Palmers Green and Southgate LIFE magazine by Tony Ourris

Palmers Green

Southgate

LIFE

January / February 2017 Edition Issue 34

Boundary change? • It’s nothing new

A view from City Hall • Cleaning up London's air

Champions of our community • What makes Enfield great

Image supplied by Enfield Council Local Studies and Archive

Broomfield House, the home of Ralph Littler who fought for Southgate to be separated from Edmonton in 1881

Ralph Littler

welcome I hope you had a lovely holiday season, for me it was great to spend time with the family and enjoy some rest and relaxation. I am always impressed by the number of local organisations, charities and individuals that help those less fortunate at Christmas time. It really goes to show what great community spirit we have in Palmers Green, well done to you all. Last month we introduced a new valuation tool to our website. All you need to do is to click the button on our home screen then a couple of clicks later you will have an estimated value for your home. Our website is www.anthonywebb.co.uk, it's quick and easy. With the diverse range of property available locally prices can vary considerably so if you are looking for an accurate market appraisal please do not hesitate to contact a member of my team for a face to face meeting. We can give you advice on things that you can do to help improve your property so that you get the maximum price for it when you are ready to sell. January, heading into spring is a great time to sell property with lots of potential buyers on the move, please contact us for advice if you are considering putting your home on the market. On page 19 this month you can get to know Martin a little better, my longest standing employee and office manager.

Tony Ourris

Martin McKelvey

Director / Editor at Large tonyourris@anthonywebb.co.uk

Office Manager martin@anthonywebb.co.uk

Theo Kyriacou

Emily Berry

Sales and Lettings Negotiator theo@anthonywebb.co.uk

Property Manager lettings@anthonywebb.co.uk

Kat Georgiou

Panayiota Kyriakides

Property Manager lettings@anthonywebb.co.uk

Administrator

Thank you for taking the time to read our magazine, and we thank all the local businesses and schools that support the magazine through advertising. Wishing you all a prosperous New Year.

Tony

Leo Morales-Joannou Administration Assistant

If you are interested in advertising a local service or business please get in touch or if you have a local story or article that you would like featured in our magazine please contact ads@palmersgreenlife.co.uk

Tony Ourris Director Anthony Webb Estate Agents

Ellie Sales

Claudeth Whyte

Magazine Editor ellie@palmersgreenlife.co.uk

Advertising Manager ads@palmersgreenlife.co.uk

Anthony Webb supporting local schools, charities and local action groups to enrich our community

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

A view from City Hall

by Joanne McCartney AM

Cleaning Up London’s Air E: joanne.mccartney@london.gov.uk www.joannemccartney.com Tel: 020 7983 5524

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to act the Mayor has announced bold proposals for cleaning up London’s air. These include: • an earlier start to London’s Ultra Low emission Zone (ULEZ) in 2019 and extending it to the North and South Circular for all vehicles, rather than just the central congestion zone as was planned under the previous Mayor. For lorries, buses and coaches the ULEZ would apply London wide. • an emissions surcharge on the most polluting vehicles entering central London from 2017 • developing a detailed proposal for a national diesel scrappage scheme for Government to implement in order to make switching to cleaner vehicles affordable for motorists and businesses. Of course, London government* has to lead by example and that’s why the Mayor has announced plans to transform London’s bus fleet by phasing out the oldest and most polluting diesel buses, and making the entire fleet ultra-low or zero emission. Clean bus corridors will be introduced along the dirtiest routes and a new hydrogen double decker

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This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Clean Air Act, brought in as a response to the 1952 Great Smog when up to 12,000 Londoners died due to toxic air. Currently London is breaking both legal and World Health Organisation limits on air pollution, and the High Court has recently found that the Government has broken the law by failing to act as quickly as possible to bring the UK into compliance. The Mayor of London is calling for a 21st century Clean Air Act to deal with the massive air quality challenges we face today. The biggest cause of our poor air quality is diesel vehicles. Research shows that without a change in policy up to 9,400 people will die prematurely across capital every year, and London will remain above legal limits until 2025 and beyond. Toxic air impairs child lung development for life and worsens existing lung conditions. Research has also identified that 443 schools in the capital are in areas exceeding safe legal pollution levels. Central government control some of the most powerful policy tools to tackle air pollution and it is important they treat this issue with urgency. However, in addition to calling on the government

NIQUE, STUNNING AND POTENTIAL TO CREATE A THIRD BEDROOM! A rare opportunity to buy this beautifully presented CHAIN FREE two bedroom converted flat with loft room (the loft room has potential to be converted to a third bedroom subject to usual consents) occupying three floors of this Grade II listed building.

bus will be trialed in London next year. Air quality alerts are now being displayed at bus stops, tube stations and roadsides warning Londoners of high pollution levels. The level of transport monies spent on cycling will nearly double to create more safe, easy and well-connected cycling routes, and soon a Walking and Cycling Commissioner will be appointed to lead on healthy and active travel that impacts less on the environment and makes London a more pleasant city to live in. Unlike sixty years ago our polluted air is often not visible, a silent killer, but it is clear that urgent action is needed. It seems that most Londoners agree – a consultation on bringing forward and extending the ULEZ this summer saw around three quarters of respondents supporting these proposals. Joanne is the London Assembly Member for Enfield & Haringey is the statutory Deputy Mayor of London. * The Greater London Authority (GLA) comprises the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

VER 2000 SQ FEET OF SPACE AND POTENTIAL. An original five bedroom Edwardian period house requiring UPDATING, with a large garden and cellar being offered CHAIN FREE.

Menlo Lodge Crothall Close, N13

Fox Lane Palmers Green, N13

£425,000 Share of Freehold

£850,000 Freehold

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Boundary change? It’s nothing new by Joe Studman There’s a lot of discussion at the moment about proposed boundary changes. I would remind everyone that this is nothing new.

