Angela Brown

Daniels LLP Solicitors MY brother and I live together and jointly own our house.

I want to give him my half, but I have been told this would be money laundering! Since we are family members, surely this wouldn’t present a problem? These days solicitors generally are obliged to ask all clients for documents verifying their identity and address in order to comply with the law on money laundering.

You could gift your brother your share without difficulty, but unless you have special reasons it probably wouldn’t be advisable.

Owning a share in your property gives you some security in the event that anything should happen to your brother.

If you own the house as beneficial joint tenants your brother will receive your share on your death in any case.

Alternatively, if you hold it as tenants in common then on your death your share in the property would pass under the terms of any will you may have made.

Talk this through with your solicitor. I TOOK out a life insurance policy for my son when he was 21, before he got married, and have paid the premiums regularly ever since until he died recently aged 61.

Who will benefit from the policy? Will the money go into his estate and so to his wife, or am I entitled to the payment? The proceeds of the policy are generally payable to the person who is named as the beneficiary in the policy.

You will have to check the policy document for this information, or the life assurance company may tell you if they consider you have a sufficient interest.

Unless the policy says otherwise you will not be entitled to the payment just because you paid the premiums. CAN I take legal action against someone where I don’t know their home address? I know where he works. In order to file a money claim you must be able to provide the defendant’s full residential address, including postcode.

The claim cannot be sent to a place of employment.

You would also need the defendant’s address in order to help you recover what you are owed, in the event that it became necessary to seize the defendant’s property.

I would advise that you instruct a tracing agent to provide the information you need. THE Leylandii hedge planted in a neighbouring garden has grown to the height of the houses.

It was planted by a previous tenant, and cannot be maintained by the present occupier.

Does the landlord have a responsibility to deal with this under the high hedges legislation? The council can force him to take responsibility under the legislation if they’re asked to become involved.

The hedge must be higher than two metres, present a barrier to light or access and adversely affect your enjoyment of your property.

The council will charge a fee and will require evidence that you have attempted to resolve the issue amicably, so you should contact the landlord first.

There’s a complicated formula to work out whether the council can take action, which takes into account the distance of the hedge from your house, the slope of the garden, and its orientation.

The planning department has some handy booklets.

Call SAS Daniels LLP Solicitors on 0161 475 7676 or 01625 442 100. Visit www.sasdaniels. co.uk. If you have any legal questions, write to Weekly Law and You, MEN Media, Mitchell Henry House, Hollinwood Avenue, Chadderton, OL9 8EF, or leave your query on the legal advice line 0117 964 4794.