The Caesar and Howie Group, who have offices throughout the central belt, achieved huge prominence at the Scottish Legal Awards held in Glasgow on 18th September.  Nominated in no less than four categories the firm lifted the prestigious "Conveyancing Firm of the Year" award, fighting off competition from bigger city centre firms.

Not content with one award the firm then went on to win the "Up and Coming Firm of the Year" trophy, sparking off a night of celebration for the partners and staff attending the glittering awards evening.

Senior partner Ivor Klayman commented "I am delighted to have won these awards.  We have a great group of people in Caesar and Howie and we work extremely hard to ensure we give the best possible service to clients and also to ensure that we are as modern and forward thinking as we can be.  It's nice to receive recognition from our peers for that."

We've had a year of bad news on many fronts.  We all first learned of the credit crunch last July and it probably took a bit of understanding for most of us.  Then gradually we saw in dismay the effects on individuals and businesses across the country – these effects are still being felt.

In the last few months however there has been nothing but good news in the Mortgage Market.  First there was that odd change in banking practice which allowed the Bank of England to step in and inject liquidity into the market.  Then the Libor rate came down followed tentatively by a few mortgage rates.  Recently mortgage availability improved dramatically with plenty new products available and signs of mortgage providers competing for business.  Now even 95% mortgages are available and amazingly rates are down to very close to what they were when the whole process started last July when the Northern Rock was forced to go cap in hand to the bank of England for money.

On top of all that we have the Government's "help the market" package which was criticised in some quarters but still provides definite savings for buyers in the crucial "£125,000 to £175,000" price range.  Even better news for house buyers – less good for house sellers – is the fact that house prices are down in most areas – but crucially there remain huge numbers of houses on the market.  This means deals can be done and buyers will steadily become aware of that.  Like all market movements there will be a turning point.  Have we reached it yet?  Maybe not quite,  but we seem to be edging ever more closely to it and it may not be very long till the "credit crunch" is nothing but a distant and unhappy memory.

The effects of the “credit crunch” have hit the UK housing market pretty hard – perhaps more so in England than in Scotland.  From last July onwards it became more and more difficult for buyers to get mortgages so less buyers were in the market.   Transaction numbers in England went down form nearly 100, 000 last year to nearly 60,000 in the last year.  Because the supply of property on the market exceeded the demand to buy prices have dropped in England by just over 10’% , much less in Scotland.

We think buyers have been forced out of the market by lack of mortgage availability – we see no drop in the demand to own your home.  However mortgages have come down sharply in price, and are readily available again.  The Stamp Duty holiday announced by the government will produce savings of up to £1,750 in buying some houses – so things are getting easier for buyers.  On top of that there has never been a better time to negotiate prices – with many sellers realistically accepting lower prices.

At Kupdom we believe the longer term prospects for house prices are that they will go up.  This seems inevitable with population increase, increased immigration, an ageing population and differing family units adding to the pressure for more housing units in the country.  We would not say buying a house is sensible if you think you will be selling again quickly, but we do think most people’s motivation in buying is to find a good home for their family.   There are plenty now available on the market and they can be got at prices now which we suspect will look pretty well bargain basement in a few years time.

Drumbow Homes is one of the country’s leading, quality housebuilders and they are now working to meet the needs of the country’s growing Polish community to assist them as they seek quality housing in good locations. Appreciating that the purchase of a quality property can be difficult until full registration is granted, the housebuilder is introducing a number of ways to help in the interim, including various Rental and Let to Buy initiatives.

 As you would expect, Drumbow offer a range of excellent properties for everyone from young professionals and couples, right through to growing families, in locations across Scotland.

The housebuilder is currently active on a number of developments across Scotland including The Mill at Caldercruix, The Dell in Darvel and The Meadows in Blackridge.

At The Mill, centrally located in the heart of Caldercruix, 3 and 4 bed detached family villas, offering spacious and extremely comfortable living for families, are currently available. 3 bedroom end terraced BEECH homes as well as stunning 4 bedroom detached ROSEWOOD Bungalow are on offer at The Dell, Darvel in scenic Ayrshire. With young professionals and couples in mind, 1 & 2 bedroom cottage apartments are now available at The Meadows in Blackridge.

For further information on Drumbow Homes, its current developments and initiatives, t 01506 815940 or log onto www.drumbowhomes.co.uk
for further media information on Drumbow Homes, please contact;
Mary-Jo Devlin of Emjay PR M 07795 346970

Housebuilder Persimmon Homes and Halifax have teamed up to offer first-time buyers a helping hand with a brand new initiative, which will see the builder double the deposit of the prospective homebuyer.

The aim of the scheme is to help first-time-buyers bridge the gap between their savings and the minimum deposit needed for their home. This is achieved by making regular deposits into a savings account, with Halifax or Bank of Scotland, for a minimum of six months, with an upper limit of £5,000. If the savings are used as a deposit on a brand new Persimmon home, Persimmon will match the savings exactly pound for pound, thereby doubling the deposit.

David Bryant, group development director of Persimmon Homes, said the scheme was designed for any first-time buyer, from students moving through further education, to people in their 20s and even 30s who have been unable to buy a home.