Broomfield House, the home of Ralph Littler

A hundred years ago the people of Southgate were represented at Westminster by just two members of Parliament who spoke for the whole of Middlesex. The reform act of 1918 revised the boundaries and created a Wood Green constituency which included Southgate & Friern Barnet. After another reorganisation, in 1950, Southgate became a separate constituency. In 1974 the constituency was enlarged and became Enfield-Southgate. Perhaps the most tumultuous event in Southgates political history was when Board of Health split from Edmonton in 1881. Local politics from Elizabethan times revolved around the Vestry which was made up of the local ratepayers. Their main job was to collect and administer the poor rate. In mid 19th century there were serious outbreaks of Cholera and Smallpox which motivated Parliament to create Local Boards of Health displacing Vestries and giving them powers to ensure proper water supply to and from properties. Southgate at this time came under the Edmonton Board of Health and had been part of Edmonton Parish since at least the Domesday book. However the largest

portion of the rates were paid by a minority of wealthy parishioners and they lived in the western part of the parish i.e Southgate. At this time the tenant of Broomfield House was a lawyer called Ralph Littler. Originally from Derbyshire he had lived at Bowes Park and was prominent in saving Alexandra Park for the public in Ralph Littler 1866. But his real skill was in steering Railway bills through Parliament. This had led him into conflict with John Donnithorne Taylor who lived in Grovelands. Donnithorne Taylor was furious when parliament allowed The Great Northern to compulsory purchase his land west of Hoppers Road to build a new line from Wood Green to Enfield in 1871. Littler woke up one day to find that one of the lakes in front of Broomfield House was full of dead fish polluted from a ill fitting sewer in Aldermans Hill. He sued Edmonton Health Authority and won. Now Littler pushed for full separation from Edmonton claiming that despite Southgate contributing the majority of rates, the bulk of the spending went on the east of the borough.

There then developed a series of meetings to discuss the issue. Predictably whenever a meeting was held in Edmonton the majority of ratepayers voted to stay united but when a debate took place in Southgate or Palmers Green the ratepayers voted to split. Popular history tells us that in January 1881 there was a snow blizzard and the Edmonton contingent couldn't get through to the meeting in the old Walker school in Powys Lane. The vote taken that night went for separation and was the deciding factor. The truth however was that, despite opposition from the Local Government Board, Littler had proposed a bill in parliament and had already taken it to committee stage. Local gentry were called to give evidence and class prejudices were apparent. Colonel Church, who lived in The Lawns where Ashfield Parade is now, proclaimed that he “was one of the better class and those like me support the bill”. John Donnithorne Taylor at Grovelands actually gave evidence for the remain party presumably for his antipathy towards Littler who dismissed his view as coming from a senile old gentleman. So Edmonton was cut off from its wealthy ratepayers, struggled for a time but by the end of the century had opened a Public Library, Baths and Park. Ironically it was Ralph Littler who officially opened Pymmes Park 1906 in his role as Chairman of Middlesex County Council. One wonders why he wasn’t lynched! Southgate became the Queen of Boroughs and produced some excellent councillors in its early decades whose altruism gave us Broomfield Park and some of its amenities but that's another story. The Borough only lasted 84 years to be swallowed up into the new London Borough of Enfield in 1965. When deciding a name for the new Borough two of the suggestions were “Edengate” and “South Eden” both containing syllables from all old boroughs.

You can hear more tales from Enfield’s history on one of my local walks and talks. Visit www.jaywalks.co.uk

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Councillor’s Corner

by Cllr. Bambos Charalambous

Forever in your debt Cllr.bambos.charalambous@enfield.gov.uk Tel: 020 8379 2653 I recently came across a truly staggering fact; In October 2016 the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated that the total global debt owed other thanfrom the financial sector is $152 trillion which equates to 225% of global gross domestic product or, to put it another way, enough to buy everything in the world twice over! Much of this debt is personal debt. With Christmas and New Year fast becoming a distant memory the financial excesses of the festive period become very real in January when, like a bad hangover, the bank statements and credit card bills start landing on our mats. Charities such as The Money Charity have calculated that the average national debt in the UK per person is £29,862 which is 13.6% more than the average national income. Another charity, Step Change, state that the credit cards, overdrafts and loans account for a large amount of their clients’ money worries with Council tax and utility bills also a concern. Another staggering fact is that

£26.3 billion was spent last year alone just paying off interest on credit card debt in the UK! With the easy availability of low credit and the clever marketing of consumer goods it’s not hard to see how people fall into the trap of wanting the latest must have fashions, gadgets, computer games, box sets, etc. We’ve probably all been seduced by good marketing at some time or other. However, if interest rates and inflation begin to rise as expected then many people will begin to feel the pinch and that’s when the problems could begin. Aside from the stress and fear as to what will happen if you cannot pay your rent, credit card bills, utility bills etc. there is the practicality as to what you will do when you are in debt up to your eyes. Thankfully there are some amazing organisations that are able to help people in these situations. Nationally we have the National Debtline which is a government organisation with a help line number and very user friendly

website. Locally we have the Enfield Citizens Advice Bureau which does some remarkable work in not only getting various large credit and utility companies to agree to defer or even waive payments but also in advising as to how people can maximise their income and learn how to budget. The desire to live outside our means is, however, a state of mind and unless we address that it is likely that our addiction to low credit will stay. Despite cheap food and clothing chain stores booming at present it seems that we are still spending much more than we need to. Two practical bits of advice I try to apply in my life are to be as best informed as you can be about what you are borrowing and spending money on and secondly to question why I am buying something. If we don’t address our indebtedness it is likely to negatively impact on our lives especially if rates rise and who knows, perhaps even lead us into another financial crash.

Parliamentary Comment by David Burrowes MP

We need more space! david@davidburrowes.com

www.davidburrowes.com

Constituency: 020 8360 0234

Westminster: 020 7219 5414

Well it has been a year full of political surprises. Whilst much of the focus is on Brexit, I have had a number of other issues which have occupied my attention and have also had that element of surprise. Thank you to all those who responded to the boundary changes consultation. I am hopeful that we can convince the Boundary Commissioner to keep Enfield Southgate together. The next step will be a further consultation in April when we will get a chance to see and comment on what everyone else has submitted. The Boundary Commission will then publish revised plans in Autumn 2017. Another consultation which is significant to our area is train timetable changes. GOVIA are considering reducing the number of peak trains stopping at Grange Park station. Any train or tube commuter crammed into delayed trains will know about the current really poor service and the last thing we need is less trains stopping at our busy stations. I held a public meeting with GOVIA managers and

180 people left them in no doubt of the need for a better service. The issue of space was a concern for Great Northern Railway back in the 1850s when it was responsible for transporting not so much commuters but mourners and corpses to cemeteries. It had a vision of providing a cemetery for all Londoners for centuries to come and even had 1st class, 2nd class and 3rd class burials! So why the history lesson? Well when the use of the railway cemetery died off (mind the pun!) the New Southgate Cemetery was born. Fast forward to 2016 and the cemetery is rapidly running out of space, particularly for Cypriots, Catholics, Caribbean, and Bahai community who choose burials. The only option to create more space is to give the privately owned cemetery legal powers, which are only available to municipal cemeteries, to reuse ancient graves (with appropriate safeguards). Last month I led the passing of the New Southgate Cemetery Bill to do just that. Finding any safe space is of acute concern for

the growing numbers of homeless in London. I pay tribute to CRISIS and our local churches winter night shelter who provide shelter but there is a need for the law to step in as well. I am therefore acting as a "whip" for the Homeless Reduction Bill. Given my rebellious instincts this is not a job that comes naturally. However this is a special Bill because it comes from the backbenchers and my role is to make sure it gets through. The law will be very significant and mean Councils will have a legal duty to prevent homelessness earlier rather than manage a crisis when it is too late. My political wish for the New Year is to as far David Burrowes on a as possible end recent CEO sleep out homelessness. Best wishes for a peaceful 2017!

