Our Blog - Lifestyle

• Top 10 inexpensive ways to add value to your house 31 January, 2012
  

  If you're trying to sell your home, you'll want to do everything you can to impress potential buyers and increase its value. While not everyone can afford improvements like a loft conversion or kitchen refit, there are some inexpensive steps you can take to add value to your house. 1. Smarten up the outside of the house First impressions are...More

• End of Indian summer signals time to prepare for Arctic winter 10 November, 2011

  In early October, as the mercury rose in our thermometers to a record-breaking 29 degrees Celsius, the freezing temperatures for winter seemed a long way off. Sadly, after having enjoyed the Indian summer, the reality of our usual British autumn/winter weather has returned and we are told to expect an arctic winter. Over the past two winters at...More

• Understanding the full facts of free roof-top solar PV panels 19 September, 2011

  Stephens Scown A lot of people are looking at solar PV panels in an effort to reduce their electricity and heating bills, as well as helping the environment.  With the introduction of Feed-in-Tariffs (FiT) some organisations provide free solar PV panels, install them and in effect 'lease' the homeowners' roof, usually for a period of...More

• Cornwall Food & Drink Festival – celebrating the very best of Cornish food and drink 02 September, 2011

  As Cornwall Food and Drink sponsors, Cornish Mutual have invited us to contribute to their blog. For several years, Cornish Mutual have supported us insuring the Cornwall Food & Drink Festival at a reduced premium. This year, the Cornwall Food and Drink Festival will host some of Cornwall's top chefs, all cooking with fantastic local...More

• Primogeniture; how prepared is your family for the future? 21 June, 2011

  A blog by Sue Savill of Ashfords Solicitors With the next generation of the Royal Family embarking on married life, attitudes towards inheritance and succession issues may be changing.  A recent survey by Chartered Accountants, Saffery Champness, for Country Life Magazine has found that more major land owners are now prepared to leave their...More

• Landowners turn to rooftop energy generation 31 May, 2011

  A Blog by Sonya Bedford, Head of Renewables at Stephens Scown solicitors An increasing number of landowners in the Westcountry are turning to small-scale rooftop energy generation.  At Stephens Scown we think it could be the start of a new phase in solar development activity and believe that many farmers are taking advantage of roof-space on...More

• Keeping your Driving Licence Legal – Photo Identity Cards 27 December, 2010

  When was the last time you looked at your photo card driving licence? Perhaps you use it if asked for identification, but otherwise, you don't really take it out of your wallet? Well now's the time to do just that, as thousands of motorists are at risk of being fined £1,000 by unwittingly driving without a valid licence. Many people have not...More

• Solar Parks – Getting Started 22 November, 2010
  

  A Blog by Sonya Bedford, Head of Renewables at Stephen Scown solicitors In the past few months I've been inundated with requests to help with arranging heads of terms with developers looking to create a "solar park" on land, particularly in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. Below are a few pointers for those considering entering into an arrangement...More

• Renewable energy – opportunities for Members 20 August, 2010
  

  A Blog by Sonya Bedford, Head of Renewables at Stephens Scown Farmers and landowners in the South West should think about the opportunities being presented with the growth in renewable energies Sonya Bedford, Head of Renewable Energy at Stephens Scown, says as fossil fuels get more expensive and renewable energy gets cheaper, people could earn an...More

• Replacing your driving licence 02 June, 2010

  Have you changed your driving licence recently? Did you check it carefully when it came back from the DVLA? If you didn't, you should do so now. Stories continue to circulate that people who have sent licences in for a change, such as new address, have been getting them back with a category missed off.  This is due to clerical errors at the...More