He explained: “Indeed, it can make a real difference in people’s circumstances, on getting onto the property ladder or not. Not only will the ‘Double your deposit’ scheme allow more people to be able to afford a deposit for a new home, it actually encourages young people to save instead of spend.”

One in every five home buyers in Britain is now a Polish immigrant, estate agents have revealed.

The new arrivals from eastern Europe are forcing up house prices as they work tirelessly to get on the property ladder.

The migrants are selling their properties back home to raise a deposit - making it more likely they will remain in the UK for good - or taking out 100 per cent mortgages.

Some estate agents are even employing Polish staff to cope with the demand, and make transactions easier.

Experts said that, when eastern Europeans began arriving in the UK following EU expansion in May 2004, most opted to rent - pushing up rental prices for Britons seeking homes in the private sector.

But many of the 600,000 arrivals have now decided to settle here, and are seeking to buy their own property.

The result is an increase in property prices, as more buyers compete for a limited pool of homes.

In the past year, prices have increased by around 10 per cent.

A survey by the estate agent Connells, one of the largest agencies in the UK, found one-fifth of its customers were Polish in some areas.

Spokesman Gill Rigby said: "It looks like Poles are buying property everywhere. When I asked around, I was told that there are several dozen Polish clients in each of our 150 offices. In some cases they are selling their property back home and buying houses here."

Karen Mocko, a manager at the Partick Williams Agency in Reading, said: "Poles form almost a fifth of all our clients, and it's growing all the time."

The Ceasar & Howie chain of estate agents said it has begun employing Polish staff.

Spokesman Jakub Maleszyk, himself a Polish immigrant, said: "Usually the Poles buy in the cheaper districts. Often they buy to refurbish houses or to build from scratch even."

He said that, as Poles often earn slightly above the UK minimum wage their entry to the property market is frequently fuelled by taking on large amounts of credit, many taking 100 per cent mortgages.

Banks also ask them to commit to stay in the UK for at least between two and five years after buying the house.

Mr Maleszyk said: "Until recently the banks were not that well-disposed towards the Poles but now they are taking them on more and more. They are quite surprised at how easy they are to deal with and how stress-free the whole process is."

The number of arrivals from eastern Europe is 20 times the Government's original estimate of only 13,000 a year.

But the Government has insisted most will eventually return home, and are taking up short-term opportunities.

The figures from estate agents suggest that, on the contrary, large numbers are intending to stay. Many towns and cities now have large - and ever-growing - eastern European communities.

These include Slough, in Berkshire, which has 10,000 Poles.

Earlier this week, a Government-sponsored inquiry found the massive migration was causing a number of social problems.

It cited noise and disruption around migrant housing, street drinking, breakdowns in refuse collections, tension over parking spaces and arguments in libraries where migrants "monopolise the Internet".

The Audit Commission report also pointed to problems with incomers who cannot speak English and with schools struggling to teach children who also lack language skills.

Via The Daily Mail

Persimmon Homes East Scotland knows the importance of offering high quality and highly sought-after properties with an affordable price tag, which is why the company has a range of attractive incentives on its apartments.

Persimmon Homes hosts a choice selection of one and two bedroom apartments. Ideal for first time buyers, down-sizers and investors alike, the apartments all boast spacious living areas and ample storage.

Patsy McLaren, Sales Director for Persimmon Homes East Scotland comments: “We’ve seen a rising trend in the number of househunters choosing apartments over the traditional style of houses.

“I believe low maintenance, increased security and value for money are just a few reasons why home buyers are now considering apartments to be the way forward, whether you’re a first time buyer, wishing to down-size or simply looking to invest. And with a wide range of flats, potential buyers will be spoilt for choice when looking for the home of their dreams.”

Prices start from as little as £99,950 for a one bedroom apartment. Persimmon apartments are now even more appealing thanks to the range of incentives currently on offer from Persimmon on selected plots.

Incentives include 3% Deposit paid or up to £5k discount or carpets and stainless steel upgrade. Alternatively, Persimmon can pay up to a maximum of £200 per month towards mortgage payments for two years.  These incentives are available on selected plots, at selected developments, subject to status, terms and conditions and use of a Persimmons-nominated broker and/or solicitor where necessary for reservations made on or before 29^th February 2008.

Patsy McLaren adds: “Home buyers looking for a contemporary style of living should take a look at the stylish apartments and take advantage of this generous offer which could leave them with spare cash to help furnish their new home.”

For more information on the homes available, please call 08459 10 10 11. Alternatively visit the company online at www.persimmonhomes.com

Local legal firm Caesar & Howie has been recognised in this year’s Scottish Legal Awards.

The Firm, which has offices in Dunfermline and Kinross, picked up the coveted “Best Marketing Initiative” category at the awards ceremony in Glasgow last Friday. The award is for the firm’s creation of “Kupdom” which is a division of Caesar & Howie specialising in helping Polish immigrants purchase houses.

“Kupdom” is Polish for “buy your home” and the firm has employed Polish staff with simultaneous translation capability to ease the process for Polish buyers.

Managing partner David Borrowman said, “ Scotland has historical links with Poland – and many of this latest influx of Poles find they wish to settle permanently after enjoying their early experience of Scotland.&rdquot;

“Many of our clients say they feel they have been made welcome in the country and most seem to able to get and keep good jobs so more and more want to stay.”