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

helping to raise awareness of the need to tackle homelessness

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Champions of our community Celebrating the people that make our community great! Champions of our community - Kindly sponsored by Gordon Thomas Goodlooking Optics and Good Looking Happy People Enfield.

Credit Andrew Pro

Congratulations to 12 year old Enfie ld schoolgirl Nikki Ch ristou, diagnosed with a potentially life-th reatening conditio n, arteriovenous ma lformation at the ag e of just six. So far Ni kki has undergon e 28 operations and en dured more than 300 hospital visits. Nikk i was awarded the Child of Courage award at the Pride of Britain awards in October 2016.

Do you know someone that you would like to see featured here?

Congratulations to Tia Muller-Mclean from Hazelwood School for being awarded a Perform ing and Visual Ar ts place at Kingsmea d School for September 2017.

Congratulations to Palmers Green resident Savannah Wilkinson on sig ning a 4 year Basketball scholarship to Flo rida State University (ra nked 12 women's Basketball Program me in USA).

Please get in touch with our team, contact ads@palmersgreenlife.co.uk

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Thank you to Canc er Research on Palmers Green hig h street for donatin g teddies to Hazelw ood School for the ir Christmas bazaar. Hazelwood raised ÂŁ7,000 at their ev ent, well done everyone!

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Introducing Lolita Parekh My name is Lolita Parekh. I am a fiction and fantasy artist. I have been painting professionally for the past four years, though I started drawing at sixteen years old, as a hobby. I used to draw a lot with a mix of charcoal, pencils and pens. Initially I worked with watercolour but more recently I took an interest in acrylic paint. I like the vibrant colours and textures that I get with acrylic, which I sometimes mix with Guesso in order to get extra texture on the canvas to create defined layers. Occasionally I still create black and white artworks, but it is not very often. I am originally from France, born and brought up there, until I moved to UK in 2007. Since then I live with my husband and two children within easy reach of central London. I travel a lot between France, the UK and India as my husband is Indian born. Since I was little I have always been fascinated with fairytales, Mythology in general, and religious stories from various countries. Now I also have an interest in the different cultures and ways of life that we have all around the world. Because of this interest,

as well as my passion for books and fiction movies, I think that is one of the reasons why I enjoy painting superheroes, angels and other mythical creatures. I enjoy putting a story together and taking a snippet of it to make a piece of art. As well as painting my original pieces of artwork I also take commissions for people who want something special such as indoor murals and abstract artworks, as the demand is there. I also plan to spend a couple of hours a week with children in an Art Club for them to follow their passion outside of school having recently been approached by parents during a two weeks workshop where I was told several times that it would be a great idea. I will be hosting a private viewing of my artwork at Anthony Webb on Tuesday 17th January from 7:30pm please pop in. Alternatively my exhibition will run throughout this January and February and 10% of all proceeds are donated to the North London Hospice. If you wish to get in touch with me directly please contact me at lolita.parekh@gmail.com

Palmers Green Play Quarter by Catherine Nicholson, Project Worker Over the next six months, Palmers Green is to become a ‘Play Quarter’. Our charity London Play is working with local residents to make the Palmers Green area a place where children can play safely and independently, and where children are welcomed by the whole community. After two Tea and Talks, kindly hosted by Baskervilles Tea Shop, local residents have established a range of ideas for the project, including arts and crafts play sessions, themed play events at local fairs, ‘walking bus’ to walk children to and from local parks at a designated place and time, guerrilla gardening, intergenerational skills sharing, sports days in the park, and young people taking the lead to plan children’s

activities at Palmers Green festival. We want to encourage child-friendly practices and attitudes among key adult community members such as retailers, bus drivers, and street cleaners, to help the whole community really support young people as valued members of society. The project will support small changes, such as community support officers stopping to talk to children on their rounds, local primary schools introducing after school independent play sessions, retailers welcoming children, valuing them as customers and promoting alternative healthy snacks. As far as we know, no project exists on this scale, and we are hoping this pilot will act as a template for other communities in London to start their own Play Quarters. As with our pioneering work on play streets in the capital, we hope other parts of the UK will run similar schemes. The scheme is led by Catherine Nicholson,

10% of all gallery proceeds are donated to the North London Hospice.

This project has been made possible thanks to funding from the Big Lottery Fund: Awards for All

who will be meeting with Enfield council next week regarding the project, helping to promote it across Enfield. The Mayor of London has also shown his support for the project. He recently said: ‘I am very supportive of the Play Streets initiative. I am also keen to encourage Londoners to see their streets differently, and an important part of my Healthy Streets work will be to reassert the priority of people, rather than private vehicles, on the local streets where people spend much of their time. The Play Quarters pilot sounds like an interesting development of the Play Streets concept, and I will ask TfL to look into the results of the pilot in Enfield.’ This is an important project, restoring to today’s children many of the aspects of childhood which older generations experienced themselves. Given its potential for creating happier, healthier, more independent young Londoners, it will become something we hope Enfield residents will be proud of.

