HOUSE buyers are being urged to wrap up their deals as soon as possible before the stamp duty holiday expires at the end of the year.

Properties worth between £125,000 and £175,000 have been exempt from stamp duty since September last year as part of the Government’s financial stimulus for the UK’s economy. It is estimated that 60% of homebuyers have benefited from this temporary tax relief.

 Brownings Solicitors is reminding buyers that this is set to end from 2010, when home buyers looking for property in this price range will once again face a tax of one per cent — anywhere between £1,250 and £1,750.

 Ravinder Dhunna, a Licensed Conveyancer at Brownings says “We have noticed that on the whole the general public aren’t aware of the current stamp duty holiday ending as the normal stamp duty threshold returns on the 1st January 2010″

 The stamp duty holiday has been the most value to first-time buyers, who are most likely to buy properties in the £125,000 to £175,000 bracket and typically struggle to meet the cost of getting on the housing ladder.

Redditch Hair Stylist discriminated against for being dyslexic

A Redditch stylist brought a claim against her employers for disability discrimination.

The stylist was employed for over 2 years at a local salon and suffered various forms of discrimination throughout the course of her employment . This included demeaning comments by her employers as well as seclusion in various forms.

Brownings represented the stylist in her claim and also recognised a potential loop hole in the law in doing so.  The requirement of Section 32, Employment Act 2002, requires that employees under the old regime  "write a letter of grievance which clearly indicates what form of discrimination they have suffered". However, a dyslexic individual would find it difficult to adhere to section 32 as they have difficulty in clearly expressing themselves in writing, and therefore would be unable to meet the criteria.

The case was heard on the 17th August 2009. Shugufta Jabeen, our Employment lawyer, who conducted the case, commented:-

"It is disappointing to note that employers are still falling foul of the law. This case clearly identifies the breach, by the employers, by way of discrimination.

What we were asking the Tribunal to do, in this particular case, was to apply leniency when it concerns dyslexic individuals . As the law requires employers to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate for disabled individuals, why then would we not expect the Tribunal to make adjustments when applying certain criteria's of law. The case has attracted a considerable amount of  media attention and we are hoping to now progress our client's case to Appeal.

Such behaviour by employers is unacceptable and the consequences will be great for those who offend."