Fife & Kinross Extra Series

1^st March 2008

Local Legal Firm wins National Award

Well known local legal firm Caesar and Howie has been recognised in this year’s Scottish Legal Awards.

The firm which has 17 offices and over 30 display outlets throughout the central belt of Scotland picked up the coveted “Best Marketing Initiative” category at the awards ceremony in Glasgow last Friday. The award is for the firm’s creation of “Kupdom” which is a division of Caesar and Howie specialising in helping Polish immigrants purchase houses.  “Kupdom” is Polish for “buy your home” and the firm has employed Polish staff with simultaneous translation capability to ease the process for Polish buyers.  

Managing Partner David Borrowman comments: “We are absolutely delighted to have won this prestigious award for Kupdom. Scotland has historical links with Poland – and many of this latest influx of Poles find they wish to settle permanently after enjoying their early experience of Scotland.  Many of our clients say they feel they have been made welcome in the country and most seem able to get and keep good jobs so more and more want to stay.  We now have hundreds of Polish clients either already buying or intending to buy.”

The Caesar and Howie group are one of Scotland’s most progressive legal firms with a number of niche divisions in the group.

For more information about The Caesar and Howie Group please visit www.caesarhowiegroup.co.uk

Problems Encountered When Buying – and how to fix them.

If anybody has bought a house recently they will probably know that quite often any problems encountered when trying to negotiate the contract between the buyer and seller arise from practical issues rather than a legal issue. This article will look at some common practical problems which have to be dealt with by our conveyancing team when buying for clients. .

1. Unauthorised alterations

The survey report may detail alterations carried out to the property. Some alterations may need various consents. Depending on the type of alterations carried out, different documentation is required. If the alterations are relatively minor the buyer will be looking for a building warrant and completion certificate to be in place. If the alterations are on a larger scale, e.g. a kitchen extension, then in addition to your building warrant and completion certificate, planning permission should have also been obtained. There is also an added complication if the property is listed as listed building consent will also be required.

If the seller can produce all the necessary building consents then all is well and good and the contract will be able to proceed without any delays, but what happens if the correct documentation has not been obtained? In this situation the seller will have to apply to the appropriate local council or approved architect’s firm to hopefully obtain a Letter of Comfort. The cost of this application differs from area to area but on average costs around £175. Once the application has been received a building control officer or architect will visit the property to investigate the alterations which have been carried out. Hopefully after this visit a Letter of Comfort will be issued.

Unfortunately sometimes the alterations do not comply with building regulations. In this instance a report will be received detailing what requires to be done to the property to allow a Letter of Comfort to be issued. In this scenario the buyer and seller can agree on what should happen next.

The first option is that Seller will be responsible for making the necessary renovations to the property to bring it up to scratch. If the changes have not been completed by the date of entry then the move does not necessarily have to be delayed. The buyer could make a retention from the purchase price until such time as the Letter of Comfort is received from the seller. The amount of retention should cover the approximate expected costs of making the alterations compliant.

The second option that could be agreed is that the purchase price will be reduced, on the proviso that the buyer will be solely responsible for remedying the alterations to bring them in line with building regulations. Obviously the reduction in the purchase price should reflect the likely costs the buyer will incur in doing this.

On most occasions any problems relating to alterations will be resolved between the conveyancers of the buyer and seller.

2. Statutory Notices

A Statutory Notice is a Notice served on a property by a Local Authority demanding that certain repairs require to be carried out. Such notices are usually served on flats (and normally on tenement buildings). If a Statutory Notice has been served on a property the contract will be negotiated so that the seller will remain liable for the repairs under the notice. There is often a large time delay between when the notice has been served and when the repairs are carried out. To ensure the buyer’s interests are safeguarded it is the norm for a retention from the purchase price to be agreed. The money will be retained by the buyer’s agents until such time as the repairs have been carried out and final invoices have been issued. This may be in a few months times or several years down the line.

If estimates have already been issued then agreement on the level of retention is normally straightforward. If there are no estimates available then this may cause a few headaches. The seller may have to obtain his own estimates or if time is short and there is not enough time to do this guidance will have to be obtained to agree a suitable retention. Again the conveyancers for the parties can usually work out an amicable solution to let the transaction go ahead.

3. Specialist Reports

The survey report may highlight that Specialist Treatments have been carried out to the property. Specialist Treatments includes treatments for wet rot, dry rot, rising damp and other infestations. If such treatments have been carried out the buyer will be looking for Guarantees. It is usual when such treatments have been carried out that a 30 year Guarantee will be issued. It can often be a very costly business to have such treatments carried out and the buyer would wish to be safeguarded against any such costs. Therefore the buyer will require the Guarantee to be handed over to them on the date of entry.

If no guarantees are available, and on advice of the surveyor, there may have to be negotiations between the buyer and seller as to how to proceed. It may be that a reduction in price may have to be agreed. Usually an agreement will be reached without things getting too heated. Very occasionally consensus can not be made, especially if the retention is a large one, and the sale may fall through. One point of warning however to buyers – guarantees in this area are sometimes quite restrictive and it is possible that any new work required may not be fully covered.