If you are interested in finding out more about the project, or want to get involved as a volunteer, please email Catherine Nicholson on dora@londonplay.org.uk

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Yes, I visited Lapland in one day, was I mad? by Ellie Sales, Scott's Travel Marketing Executive Scott’s Travel your local Worldwide travel experts, serving our clients for over 80 years. Scott's Travel, 3 Broadway, Southgate, N14 6PJ Tel: 020 8882 0141 www.scottstravel.co.uk My eldest son, Oliver, is getting to the stage where he is beginning to think that Santa may not be the real deal! So I thought if there was ever a time to visit Lapland it was now. There are a number of options for travelling to this magical winter wonderland. From 3 to 4 days trips to a one day excursion with Newmarket Holidays. We opted for the Newmarket one day trip visiting the Swedish side of Lapland (Lapland is located across both Finland and Sweden). Santa Claus’ homeland is the stuff of fairy tales. Cue snowdusted forests that stretch for miles, cosy log cabins that look like they’ve been plucked from a storybook, and a population that’s made up of more reindeer than people. With an early 6am flight we decided to stay over at the Sofitel Gatwick. This impressive hotel, its reception situated in an internal atrium, is a fabulous way to relax and start any holiday. With three restaurants and a funky bar on the mezzanine in reception we enjoyed a lovely Pan Asian dinner before retiring to our spacious family room. The 4am start wasn’t fun, especially as I had enjoyed some prosecco in the bar the night before, however as the hotel is directly joined to the airport and its monorail we were able to quickly check in for our specially chartered three and a half hour flight. You fly direct to Pajala, the heart of Lapland and 80 km beyond the Arctic Circle, this flight is the only 'Santa' flight to Pajala that day as numbers are strictly limited so you can appreciate every moment of your trip. Carol singing and a warm breakfast is also enjoyed on the plane. Obviously the kids were excited at the sight of rolling snow covered woodland as we came into land. You are instantly aware of the low temperature as you disembark the aircraft and head towards the small wooden cabin airport. Temperatures are often below freezing and can be as low as -35. We were told that for the previous three weeks there had been cloud cover with snow and a

temperature of -10. But not today, the sun was shining, making for a beautiful back drop, but the temperature had plummeted to a cool -25. Our Lapp hosts greeted us dressed in traditional Sami costume, before we made the short, warm and comfortable coach journey to Santa's Home. On arrival at the Winter Village you are escorted inside and provided with all-in-one body suits, boots and gloves. There’s a large selection available of all sizes. Activities included in your 6 hour stay; • A 'secret path' through the forest following the twinkling lights to Santa's log cabin home, where he'll be waiting to greet you personally. (You can purchase a very reasonably priced picture at the shop afterwards, or even have it emailed for free) • A traditional sleigh ride pulled by reindeer, a husky-drawn sledge safari, and a thrilling ride on a snowmobile. • With all that excitement, you're guaranteed to work up an appetite, so you can tuck in to the delicious two-course lunch of Swedish meatballs and mash. Hot berry juice is also available throughout the day, to drink and cup your hands around. Between the organised activities, there’s plenty of time to enjoy some fun in the snow, with toboggan rides, snowman building and plenty of snowball fights if you’re brave enough! Was it a long day? Yes. Did the kids enjoy it? They had an excellent time. Would I recommend it? Wholeheartedly. We were accompanied by my sister and her family, my brother and his family and my mum. A day we will not forget and memories I hope my children will cherish for a lifetime.

Husky-drawn

Enjoying our

sledge safari

Swedish mea

tballs!

Newmarket Holiday are freezing (excuse the pun) their prices for next year until March 2017 so if you want to treat a family member next Christmas get in touch with a member of our team on 020 8882 0141. London Gatwick on 2nd December 2017 price per person £529 Call us to book your place as they always sell out. If you, like me, want to arrange a large group booking we will try our best to get you the best rate possible! National departures, and longer 2 and 3 night trips also available. Visiting the ‘real’ Santa

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Are lease extensions subject to Tax? by Alex Chrysostomou Alexander Associates, your local accountant 24A Aldermans Hill, Palmers Green, London N13 4PN Tel: 020 8882 6611 Fax: 020 8882 6621 Email: alex@alexassociates.co.uk Website: www.alexandersandco.com Alex loves business and gives regular presentations to those wanting to learn about the accountancy and tax part of running their own business. He helps break down the barriers that people face in running their own business and how to maximise their earnings. The biggest enjoyment that Alex gets from his role as an accountant is to work with people from all walks of life and most importantly helping them with their money. Here are Alex's top 5 reasons why you should use an accountant.

Question: I need some tax advice regarding a transaction I am dealing with. I am a landlord and am granting the tenant a new lease for a premium of £56,250. Is this subject to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) or Income tax?

Answer: There’s a few facts we need to know about the case before advising. Firstly, is the granting of the lease for more than 50 years? If so, then it would be subject to capital gains tax only. If the extension is between 2 and 50 years, then there’s a calculation to determine what is capital and what is income. If the extension is for less than 2 years, then would be treated as income. I’m guessing that this is for a residential property and in most instances the granting of the lease would be for 99 or 125 years? If so, then this would be subject to CGT and the normal rules would apply, i.e. if it’s joint ownership, say husband and wife, then split

the £56,250 in two and claim the Annual Exemption of £11,100 each (assuming there’s no other capital disposals in the year) and pay 18% or 28%. You may be subject to other reliefs by deducting allowable expenses like legal fees. One point to note to potentially get the CGT down is whether the property in question was ever the taxpayer’s main residence. If so, then we could potentially claim Principal Property Relief and even Lettings Relief. As you’re probably aware, the lease extension is effectively deemed a ‘disposal’ of the asset and so treated as a capital disposal in the normal way. Feel free to contact me for more details if necessary.

If you have an accounting question for Alex please e-mail him directly he will be happy to assist you, alternatively Alexander Associates offer an initial free consultation please contact them to find out more. Disclaimer: The information provided in this article should not be construed as legal advice and the information is offered for information purposes only. You should always seek advice from an appropriately qualified accountant on any specific accountancy enquiry.

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Welcome to Fentons Your local tailoring service and Palmers Green boutique. 384 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, London N13 5PD Tel: 020 8886 0718 Tue-Sat 10am-6pm Monday and Sunday closed

Fenton is an established made to measure tailor offering a speedy and reasonably priced alteration service as well as an exciting ladies fashion boutique with an eclectic pick of international and unique collections in the heart of North London's Islington and now, our new branch, in Palmers Green. Mr. Fenton has more than 40 years of experience in pattern cutting and sewing. Fenton delivers great garments matching the exact customer specifications. Since 1995 we have built up an extensive customer base providing exemplary workmanship and customer service. Fenton’s have an informal and likeable approach which puts people at ease and many have left not just as customers but as friends over the years.

sewing machines and careful dedication. We also offer our alteration services to private clients and to shops around Islington. Among these are: Wild Swans, Diverse, Jigsaw, Whistles. With many years of experience in both ladies and gents tailoring work we offer top quality services and products, impeccable fit and precise workmanship.

