It is a commonly held belief that if you die without a Will, your assets automatically transfer to the State.  However, this is incorrect.  It is only if you die without a Will and without any eligible relatives that your assets will transfer to the State.

Who are eligible...

Have you ever entered into a business contract which you think is unfair? Was it a standard form contract which offered plenty of protection for one party but not the other? Smaller businesses now have protection from unfair contracts under laws which were introduced on 12 November 2015.

• between January and...

Unfortunately it’s a fact of life that many houses in bushy areas, such as the Sutherland Shire, are subject to termite invasions. It is actually more common than not for homes in the Shire to already have pre-existing termite damage.

But what if the pre-existing damage is so substantial,...

Your right to use a particular business or product name typically requires an assessment of what business or product names your competitors are already using in the market for your particular product or service.  Similar names in the same market could create confusion or mislead/deceive...

Unfortunately not all owners within a strata scheme are aware of their rights and obligations regarding strata ownership, which can lead to problems with other lot owners, the strata manager, and the owners corporation.

What does strata ownership involve?

Strata title refers to the type of...

More and more clients are coming to Shire Legal to set up a family trust, usually on the advice of their accountant or financial adviser.  But this begs the questions – what is a trust?  And why is it recommended that you set up a company to run the trust?

What is a trust?

A trust...

Strata title is a form of ownership used for multi-housing developments, such as:

• units

• townhouses

• villas

• detached dwellings within a defined area.

The strata plan divides the building(s) and the associated land into:

• individual lots (owned by the various lot owners); and

• common...

Gaining access to your recently purchased property to commence renovations can provide you with an opportunity to save time before moving into your new home or alternatively, reduce any time your new investment property remains vacant. However, there are inherent risks involved and the potential...

In the recent case of Baird v Harris, the Supreme Court of New South Wales certainly thought so.

This case concerned the estate of a deceased man who had 2 adult children, one of whom suffers from Autistic Spectrum Disorder.  The deceased’s estate...

In recent weeks there has been a story in the news about the evacuation of a unit block in Harris Park after a sink hole opened up alongside the building. The recent heavy rain combined with the flooded excavation site next door caused the wall of the excavated site to wash away to such an extent...

As part of the normal conveyancing process, the purchaser will make enquiries with the vendor about the Title of the property.  These are referred to as “requisitions on title”.

The purpose of requisitions is to ask the vendor information which may...