The above 3 problems do commonly occur in conveyancing transactions. The reader should be re-assured, however, that it is very rare for our conveyancing team not to be able to remedy the situation. On most occasions the problem will be ironed out allowing the sale of the property to proceed on the date of entry originally agreed.

We invite you to find out more about our Kupdom project, which has been initiated by Caesar & Howie, a division of the Caesar & Howie Group. The Kupdom project is dedicated to those Polish immigrants in Scotland and England who want to buy a property in UK.

The main target of Kupdom project is giving a full service to help Poles obtain finance and buy homes in UK. We work with panel of mortgage advisers and solicitors throughout UK, so wherever you live, we are able to help you.
Caesar & Howie was the first company to realize that a considerable number of Poles living across UK could have problems with accommodation in Great Britain, that is why an idea has emerged to enable Poles to get on a property ladder in UK and make it easier for them to access the property market.

David Borrowman - Caesar & Howie Managing Partner said:

“Moving to a new country is an exciting and challenging experience for anyone. For Poles coming to the UK there is so much to learn, and so much to achieve it can be a daunting experience. But most Poles seem to be able to find places to rent initially and to get decent jobs. Many are making a very good impression with their employers as conscientious workers and are finding it relatively easy to move from starter jobs to perhaps more suitable ones with longer term prospects.”

He also added:

“To buy successfully it is worth imagining a scenario where you are forced to sell a few months after you move in! Will that property sell again quickly at the same or better price? You want a yes answer to that question – and if you get that you have effectively selected a desirable location. And that is the golden rule for success in the property market - choose location rather than property. That might mean less bricks and mortar for the money – but usually a better investment.”

As we can see, Caesar & Howie Managing Partners are concerned about newcomers who should think about buying a property, and want their decisions to be well informed.

That is why Caesar & Howie Group decided to create a Polish speaking team under the Kupdom project. We will take you throughout all the aspects of buying property, providing all our Polish clients with professional care at every stage in the process.
The Kupdom Polish team has a lot of experience and boasts a large number of happy Polish property owners in UK.

This success was one of the reasons that Caesar & Howie with its Kupdom project is among the finalists of the 6th edition of Cuthbert Scottish Legal Awards final.

We invite all our Polish friends who are interested in buying a property to work together with us and use our service.

Who will emerge victorious when the Scottish Legal Awards are presented?

THE winners of the 2008 Scottish Legal Awards will be named at a gala lunch on Friday 22 February at the Glasgow Hilton.

The competition, now in its sixth year, has attracted a lot of interest, with organisers reporting a steep rise in the number of entries and rising competition at the top tier of legal practice.

Four of Scotland's five largest legal firms are represented on the awards shortlist, with Brodies, Maclay Murray & Spens, McGrigors and Shepherd + Wedderburn all in the running.

The chasing pack, including Anderson Strathern and Tods Murray, are well represented, as are mid-tier firms, such as Gillespie Macandrew, Harper Macleod and Morton Fraser.

Many smaller, more specialised firms are also represented among the nominees, including Balfour + Manson, Bird Semple, Caesar & Howie, Millar & Bryce and Purdie & Co. The organisers report that two of the individual awards provoke some "interesting debate" at the judging session.

The shortlist for the First Scottish Searching Paralegal of the Year Award includes: Andrea Barbour of Balfour Manson; Samantha Kennedy of Purdie & Co; Neil McNab of Archibald Campbell and Harley; Michelle Rankin of Harper Macleod; and Richard Smith of Gillespie Macandrew.

The second hotly contested category is the Registers of Scotland Rising Star of the Year Award, which is designed to pick out high achievers early in their careers. The category will be contested by: Louise Cockburn of Archibald Campbell & Harley; Chris Dickson of Anderson Strathern; and Maryam Labaki of the Scottish Young Lawyers Association.

Rebecca Davies of Cuthbert Recruitment, the awards' organisers, says: "The range and depth of skill of these individuals is phenomenal and I hope that our awards can give them the recognition that they truly deserve."

Away from the individual awards, the organisers report that a diverse range of entries were also received in the categories for support services.

Millar & Bryce goes head-to-head with the Govan Law Centre for the Lightershade Legal Website of the Year Award.

In the Summerhall Marketing Initiative of the Year category, three firms will fight it out for the top honour. Caesar & Howie was shortlisted for its campaign to attract Poles to buy houses. Blackadders was nominated for its rebranding, while Maclay Murray & Spens also received the nod for its marketing efforts.

According to the competition's organisers, some of the most spirited debate at the judging session came when the judges considered the nominees for the Law Society of Scotland Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Firm of the Year Award. McGrigors and Tods Murray go head-to-head in the contest.

Alan Hansen, the football pundit and former Scotland and Liverpool defender, will be the guest speaker at the Cuthbert Scottish Legal Awards lunch, which is sponsored by Bank of Scotland Corporate, with The Scotsman as the media partner.

Tables at the 2008 Scottish Legal Awards can be booked by calling KDMedia on 0131- 624 9844 or by visiting www.thescottishlegalawards.com

The full article contains 493 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper

Last Updated: 03 February 2008 7:47 PM

Scotland bucks house price fall trend

In news which may be of interest to those who are about to buy a house in Scotland, the latest housing market survey by the Royal Institutions of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) shows that the house price balance dropped to its lowest level since November 1992.