From denim to lace and bridal wear, linen and silk to leather and fur, swimwear to knitwear we cover a vast range of expertise. We alter designer clothing to original manufacturer’s specifications using the best tailoring techniques, threads,

Fenton Boutique in Palmers Green, houses a hand-picked unique selection of ladies fashion. Our main collections are Suzy D, Onjenu, Endless Rose, Grace & Mila, and Neeru Kumar. Please do come in to see our seasonal ranges.

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OUR SERVICES

Fenton Boutique offers a professional alterations service for ladies and gentlemen. Whether you require an alteration such as a simple hem or a complete reconstruction of your favourite garment, we will do what it takes to ensure you look and feel great in your clothing. We are very excited about the opening of our Palmers Green branch, the local community have been very supportive. If you haven’t visited us yet please don’t be shy our sales staff are very friendly and offer excellent advice. So join us in our journey in 2017 and take advantage of our 10% discount this January.

Happy New Year!

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Meet Martin Mckelvey, Office Manager at

When did you join the team at Anthony Webb? July 2001. Have you always worked in Estate Agency? I actually left school on a trainee management scheme with Iceland supermarket. Within a number of years I left and worked for Bairstow Eves and Haart Estate Agency before joining the Anthony Webb office as senior negotiator. At the time I had just got married and moved to Essex, I felt that working for a smaller, independently owned and run company would be a good fit for me. How has the industry changed over the years? The biggest impact in Estate Agency has been the advances in technology, I recall having

only one office PC used by the secretary, no internet and no digital photography. It was vital to know your clients, their needs and aspirations and this is something that I continue to reinforce with our staff today. It's fantastic that now we can take on a property and get in marketed on-line within 24 hours to a huge audience, but the advantage of still knowing your clients and not relying on technology can help you to achieve the maximum price for a property in the shortest amount of time, reducing the stress of moving. Online Estate Agents are also relatively new and in my opinion, they have identified a gap in the market place but they can’t offer the service levels and local knowledge you can expect from your local agent. Local knowledge really is key when it comes to getting an accurate valuation and finding you the right buyers at the best possible price.

Why Choose Anthony Webb? Anthony Webb is one of the longest established Estate Agents serving Palmers Green and its borders. Over the years we

have integrated into the community with various projects, sponsorship of local schools and our Palmers Green and Southgate LIFE magazine. We pride ourselves on unrivalled local knowledge backed up with an experienced team. Being independent allows us to offer a more personal one to one service for our clients.

What do you enjoy doing when your not working? I enjoy spending time with my family, my wife and two children. I also enjoy playing the guitar and tennis at the Enfield Chase Lawn Tennis Club. More recently I have been kept busy with the newest additional to our family, Margo our 6 month old puppy! Today's Market Review The market in 2016 has been more challenging than in previous years mainly due to uncertainty with the economy and our decision to leave the EU. In spite of this, the sales and lettings market has remained relativity strong in Palmers Green and we are optimistic that this will continue to grow in 2017.

New Creative Writing Classes in Palmers Green by Maria Costa KidzInk Creative Writing Classes for children launching on 5th January, 2017. Enrolling now! Every Thursday during term time at 4:30pm – 5:30pm at Kiva brasserie, 346 Green Lanes, N13 5TW We live in a world where children as young as three are operating iPads and computers, where television conveys reality shows about people and not ideas, and where children have so many afterschool activities, they barely have a minute to themselves. I’m all for making constructive use of a child’s time, but as a teacher of almost a decade, I am left with one question: whatever happened to Story Time? We all remember it, that last moment in the day; a child’s dusk, where you were able to sit, to just be and allow your mind to float

somewhere else and envision a world outside of your own; a time where you could meet people you never would in reality: an aspiring wizard; two terrible twits or a secret garden you might be brave enough to venture into. That’s why I’ve created KidzInk Creative Writing Classes. So children can, if for a brief moment only, be pulled away from electrical items and catapulted back into the fantasy world of stories, books and fantasy. It’s a space where children read stories, act them out, understand them and finally, write their own, with a clear lesson

objective for each session. KidzInk is a club, a lesson and group tuition in one. It’s a place of nurture as well as academia, where learning is woven through fun. It’s a space where children are allowed to be exactly who they are, where their innate energy is not only revered, but encouraged. Classes start on January 5th, 2017 and run every Thursday during term time, 4:40pm- 5:30pm at Kiva Brasserie, 346 Green Lanes, N13 5TW – a cosy café where parents can have real coffee whilst they wait. Who says academia can’t be fun?

Maria Costa PGCE BA All lessons are taught by a fully qualified, private school teacher, with full QTS and rated Outstanding by ISI inspectors in 2016. For more details go to www.kidzink.co.uk or to enrol, go to www.clubenrolment.com/kidzinkuk or call 07939 512 441 for enquiries. Try before you buy with a no obligation first lesson.

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F SA OR LE

• First floor purpose built flat • Two bedrooms • Generous living room • Secure communal entry • Communal parking facilities • 128 year Lease

• Semi-detached house • Six bedrooms • 2,110sq ft living space • Double garage to side • Gated off street parking • Great development potential

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£335,000 Leasehold

£999,995 Freehold

Mintern Close, Hedge Lane Palmers Green, N13

• Five bedrooms • Two bath/shower rooms • Spacious kitchen/diner • South facing garden • Off street parking • Offered unfurnished

• Two bedrooms • First floor flat • New kitchen • Off street parking • Close to shops & station • Available now

Fox Lane Palmers Green, N13

Lodge Drive Palmers Green, N13

£2,700 per calendar month *Fees apply

£1,200 per calendar month *Fees apply

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Have you tried Vas' Fish Bar yet? by Ellie and Claude Located at the Hedge Lane end of Firs Lane you will find a small parade of shops situated around a green. Vas, the owner of Vas' Fish Bar, has recently taken over the management of the fish and chip shop on the green. Claude and I visited the establishment on a Tuesday lunch time and enjoyed a traditional cod and chips lunch. The shop is large and bright with two small tables to enable diners to eat in as well as take away. We were lucky enough to be given a behind the scenes tour of the immaculate shop, and sunglasses wouldn't have gone a miss. All the food preparation areas were spotless, which I was impressed with considering they even make their own chips on site, nothing is frozen here. With an extensive menu Vas said "Our fish is delivered daily and freshly cooked to ensure the highest quality. We only fry fresh fish, it takes a little longer, but we are confident you will agree it's worth it". This family run business is a real hidden gem in Palmers Green and they are offering Palmers Green and Southgate LIFE readers an exclusive offer in this months magazine. If you buy two portions of cod and chips you will receive your second portion of chips for FREE! For convenience why not call and collect, there is ample parking in the rear and on the street.

