLC's successful "Don't Panic" training event on mortgage repossession cases is now available to download from this website under the training section.
You may need to try different view options in Microsoft Word in order to achieve a complete image.
RLC Visit to Parliament
24th September 2009
On 24 September 2009 a delegation of staff, directors and volunteers of Renfrewshire Law Centre took part in a visit to the Scottish Parliament by invitation of Hugh Henry MSP. This was a very worthwhile experience for all. As well as spectating on First Minister's Question Time, we had the benefit of a guided tour courtersy of Paul Thompson, Parliamentary Assistant for Hugh Henry, and the opportunity to meet local Renfrewshire MSP's, including Hugh Henry, Wendy Alexander and Trish Godman, when we were able to discuss matters of concern to the local community with them.
Here are some ...
Training Handouts, Recent Uploads
22nd September 2009
Please check out the training handouts on our website, including recent uploads on past housing law seminars. Click the link to training events on the home page, then follow the link to handouts.
Please note these handouts represent the law as at the date of the training events for which they were issued. The law may have changed in the intervening time since then.
RLC Closed, 24 & 28 September
21st September 2009
Renfrewshire Law Centre will be closed all day on Thursday, 24 September 2009 for staff training.
Services will resume on Friday, 25 September.
The Law Centre will be closed again all day on Monday, 28 September, which is a public holiday.
Law Centre Seeks Directors
18th September 2009
Renfrewshire Law Centre is recruiting Directors. Support your local Law Centre. Renfrewshire Law Centre is this local authority area's only law centre. It provides legal advice, assistance and representation at all levels of the Scottish civil justice system to local residents unable to find legal services elsewhere. It also provides legal services and training to other local organisations and the public. It is a registered legal charity. The Law Centre is currently looking to recruit up to five new Directors to volunteer for its Board. Applicants should be proposed by another local organisation. Please contact Jon Kiddie, Principal Solicitor ...
Scotland has Busiest Prisons in Europe
14th September 2009
Recent research shows Scotland imprisons more individuals than any other member of the European Union, i.e. 157 per 100,000 citizens, with a total of 8,124 prisoners.
This compares with 153 per 100,000 in the rest of Britain.
The Scottish prison population has continued to increase over recent years in spite of a reduction in reported crime rates.
Our prisoner capacity is only 7,428, making our prisons overcrowded.
The research was undertaken by King's College, London.
Megrahi Papers To Be Made Public
9th September 2009
Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill, has stated he intends to make public some of the appeal papers relating to Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi’s proposed appeal against conviction, which the Libyan recently dropped in advance of his recent compassionate and controversial release from prison and return to Libya on licence.
The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission's had recommended a review of the conviction on the basis that the conviction may have been unsound.
So far only a summary has been published running to some 14 pages, while the complete document of over 800 pages remains secret – more may be released ...
Spelling Errors
4th September 2009
It has been brought to our atttention that there are some spelling errors on the website. If you notice any, please contact us on jon@paisleylawcentre.co.uk
RLC Annual Report Available Online
3rd September 2009
Renfrewshire Law Centre's Annual Report for 2008/09 is now available to view online on this website under the Reports Section.
Click here to link to Annual Report.
Law Centres to Meet Justice Minister
2nd September 2009
Justic Minister, Kenny McAskill, has agreed to meet representatives of Scottish Law Centres in early October 2009 in order to discuss proposals for reform to current laws on mortgage repossession, debt and bankruptcy.
These reforms would improve home owners' rights and those of their familys and tenants.
In particular the presen law gives tenants of private landlords very liitle protection in the event of mortgage arrears accruing at the property. This gap in the law is the cause of growing conern here in Renfrewshire and elsewhere as the credit crunch continues to affect the private rental market.
The reforms would ...
Monster Debts
31st August 2009
Lynn Jolly
PAISLEY lawyer Jon Kiddie has warned Buddies that the “debt monster” is spiralling out of control.
Mr Kiddie, principal solicitor at Renfrewshire Law Centre in George Street, said the fastest-growing financial problem people face is home owners being hammered with unaffordable mortgage bills.
The centre is holding its annual general meeting at its headquarters on Friday.
And, in his speech, Jon will warn: “By far the worst escalating problem is home owners hit with unaffordable mortgage bills, often in the face of job loss on the part of one or more household breadwinner.
“In Scotland about 1.6 ...
Law Centre AGM
31st August 2009
Renfrewshire Law Centre
Annual General Meeting
Friday, 4 September 2009 at 1.00 p.m.
The Directors of Renfrewshire Law Centre
cordially invite you to attend our Annual General Meeting
on Friday, 4 September 2009 at 1.00 p.m. at our own offices
at 65-71 George Street, Paisley PA1 2JY
From 1.00 p.m. lunch will be provided,
at 2.00 p.m. business will commence,
followed by speakers, including:
Eric Graham, Chairman
Jon Kiddie, Principal Solicitor
Hugh Henry MSP
We will also demonstrate our new website.
If you wish to attend, please reply by
email, jon@paisleylawcentre ...
Mum facing life on the streets
25th May 2009
Lynn Jolly
A mum faces being turfed out into the street with her four kids despite being totally up-to-date with her rent.
It is only a matter of time before Margaret Dragsnes, 34, is evicted from her house – despite the fact that she doesn’t owe her landlord a penny.
Her lawyer believes the landlord has defaulted on the mortgage, possibly by not keeping up repayments to the Abbey National.
Margaret – who is mum to Freyah, one, Jack, four, Jay, seven and Taylor, nine – was supposed to be evicted on Friday, but wasn’t booted out after intervention by Paisley ...
Law Centre helps Buddies hang on to their homes
13th April 2009
Lynn Jolly
Renfrewshire Law Centre is in the frontline of helping Buddies facing repossessions hold on to their homes.
Jon Kiddie and his colleagues are inundated with tough repossession cases.
I want more help for those facing repossession. Many legal firms refuse to take on repossession cases and the Law Centre steps in to ensure Buddies are represented in court to help them hold on to their homes.
I questioned the Justice Minister, Kenny McAskill, in Parliament on the case for more help for Law Centres such as Paisley which protect people from the worst consequences of the credit crunch ...