According to Rics' figures, 49.1 per cent more chartered surveyors reported a fall than a rise in house prices in December, compared with 40.6 in November 2007.

Surveyors reported price falls across all regions in England and Wales. Only in Scotland have assessors told of price rises, which is likely to be welcomed by those about to sell a house in Scotland.

Rics spokesman Ian Perry said: "The housing market is clearly feeling the pinch from the credit crunch and the round of interest rate hikes in 2007.

"While sentiment seems to have reached its lowest ebb, the underlying economic conditions are vastly different to what the country experienced in the early 1990s."

The survey also shows that four per cent more surveyors registered a rise than a fall in new instructions to sell property, compared with seven per cent in November.

According to Knight Frank, the country house market fell by a slight 0.04 per cent in the final quarter of 2007, although Scotland saw price rises of one per cent.

The housing market has turned. Last week, Nationwide reported that house prices had fallen for two consecutive months for the first time in seven years.

The worries are confirmed by the Council of Mortgage Lenders saying the number of home loans approved is plunging sharply.

A gloomy picture but one that must be taken in context. Since 1997, house prices have risen 179pc from an average price of £70,000 to £195,000 today. Nationwide's figures show the market is still 5pc higher than a year ago, despite the falls. So, until now, most homeowners have probably had a solid return on their investment.

However, the fall in house price inflation is great news for first-time buyers, whose numbers have dwindled to record lows. Wage inflation should make housing more affordable.

First published in The Business - London's First Global Business Magazine

Law firm helps Poles buy first Scottish homes

A NEW service set up by a West Lothian legal firm has helped dozens of Polish people buy their first homes in Scotland. Bathgate-based law firm Caesar and Howie set up the service last October, which aims to help Polish migrants understand the house-buying process in Scotland. Since its launch, more than 300 Polish people looking to buy homes in Scotland have signed up for the service and 30 have already bought houses. The firm also now employs several full-time Polish staff and has a number of paralegals learning Polish to help with the service. David Borrowman, managing partner of Caesar and Howie, said: 'We were very keen to let the Polish community know that, providing they have the correct documents and appropriate finances, they can purchase a property in Scotland.' This article: http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1297652007 Last updated: 16-Aug-07 14:01 BST .

realandestateandwisconsin-news

Re-structuring at Caesar & Howie
November 2007

Central Scotland law firm Caesar & Howie has been re-structured and will now come under a single umbrella brand known as The Caesar & Howie Group.
The re-structuring at the the 200-year-old firm sees all of its services now being offered by five divisions. The five divisions of the new group are:

• Bereavement Legal Services (BLS) - provides discreet help and support for those left to deal with the legal and practical issues that follow the death of a loved one.
• Senior Issues (SI) - provides advice and support for elderly people in the UK on everything from legal, welfare and financial issues to health and leisure tips and equity release.
• Kupdom - a specially tailored service to the Polish community in the UK, which helps Poles obtain finance to buy homes throughout the UK.
• Central Scotland New Homes (CSNH) - an informative website for those who are interested in purchasing a new property in this exciting region.
• SPORTSassist - the scheme that allows providers to pay amateur sports clubs that market their services, via a SPORTSassist marketing payment. The idea is that clubs will have a continual source of income, rather than have to rely on sporadic sponsorship deals.

Managing partner David Borrowman said: "Traditional legal firms need to move with the times, a fact of which we have known for a number of years."

"Now, with the prospect of a deregulated Scottish legal market, where competition will open up and the rules will be changed, it is even more imperative that we stay ahead of the game."

"However, no matter what, our clients will always be guaranteed a first class service from every one of our ever expanding divisions. We are looking forward to the continued expansion and success of the business well into the 21st century and will continue to look at ways in which our services can be improved upon."

2007 THE FIRM

Free Seminar for the Polish Community living in Scotland.

HOW TO BUY YOUR OWN HOME IN THE UK

Thursday 22nd November from 6.30pm to 7.30pm

Henderson Stone & Co, 10^th Floor, Newton House,

457 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3LG (Tel: 0141 352 7800)

Come and listen to short presentations - translated into Polish - from:

Caesar Howie – a major Scottish firm of lawyers and property agents who have their own Polish department.

Henderson Stone –  a major Glasgow firm of mortgage and financial advisers who give guaranteed advice on the right mortgage for Polish people.

Limited to 50 people.  Please reply to enquiries@kupdom.co.uk or phone our Polish team on 0845 855 9900 to book your free place.

Refreshments are free of charge.  There will also be time for questions and individual discussions at the end.

Opportunity for young people across West Lothian!

"Equality Diversity and Celebrating Difference"

Friday 2nd November 3pm - 9pm held in Whitburn Community Education Centre for 12 - 25year olds across West Lothian.

The event is free of charge, transport will be provided and food will be included. The young people requiring transport will travel from various pick up points across West Lothian(for further information contact your local Community Education Worker or Youth Worker and pick up a parent/ guardian consent form – if you are under 16years of age). The day will be officially opened at 3pm and there will be a range workshops offered including, arts, mask making, henna tattooing, sports, music, cultural dancing (Chinese, African, Scottish, Belly dancing etc), there will be card making, sign language and drumming workshops. Foods offered for evening meal will be of 5 choices (Indian, Chinese, Scottish, Polish and African). From 6.30-8.00pm you can pick a second workshop then this will be followed by a disco and a chance to learn different types of cultural dancing! Transport will be available to take the young people home from 8.30pm onwards - come along and join in there will be something for everyone!