Meet Vas the owner

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What's new for 2017? by Kiri from Fabulous Hair Company Fabulous Hair Company 382 Green Lanes, N13 5PD Tel:020 8886 7070 What a fabulous year this has been for Fabulous Hair and for me personally, it’s a year I certainly won’t forget. For the salon, I’m pleased with our new addition The Male Grooming area dedicated for guys and I have been fortunate to have worked on some great hair events all over the U.K and Europe. What’s new for 2017? There is so much to talk about and only so many lines available that I’ll keep it brief and I will write a much more indepth article available on the salon’s website and salon’s Facebook page. Last year was high fades for guys and short bobs for the women this year we’re adding texture with layers and leaving hair in a more natural finish, bobs are growing out into lobs (long layered bobs), fringes are longer and more versatile giving you the option to wear your fringe to the side. Guy’s your sides are staying short but the top of

your hair is the focal point, longer layers with a lot of texture and beards are still popular but shorter and more groomed. Looking at the catwalk I have a feeling will be also be seeing a return of the classic short back and sides! Colours are constantly changing we have seen a sudden increase in Rainbow colours beautifully intense colours or softer pastel shades. Naturally, darker roots were popular last year and will be again this year. Balayage (hand painted hi-lights) has overtaken traditional foil hi-lights as the most requested colour service in the salon.

If you have any questions that need answering quickly, please email me at kc@fabuloushaircompany.com and I will get back to you soon as I can. If you enjoyed my article let us know, like us on Facebook and we will enter you in our monthly competition for a chance of winning 1 in 10 Paul Mitchell in-salon Awapuhi Wild Ginger Keratin treatments worth £25. Just go to our website and www.fabuloushaircompany.com, or click the Facebook icon to LIKE

How good is your “normal”? by Nicola Forward, your local Amatsu Practitioner. People usually contact me to resolve a specific issue, and while we are working together it becomes clear that so many of them are also “living with” something. It might be a pain, poor sleep or being unable to do something they once loved. I never feel great. Amatsu client Fiona, said “I don’t think I could say I have ever felt great.” She had reduced her expectations of what was normal for her. That’s not to say that she was happy about it, but it had just become the way of her life. She had slowly begun to accept a poorer standard of well being. It’s only a little thing. Looking back she described a list of niggles. Her lower back would “catch” from time to time, her stiff neck could lead to a headache and she felt tired quite a lot of the time. She was putting up with little things thinking that this was just how it was. Finally her right shoulder completely seized up and that was when she called me.

How Amatsu helps. It took us a good few Amatsu sessions to free Fiona’s shoulder to her satisfaction and like many of my clients Fiona was surprised by the added benefits of Amatsu. Her background aches and pains eased, her mood lifted and she had more energy. Amatsu is a physical “hands-on” therapy using gentle touch, pressure and natural body movement, and you remain fully clothed, usually lying on my therapy couch. Amatsu as body maintenance? Fiona is one of my regular “maintenance” clients. I have been seeing some of these lovely people for more than seven years now and it is always

a pleasure when they come for their Amatsu Balance. Their bodies are generally so well and so responsive that little niggles are easily resolved before they have time to “bed in” and cause more painful problems.

Regular Amatsu client, Trudy says “Feeling good is my new normal and after my Amatsu sessions I feel great!” And how are you? If you are more likely to answer “alright” or “not bad” or “okay” why not give me a call for an informal chat about Amatsu and you. Mobile: 07720 81 01 01 Email: nicolaforward@aol.com www.amatsutherapyintl.com And you could benefit from my New Year offer of “3 for 2” when you contact me during January and February quoting this article. Make 2017 the year you resolve to be more than just “alright.”

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Local Care Agency celebrates five years in business Home Care Preferred, a local care business, established in 2012 by Ken Waterhouse, is celebrating five years in business this January.

Ken explains: “When I set up Home Care Preferred I realised there was a real need for an organisation that was more than just a standard care agency. I therefore set up a business which combines care services at home plus a retail operation that sells independent living equipment. The two go hand in hand and customers really like the fact that they can receive a complete solution from us. We can even provide wet-rooms, stair-lifts and home adaptations for people with disability requirements” Independent living equipment ranges from small items, such as pill dispensers, through to rise-recline chairs, hospital style beds and wheelchairs. There are thousands of products available. “We are always on the lookout for new products that make life easier for people” commented Solly Gul, the retail manager at Home Care Preferred. “One very popular product is a small rubber grip cap that makes opening jars and bottles so much easier. Often a customer will come to the shop to buy a pair of shoes from our range of “Comfort Shoes” and end up buying a range of other useful products.” There has been significant progress made in the UK to enable people to remain safely at home. Equipment such as telecare monitoring services provide vulnerable people living at home much greater security. Figen Karadogan, care manager at the company, explained “Last week I went to assess a client who thought she may have to go into a care home but with a package of support from carers and some really useful

With support our clients are able to remain in their own home.

equipment it is now feasible for her to remain safely in her own flat. The client is absolutely delighted and it is very rewarding to provide people with real alternatives to residential care.” Home Care Preferred won several awards in 2016 including the Health Care Investor award, “Best Domiciliary Care Provider”. Figen Karadogan was awarded “Best Front Line Leader” at the regional Care Awards in November 2016. These awards are a testament to the high-quality service that is being provided by the company.

Anyone requiring more information can contact Home Care Preferrred; Tel: 020 8364 3670 or www.homecarepreferred.com 49 Station Road, Winchmore Hill, London N21 3NB

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David Williamson Coming up at Talkies…. Thanks for 2016…

THUR 5 JAN 7.45

2016 has been another great year for Talkies and we want to say a big thank you to all of you that supported us. Some highlights of the 30 screenings in 2016 included: the eleven illuminating world cinema films at The Dugdale Centre; the eight community-enhancing events screened by our Bowes and Bounds group; the six celebratory events of our HERE film festival in April; the five inspiring short films we commissioned; an amazing outdoor screening of ET in Broomfield Park and the laugh-inducing comedy of Buster Keaton with live church organ in October at Christ Church, Southgate.

