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Doubts grow as planning reforms fail to spur new starts

21 January 2026

Reading time: 4 minutes
Written by: Ruth Stevenson, Director/Solicitor at Ives & Co Solicitors
As 2026 begins, confidence around planning reform is being closely tested — particularly in the commercial property sector. While policy changes were intended to unlock development and stimulate growth, new commercial starts remain slower than expected. At Ives & Co, our commercial conveyancing team is seeing how planning uncertainty continues to affect investment decisions, transaction structures, and development timelines.

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2026 Will-Making Trends: What Families Should Prepare For This Year

20 January 2026

Reading time: 4 minutes
Written by: Ruth Stevenson, Director/Solicitor at Ives & Co Solicitors
As families look ahead to a new year, many take the opportunity to put important legal affairs in order. At Ives & Co, our wills and probate specialists see January as a key moment when people pause, reflect, and plan for the future. In 2026, will-making is being shaped by changing family structures, evolving assets, and greater awareness of long-term planning — making this the ideal time to review what really matters.

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Elderly lady in a pink shirt looking down at paperwork

Autumn Budget 2025: Key Inheritance Tax Changes

19 December 2025

Reading time: 4 minutes
Written by: Ruth Stevenson, Director/Solicitor at Ives & Co Solicitors
Planning ahead becomes even more important when tax rules shift — and at Ives & Co Solicitors, our will & probate specialists help families protect their estates with clear, tailored advice. The Autumn Budget 2025 has brought inheritance tax (IHT) back into focus, with updates that could affect thousands of households from next year.

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Tall office buildings and cranes

UK Planning Shake-Up: A Bill That Could Rewrite Development

15 December 2025

Reading time: 4 minutes
Written by: Ruth Stevenson, Director/Solicitor at Ives & Co Solicitors
At Ives & Co, we closely monitor legislation which affects property, development and infrastructure — and the Planning and Infrastructure Bill is one of the most significant in a generation. With the UK Government aiming to unlock a major building boom and accelerate the delivery of housing, energy, water, and transport infrastructure, the Bill seeks to overhaul decades-old planning laws.

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Downing street sign

Budget 2025 — Key Points of Interest for Commercial Conveyancing

11 December 2025

Reading time: 4 minutes
Written by: Ruth Stevenson, Director/Solicitor at Ives & Co Solicitors
Commercial property owners, landlords, and investors are already recalculating their next moves after last week’s Autumn Budget — and the changes are particularly relevant for anyone buying, selling, or leasing business premises.

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Later-Life Mortgages: What Families Should Know

9 December 2025

Reading time: 4 minutes
Written by: Ruth Stevenson, Director/Solicitor at Ives & Co Solicitors
Renting laws in England are about to change dramatically. With the Renters’ Rights Act now confirmed, both landlords and tenants are preparing for one of the most significant updates to the rental system in decades.

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London

How 2026 Planning Changes Affect Commercial Property

9 December 2025

Reading time: 4 minutes
Written by: Ruth Stevenson, Director/Solicitor at Ives & Co Solicitors
The government’s latest planning proposals signal one of the biggest shifts in development control in years — and while the headlines focus on housing, the implications reach far into the commercial property world.

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To let signs

The Renters’ Rights Act 2026 Explained

8 December 2025

Reading time: 4 minutes
Written by: Ruth Stevenson, Director/Solicitor at Ives & Co Solicitors
Renting laws in England are about to change dramatically. With the Renters’ Rights Act now confirmed, both landlords and tenants are preparing for one of the most significant updates to the rental system in decades.

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Man in hat side profile

What High Profile Estate Disputes Teach Us About Executors

6 December 2025

Reading time: 4 minutes
Written by: Ruth Stevenson, Director/Solicitor at Ives & Co Solicitors
Celebrity estate disputes often grab attention, and the recent headlines about Paris Jackson challenging the executors of Michael Jackson’s estate highlight how quickly tensions can arise during probate. While these cases involve global estates and high-value assets, the underlying issues are very similar to those we see every day in UK probate administration.

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Scrabble letters spelling PROBATE

The 2025 Probate Fee Increase — What’s Actually Going Up?

4 December 2025

Reading time: 4 minutes
Written by: Ruth Stevenson, Director/Solicitor at Ives & Co Solicitors
This year brings a major shift worth paying attention to: a steep increase in the cost of obtaining official copies of probate documents. Let’s break down exactly what’s changing, when, and what it means for anyone managing an estate.

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