For further information phone 01506 776478(Claire Dougall)

or 01506 653014 (Catherine Roberts)

A NEW service set up by a West Lothian legal firm has helped dozens of Polish people buy their first homes in Scotland.

Bathgate-based law firm Caesar and Howie set up the service last October, which aims to help Polish migrants understand the house-buying process in Scotland.

Since its launch, more than 300 Polish people looking to buy homes in Scotland have signed up for the service and 30 have already bought houses.

The firm also now employs several full-time Polish staff and has a number of paralegals learning Polish to help with the service.

David Borrowman, managing partner of Caesar and Howie, said: ‘We were very keen to let the Polish community know that, providing they have the correct documents and appropriate finances, they can purchase a property in Scotland.’

This article: http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1297652007

We have organized Mortgage Clinics together with First Mortgages. If you want to meet with a mortgage adviser – please call us 0845 8559900 or email enquires@kupdom.co.uk to make an appointment at any of the days and locations detailed below.

• Mondays from 15:00 to 17:00 - First Mortgages, Leith Walk, Edinburgh
• Tuesdays from 17:00 to 19:30 - First Mortgages in Falkirk
• Thursdays from 15:00 to 17:00 - First Mortgages in Newington

Housing Dilemmas & Practical Solutions

Much confusion surrounds important lifestyle issues that British people take for granted, particularly the process of buying property. Within the Polish community there are many myths surrounding the housing market, and many people are unsure if they are even allowed to buy property.

Practical Solutions
Aware of this confusion and discovering that there was very information for Polish buyers, Scottish law firm Caesar & Howie has introduced a service dedicated to helping Polish people obtain finance and buy property in the UK. The firm employs several full-time Polish staff and has several others currently learning the language. It works with a panel of mortgage advisers and solicitors throughout the United Kingdom, so a quick phone call is all it takes to get things underway.

‘We are very keen to let the Polish community know that, providing they have the correct documents and appropriate finances, they can purchase a property in Britain,’ explains managing partner David Borrowman. ‘Some may be worried about the stress of attempting to buy a house in a country where they do not fully speak the language. However, our service offers guidance notes in Polish and also expert guidance from our Polish home buying advisers.’ On top of this, if required, Polish speakers will attend meetings with lawyers and mortgage lenders to explain procedures in their native language.

Jakub Maleszyk is one of Caesar & Howie's specialist home buying advisers to the Polish community, and having himself bought a house in Scotland last year, he is now keen to help his fellow countrymen and women follow in his footsteps.

‘Many Poles are unsure what is required when buying a house in the UK but often find it is much easier than buying property in Poland,’ he says.

‘One priority is a deposit of around 10 or 15 per cent of the value of the house but cash should also be laid aside to cover things that need to be paid before the deal is closed. That can include solicitor's fees and outlays, mortgage broker fee, valuation and lender’s costs. Potential buyers should be in full-time permanent employment and able to provide a P60, three months' salary slips, employer details, a national insurance number and a salary reference. They will also need to disclose details of all loans they have, which could affect the amount offered.’

Other requirements include proof of identity and address and, if it is a joint application, this information is required for both parties. A three-year residential address history, which can include an overseas address, should also be provided.

Piotr Hreska (40) moved to the UK from Poland 2 years ago. Like many Polish settlers, he spent the first year of his life here in London in rented accommodation while he secured a job, saved money and looked for a place to settle down with his wife and son.

Anna (40) and Mariuz (15) joined Piotr a year later, and when the family visited Scotland for the first time in April 2006 they fell in love with the country and decided to make it their home.

By June 2006, Mariuz was enjoying life as a pupil at High School and Piotr had a job as a full time groundworker in

Livingston. Feeling that they were settling in well, the Hreska’s were keen to lay down roots in the country they had adopted as their home. Piotr explains:

“We originally moved to the UK to provide a better future for our son. When we saw how well he was doing at school, and how much he likes it here, we were keen to buy our own house rather than pour all of our money into rented accomodation.

“Our landlord informed us that it was possible for us to purchase a property in Scotland, but as my wife and I only speak a little English we thought that it would be impossible to embark on the house-buying process. However, we contacted Jakub Maleszyk, a specialist home buying adviser at Caesar and Howie, and were delighted to find out about their Polish translation service, which removes the language barrier from the process, and their step-by-step guides to requirements and procedures.”

With the help of Jakub and Sandy at Caesar and Howie, the Hreska’s began looking for a house in early September 2006, secured a mortgage, and were settled in their new Livingston home by 31^st October 2006.

“Although we were uncertain about the process, everything went very smoothly, as Caesar and Howie did everything on our behalf,” explains Piotr. “The translation service was invaluable, and made everything so much easier.”

“In Poland you have to deal with all the documents and property checks yourself, which takes a good deal of time, so we were very pleased when we learnt how fast the Scottish process is in comparison. There is also a requirement to pay stamp duty on all properties in Poland, so we feel that we have benefitted in several ways from purchasing a property in this country.”