OF HORSES AND MEN

2017 will be another bumper year – here are just some of our planned events, but more are coming – so keep an eye out for Talkies bringing you ‘More Than Movies”!

FOR MORE DETAILS AND TICKET BOOKING, VISIT

www.talkies.org.uk

THE DUGDALE CENTRE

Well-crafted and resoundingly original ﬁlm is as intelligent, inscrutable, and breathtakingly lovely as its titular equines.

FRI 13 JAN

Director Ben Wheatley and writer-stars Alice Lowe and Steve Oram deliver a wicked, darkly BOUNDS GREEN BOWLS comic road trip movie. Steve Oram will do a Q&A at the event. AND TENNIS CLUB

SIGHTSEERS

Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s brilliant debut ﬁlm is a raw, funny and moving drama about ﬁve young orphaned sisters who live with their grandmother MUSTANG THE DUGDALE CENTRE and bullying uncle in a sleepy Turkish village and rebel against their society's restrictive culture. THUR 2 FEB

THUR 2 MAR

Charming and uplifting French drama - an

UNTOUCHABLE irreverent and humorous take on culture-clash THE DUGDALE CENTRE and disability - is based on a true story. WED 29 MAR

SOMME 100 HEARTLANDS HIGH SCHOOL

Talkies are proud to present one of 100 international screenings of the original 1916 ﬁlm with live orchestral score to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

Palmers Green Tales by Jenny Bourke www.palmersgreentales.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/331208790354294/ or just go to Facebook and look for Palmers Green Tales and ask to join the group. Our twitter address is @PGTales of Starfish has recently had to appeal to extend his relevant licenses but we are all relieved to hear this has been granted. Local residents wrote letters and supported the café in court. Well done to everyone concerned. John Sollis and myself made the Starfish film. www.starfishlovescoffee.com A happy Aykut with his extended licence

Our latest films are about two very different organisations, but they both add to our lives in different ways. The first, Starfish Loves Coffee, serves great coffee and food, displays and sells pieces of art and runs music and comedy evenings. Aykut Hilmi, the owner

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The second film, made by Susan

Mehmet and myself, is about Maxability and Rachmaninov’s favourite piano. Maxability is a charity which runs pottery, art, photography and ceramics workshops both for the able and less able. To support this amazing work Emile and Anita Woolf organise concerts in their home. They usually hold about 8 concerts a year and there is a link to the concert dates for 2017 on the Maxability website www.maxability.org.uk Our next project will be a series and it will be about a subject very close to all our hearts, find out more soon...

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

The Broomfield Park playground working group by Tessa Davies The choice of greenspace and play areas in Palmers Green, and in Enfield as a whole, draws many people to the area. Broomfield Park is a particular favourite. In recent years we have seen more and more people coming together to ensure the park offers more to local residents. This amazing community spirit and hard work has led to the Palmers Greenery, the community orchard, the restored conservatory and not forgetting the annual extravaganza that is the Palmers Green festival. One area of Broomfield Park which has not received as much attention is the playground. As local families with young children who regularly visit and enjoy Broomfield Park we realise that although our kids love the playground it has real limitations. The play equipment canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cope with the amount of children who use it, there could also be a much better choice of equipment to cater to all ages. There are also practical issues such as the lack of shade and shelter. A couple of months ago Zahir Anwar, a

member of the Friends of Broomfield Park met with Spacehive. This is a crowdfunding platform, who meet with local volunteers to encourage them to use their platform to crowdfund community projects such as childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playgrounds. Since this meeting he has reached out to local parents and found a real desire to improve the playground. This has led to our forming the Broomfield Park playground working group. We have approached both the Friends of Broomfield Park who have agreed to support our group and Enfield Council who have also been positive and are willing to work with us. So the groundwork is laid, but what we need now is your support and help. Funding any changes is obviously vital and we will need all the help we can get to secure enough money. Not just for the improvements, but to

help maintain the playground for the future - we all know how stretched council budgets are. But just as vital to the project is our wish to encourage as many local people as possible to help us shape plans for the playground. After all this space is for everyone and we want everyone to be part of making the playground a creative and exciting play space for our children.

Please do get in touch to find out more about the project and to register your support at broomfieldplayground@gmail.com.

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Learn a language â&#x20AC;&#x201C; why not go to a German class? by Gabriele Trinczek Long evenings are now upon us and this is the time to plan new activities indoors. Learning a language is a great way to keep you occupied and may inspire you to think about your next holiday. Or maybe you are going for a job interview asking for German language skills? Perhaps you have a child in school who is struggling with their German GCSE / â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; level or needs an extra boost to improve their grade? My location is Palmers Green and I am a native German teacher. Classes are kept small in size, relaxed atmosphere, with the focus on speaking skills, plus practising reading, writing and listening. Students at all levels are welcome, from complete beginners to intermediates and advanced speakers; there are classes for each level. If you prefer, you can also have 1:1 tuition. Students who wish to improve their Grades in GCSE or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; level exams can benefit from my excellent collection of exam materials and individual attention. Please give me a call or e-mail me if you are interested, without any obligation.

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Your Legal Questions Answered

by Fariz Uvais

Fariz Uvais is a consultant in the law firm Harper & Odell. Write in and ask your legal questions. Fariz will try and answer your questions in Palmers Green LIFE each month. Send your questions to Harper & Odell, 61-63 St John Street, London EC1M 4AN or by email to farizu@yahoo.com. I have a tenant who owes me £1800 in rent arrears. I had an AST drawn ten months ago, he said that he would pay a deposit, none was received but I accidently put on the contract that he had paid a deposit. The contract expires in July and I certainly don’t want him there after that date. I am willing to forfeit the rent if it means getting him out. I was thinking of putting £800 in a deposit scheme of my own money, registering this with the Government deposit scheme, and then going via the Section 21 accelerated possession proceedings route. What is the best way of dealing with this tenant? I am assuming that the monthly rent is £800, in which case the tenant is over two months in arrears of rent. Therefore, you are able to serve a Section 8 notice (under the Housing Act 1988) giving him two weeks’ to pay the rent arrears and if he fails to do so, then issue possession proceedings immediately thereafter. The advantages of taking this route are: firstly, there is no need to wait

until July to initiate possession proceedings, you may do so two weeks after service of the Section 8 notice; secondly, you will be able to obtain a judgment against the tenant for the rent arrears; and thirdly, you will be able to get a possession order if there is at least two months’ rent in arrears as at the date of the Court hearing. The problems relating to the rent deposit are not relevant to this route. Please note that a Section 8 notice must be given in a prescribed format and therefore it would be sensible to obtain professional help in having one prepared. If you still wish to proceed under the Section 21 route, then it is certainly not advisable to put your own money into a tenancy deposit scheme and to pretend that the tenant has given a deposit when in fact he has not. You will have to explain to the Court that the note on the contract was in error and that a deposit was never paid. It would then fall on the tenant to produce evidence to the contrary, which of course he would be unable to do.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article should not be construed as legal advice and the information is offered for information purposes only. You should always seek advice from an appropriately qualified solicitor on any specific legal enquiry.

