Q:    Our Labrador was violently sick on a weekend and we took him to an emergency clinic, as per the recorded message on our vet’s out of hours phone. He was prescribed medication, and we took him home. He continued being ill in the night and wouldn’t drink, so we took him back next morning. They took a blood sample and put him on a drip. They later called and said he was vomiting blood, so they needed to operate and open his stomach. We consented but the operation showed nothing wrong. Meanwhile friends told us of a nationwide bug affecting dogs, something the vet never mentioned. Our dog recovered quickly but we ended up with a bill for over £4,000 for treatment and an unnecessary operation. Could we make a claim against the vet?

Q:    My 32-year-old brother was involved in a bad motor accident and sadly died. Like the rest of us, at that age you don’t think about making a Will. He had a good job and owned property so it seems we will have to apply for probate.  He had a girlfriend who lived with him in his house. Please can you advise us what to do?

Q:    I have been approached to sell someone a piece of land I own that is currently classed as green belt. They say they want it to graze ponies, but as there are several small building projects currently starting in the area, on what also was previously green belt, I am suspicious. If I sell the land, could I somehow claw back more money if planning permission for development is granted in the future?

Q.     We lost my aunt to covid at Christmas. She left a homemade will appointing my mother as her sole executor and beneficiary. Due to her ill health, I assisted my mother in administering the estate. Unfortunately, before she could benefit from the estate, my mother also passed away. My aunt owned a property which must now be sold, but who can deal with my aunt’s estate now that my mother has passed away?

Q:    My brother and I are beneficiaries of our father’s Will, though I am sole executor. For three years before our father died, I also had sole power of attorney over our father’s affairs as my brother lives abroad. After taking over the handling of our father’s finances I had to pay out considerable sums for essential repairs on his house, which had been badly neglected. I considered this essential, to increase the property’s value should funds be needed to pay for his care. As it turned out, I moved in to look after him.

Q:    I went through a particularly acrimonious divorce four years ago and my ex-husband was very bitter about having to pay maintenance. Then in Summer 2020 he lost his job and stopped paying. I threatened to take him back to court as I knew he had a good payout. He then said he would start paying again and settle any back payments when he got another job. I agreed to give him some time and he got another job in May this year – a very good job. I hoped he would reinstate the payments and pay the back payments, but he hasn’t done so. I have heard he is planning to move away. Should I apply for an attachment of earnings order for what he owes?

Q:    My dad died of COVID last year and mum became so lonely that we have decided she should come and live with us. We plan to sell her house and ours and buy a bigger house so that we can all have our own space. If we keep our mortgage as it is now, then mum can put the extra out of her sale proceeds. In which case, should her name be on the deeds? Or would it be better for us to increase our mortgage and charge mum rent to make up the difference in our monthly repayments?