“We are so happy with the way that everything has worked out for us here. Mariuz has been given such a warm welcome at the school that he would like to make Scotland his permanent home, and it has been relatively easy to find employment. Obviously there are certain things with miss about Poland, such as the good weather, but then there are things in Scotland that make up for this, such as the beautiful countryside (and the whisky!).”

Piotr and Anna can now look forward to the value of their house increasing over the years, and have already encouraged other Polish people to follow in their footsteps:

“Some Polish people are worried that attempting to buy a house in a country where they do not fully speak the language will be stressful, and some Poles think that they are not able to buy a house in the UK at all. However, the dedicated Polish house-buying service at Caesar and Howie addresses all these concerns. We have now recommended Caesar and Howie to three other Polish families who are looking to buy homes here.”

Caesar and Howie has set up a special service which is dedicated to helping Polish people buy a home in the UK.

Since its launch last October, 300 Polish people have signed up to the service, and 30 have already bought houses.

The firm now employs several full-time Polish staff and has a number of paralegals currently learning Polish.

With at least 30,000 Polish immigrants living in Scotland, David Barrowman, managing partner of Caesar and Howie, believes the service his company is providing is vital.

Mr Barrowman said: "We were very keen to let the Polish community know that, providing they have the correct documents and appropriate finances, they can purchase a property in Scotland.

"Some Polish people may be worried about going through the process of buying a house in another country when they don't speak the language, something they fear may be extremely stressful or risky.

"Our service addresses this, with guidance notes available in Polish and help in understanding the process provided by our Polish home buying adviser, Jarub Maleszyk, in Polish or English as required."

Jarub bought his own house in Scotland last August and is now keen to encourage other Polish people to follow in his footsteps.

He said: "Many Poles are unclear as to what is required when they want to buy a house in Scotland.

"However, many will find that it is actually much easier than buying a house in Poland!"

The Polish home buying website can be accessed at www.buyyourhomeuk.co.uk or www.kupdom.co.uk

A NEW service set up by a West Lothian legal firm has helped dozens of Polish people buy their first homes in Scotland.

Bathgate-based law firm Caesar and Howie set up the service last October, which aims to help Polish migrants understand the house-buying process in Scotland.

Since its launch, more than 300 Polish people looking to buy homes in Scotland have signed up for the service and 30 have already bought houses.

The firm also now employs several full-time Polish staff and has a number of paralegals learning Polish to help with the service.

David Borrowman, managing partner of Caesar and Howie, said: "We were very keen to let the Polish community know that, providing they have the correct documents and appropriate finances, they can purchase a property in Scotland."

The Scotsman 16.08.07 http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=1297652007

Polish emigration to the UK and the Republic of Ireland since the May 2004 entry into the European Union has reached 500,000 to 2 mln people, research firm ARC said in a report out Thursday.

The firm's base-line estimate is of 750,000 Poles in the UK and a third of that in the Republic of Ireland.

Half the emigrants have no plans to return within four years.

"Only half of the emigrants have realistic plans to return to the country, that is they plan to return within four years," ARC Rynek i Opinia Vice-President Adam Czarnecki said.

The average Polish migrant to the UK is relatively young and well-educated. Three-quarters of the emigrants are in permanent employment with half of those performing skilled manual work.

read more...

One of Scotland's oldest law firms has reinvented itself in advance of Clementi-style changes to the legal services market by introducing a multi-branded web-based strategy.

Bathgate-based Caesar & Howie has launched a string of specialist websites selling legal services to specific market niches - including Scotland's burgeoning Polish population, pensioners and members of sports clubs.

Founded in 1792, Caesar & Howie started the push into cyberspace last autumn with the launch of several targeted web-based services, and several more are in the pipeline. Each new service has been given a distinct brand identity, and they are not immediately identifiable as being provided by a traditional law firm.

read more...

As Scottish – Polish links continue to increase – with Poles continuing to come to Scotland to work and many planning to stay – my thoughts stray to the many historical links between our countries. I previously wrote about the fascinating story of Lieutenant Josef Kosacki inventing the mine detector whilst stationed in St Andrews. Now I have come across the intriguing story of “The Scottish Book”.

“The Scottish Book” was a notebook which was started Lwow which was a major Polish city in the 1930’s. (Lwow is now Lviv and within the borders of Ukraine) The purpose of the book was for mathematicians who worked in the city to record in it mathematical problems – and for them or others after discussion to inscribe into the book the solutions to these problems. The group of mathematicians met regularly informally in coffee houses in Lwow to discuss these problems. Most of the meetings were apparently held in an establishment called “The Scottish Coffee House” - and it was after this establishment that the book obtained its name.

Apparently the practice was for the head waiter in the The Scottish Coffee House to keep the book in a safe place and to bring it out when requested for problems or solutions were to be entered into it.

The city of Lwow suffered occupation by the Russians and the Germans during the war. Some Russian mathematicians apparently even continued the tradition of entering mathematical problems in the book – with prizes offered for solutions.

The fate of the original book is not known but a typewritten transcript apparently of it has survived. As a non - mathematician however I find the transcript pretty well indecipherable!

