Shahnaz Younis is a solicitor and works at S A Younis Solicitors in Bradford.

During my many years of dealing with conveyancing and wills and probate cases I have come across many concerns of clients.

I would like to discuss two of the legal issues which are most commonly experienced by many people.

The first is the issue of stamp duty when buying a property.

One thing I'm commonly asked is what is stamp duty, and how much is payable?

Stamp duty is a land tax payable on properties purchased which are priced more than £125,000. There are three separate bands of stamp duty depending on the price of the property.

It is usually one per cent of the purchase price for transactions of up to £250,000 (but this increases where property is over £250,000). However, there are some areas which are exempt from stamp duty if the transaction is £150,000 or under. For a transaction to fall in the latter category the area in which the property is purchased must be classed by the Inland Revenue as a disadvantaged area.' If you want to inquire about this to the Inland Revenue before you decide to make an offer on the property, contact them on 0845 603 0135 to find out more information.

The second issue that's a common concern is when there has been a death of loved one and there are some matters that require attention.

A lot of people during the period of loss of a spouse or other close relative do not feel able to carry out any tasks, never mind the legal issues that need resolving. However, it is important to know that with the help of a good solicitor this process can be very quick and less daunting as many may imagine.

The initial process in this type of scenario prior to administration of any assets in the deceased's estate involves obtaining the necessary authority from the probate registry in the relevant area. In cases where inheritance tax (IHT) is payable this will need to be paid before submitting this application.

There are different types of application that can be submitted to the Probate Registry depending on individuals' circumstances, for example where the deceased left a will the executors of the will need to apply to the Registry for a grant of probate.

Where the deceased has not left a valid will then the estate will be distributed in accordance with the intestacy law. Although the probate procedure in this instance is not very different from the above the distribution of the estate is a bit more complicated where the total assets are above £125,000.

The issue with regards to IHT is a lot more complicated and you will require expert advice before beginning the probate application. If the deceased's total estate is more than £285,000 generally IHT is payable on any amount over this, however there are exemptions available and in many cases IHT will be nil.

If you want to contact the Inland Revenue to discuss the IHT issue before contacting your legal adviser phone 0845 30 20 900.