Harper & Odell Solicitors Property and Litigation Solicitors Established 1948

Specialist affordable property advice is only a phone call away. We act for clients across London on all types of property matters. Our focus at all times is to keep the client updated by communicating regularly via email and by telephone and we aim to achieve the best possible results at a reasonable cost.

Tel: 020 7490 0500 Fax: 020 7490 8040 61-63 St John Street, London EC1M 4AN law@harperandodell.co.uk

www.harperandodell.co.uk

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Introducing our team .... The Family Law Specialists

Christina Pieri

Karen Chapman

Marion Foley

Mena Ruparel

Martha Koumbas

Rene Panayiotou

Happy and prosperous New Year to you from all the team at Chapman Pieri Solicitors. We hope that 2017 brings you all that you wish for. As usual, I had a very busy and family orientated festive season. I have eaten far too much which is something that I actually do all year long but even more so at Christmas. And once again, this year, I will be talking (and talking) about losing weight but won’t do anything about it until immediately before my summer holiday. It’s the same old story year in year out but hey ho, mustn’t grumble! I know that it always feels a little flat in January especially once the Christmas tree and decs have all been taken down with the living room looking a little bare, but on the bright side, it’s the beginning of a new year so onwards and upwards is what I say!

BUDGET SMUDGET! by Christina Pieri January is usually one of our busiest months and we have no reason to think that the beginning of our fifth year of trading (already!) will be any different. In this article, I thought that I would write about a subject that you would need to think about in the event that you are divorcing or even thinking about divorcing. When a client comes to see us about divorcing, invariably one of the key documents we will ask them to complete is a Budget of their projected outgoings. To assist, we have a ready-made template that gives a good guide of the type of living expenses you must consider when divorcing. The principle of “need” is often a

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significant determining factor in the vast majority of divorce cases so a thorough and comprehensive list of your monthly outgoings is necessary. Everyone needs to understand what your needs are likely to be upon divorce. Trying to predict what you may need to live on in the future can seem like a daunting task as it will involve you having to think about where you are going to live (if you unable to preserve the former family home). You may have to consider the cost of living in a different sized property; how much it will cost each month to maintain so a clear, concise and realistic budget is crucial.

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Chapman Pieri Solicitors Tel: 0208 882 9850 www.cpfamilylaw.co.uk What do you need to think about when putting together a Budget of your monthly and capital needs? The Budget needs to be inclusive and should include everything necessary. Trying to add in extras after your Budget has been submitted will be difficult to justify so it’s important to try and get it as accurate as possible from the outset. Budgets are better when they are completed over a period of time as often expenditure changes month to month so doing a quick Budget at the last minute is not advisable. A sensible, although laborious task is to measure your budget against your actual expenditure. You can do this by analysing bank and credit card statements and receipts – cross checking so nothing is missed out is important. It’s a pretty good exercise to undertake even if you are not thinking about divorce as it helps you understand your needs and helps you manage your finances on a month-to-month basis. There are some accounting software packages online and apps especially designed for personal or domestic banking and can be a useful resource for you. Some programmes enable you to link up your bank accounts and credit cards to track and categorise your expenditure on different items so that you can easily build up a picture of what you are spending on a monthly basis. I know that there will be some expenditure categories that are more difficult than others to budget. For example, what you spend on a holiday one year may be completely different to what you may spend on a holiday the following year especially if you will be trying to manage on one income rather than two. Another example is Christmas and birthday presents, not only for your immediate family but what you spend on other family members and friends too. I recall when my children were growing up, most months would involve at least one and sometimes more friend’s birthday parties so I always include a category for those types of presents too. These types of expenses add up and only stop when your children get to about 18 years old by which time they can (hopefully) pay for the presents themselves with money from their Saturday jobs!

Everything costs money! The Budget should be realistic, neither underestimated nor inflated. If underestimated it could mean that you will not be allocated enough to meet your future costs of living. Conversely, if you inflate the amount for unjustified expenditure, this can lead to further questions being asked by the other party and possibly give cause for there to be a sense of mistrust which is often the case between divorcing parties especially when it comes to the division of the assets. You need to ensure that your projected Budget is credible. There is little point in turning what can be a critical part of the case into a wish list. This can undermine the process as a whole. If a close analysis of the budget during a negotiation results in items being struck out because they are regarded as overly ambitious of fanciful, this can lead to the other party or a judge (if you are in court proceedings) taking a more sceptical view of your entire proposed budget. Also, questions and evidence in support of what you seek in your Budget can be sought if what you claim is thought to be embellished. It is always advisable to undertake the budgeting exercise so that we all fully understand and have evidence of the each other’s financial position. Your Budget will be needed when exchanging full and frank disclosure of your financial documents. Ordinarily before we enter into negotiations for settlement you complete a Financial Statement known as a “Form E”. The Form E is divided into several categories including you having to list your current and projected monthly expenditure. You will also be able to set out any future capital needs such as housing/university fees for you and the children.

As an example, a Budget may include costs for mortgage/rent/counciltax/utilities/insurance/food/house holditems/hobbies/carcosts/restaurant/entertainments/ holidays/school dinner money/child care costs/ etc. At Chapman Pieri Solicitors, we offer a no obligation, Fixed Fee Initial Consultation at £150 plus VAT. You will receive excellent advice from one of our experienced team. Should you require any further information, please give us a call here at Chapman Pieri Solicitors on 0208 882 9850 to set up an Initial Consultation or alternatively you can email us at: info@cpfamilylaw.co.uk. Please have a look at our website where you will find a lot of helpful information: www.cpfamilylaw.co.uk. Address: Southgate Office Village, Block D, 286 Chase Road, Southgate, London, N14 6HF.

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