However this is a fascinating story and following the tradition of “Puzzles and Prizes” in The Scottish Book we at Kupdom would like to offer a prize of £100 to any of the visitors to our site who can provide us with an explanation as the why “The Scottish Coffee House” in Lwow was so named. Since we have probably got no way of checking the truth of answers we get – we will treat this competition as a bit of fun – and pay out to the most convincing answer!

Answers to enquiries@kupdom.co.uk. Best of luck!

David Borrowman

Caesar and Howie the Central Scotland Law group is strengthening its specialized house buying service for Polish immigrants by adding to its team of buying advisors.

Two new recruits Agnieszka Kuna and Piotr Jaworowski have started in KUPDOM’s Livingston offices.

Agnieszka Kuna has been settled in Scotland for four years and is a fully qualified interpreter. Agnieszka has had a background in teaching English and interpreting but now wishes to chance her arm in the fast moving house purchase market – considering a possible career in conveyancing. “This is a great move for me” said Agniezska, “I am getting a lot of training in Scottish Law and this will give me the opportunity to consider getting a legal qualification. In the meantime I hope my interpreting skills can help a lot of our clients”.

Piotr has a slightly different background in that as well as working with KUPDOM he is studying for a Bsc in Building Surveying at Napier University. “Working here and being involved in legal contracts and so on fits in well with my studying at university. I hope eventually to be a qualified surveyor and the more I can get my teeth into property work the better. “

Both Agnieszka and Piotr form part of a team now of seven in Caesar and Howie ‘s Kupdom division - comprising an administrator – three housebuying advisors and two paralegals, all under the watchful eye of Caesar and Howie’s business development and marketing manager Karen Dodds and Conveyancing Associate Lesley Cunningham. “There’s never a dull moment in the office” says Karen with telephone calls from Poland, new clients arriving and even Polish lessons on the go.”

“Due to demand our service is expanding a little – with Divorce and Accident claims also being catered for – but our core service remains house buying – which is more and more in demand as more Poles decide to settle here” said Karen. The recent survey published by Joseph Rowntree Fundation seems to confirm Karen’s predictions. According to a survey, at least half of eastern European immigrants in Britain intend to stay here, the longer a migrant stays, the more likely he is to remain in the new country, the study said.

Lesley confirms this trend “ More and more Poles seem to be becoming confident about buying in the UK, and we are also finding more of our clients have a little more knowledge of the process than when we launched this service over a year ago. Mind you if someone had told me three years ago that we’d be having weekly Polish lessons in the office I’d have told them they were mad!”

Full details of the service can be found on www.kupdom.co.uk.

David Borrowman of Kupdom gives a big tip.

Moving to a new country is an exciting and challenging experience for anyone. For Poles coming to the UK there is so much to learn, and so much to achieve it can be a daunting experience. But most Poles seem to be able to find places to rent initially and to get decent jobs. Many are making a very good impression with their employers as conscientious workers and are finding it relatively easy to move from starter jobs to perhaps more suitable ones with longer term prospects.

It is perhaps at this point – when people have settled in to the country and wish to stay permanently – that the more difficult decisions come up – should I buy property and if so what type and where?

Well of course proximity to the workplace is a main consideration – but after that I would encourage some fairly thorough research into the local property market before making purchase decisions. This can be done fairly easily these days over the internet and with local agents and by a physical visit to various neighbourhoods. This gives buyers a feel for the prices, the demand, and the area.

Too often I have to say – newcomers zone in on property which appears to offer extensive accommodation for a cheap price. When that is the case there is usually a reason - sometimes related to the quality of the neighbourhood. One Polish client felt he’d found a “great buy” being a flat which appeared to offer all the accommodation he needed at about half the expected price. With local knowledge we were able to advise him that this property was in fairly undesirable neighbourhood known for drug problems and youth crime.

To buy successfully it is worth imagining a scenario where you are forced to sell a few months after you move in! Will that property sell again quickly at the same or better price? You want a yes answer to that question – and if you get that you have effectively selected a desirable location. And that is the golden rule for success in the property market - choose location rather than property. That might mean less bricks and mortar for the money – but usually a better investment.

House prices across the UK gained momentum in April, according to the latest figures released by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics).

And in news likely to be welcomed by investors in property north of the border, the strongest performances were once again demonstrated in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

While 30 per cent of surveyors in Scotland reported no increase in prices, the remaining 70 per cent all reported rises, while 15 per cent identified an increase exceeding eight per cent.

Meanwhile, new buyer enquiries stabilised after rising sharply in March, Rics reports.

Ian Perry, a spokesman for the institute, said: “Last week’s interest rate hike may not be the last as the housing market has not slowed as quickly as expected given the initial round of rate rises.

”With prices buoyant and conditions still tight another rate rise later in the summer looks likely.”

Current experience in Caesar and Howie tends to confirm this news.   David Borrowman managing partner states “we have seen no slackening of demand or easing of prices since the last rate rises.  I think there are factors at work in the Central Belt of Scotland which will tend to keep the market buoyant for some time to come.  In particular immigrants from other parts of the EU are adding to demand mostly in the first time buyer sector – which is often the first to show a response to interest rate rises.   So we see house purchase as a sound investment still”