I bought a car from a dealer, pre-registered three months before with delivery mileage. It was new in every respect. I have been advised my service is due already. I phoned to query as I had been told servicing was 20,000 miles or a year, this was only nine months after I bought. I was not informed by the salesman that the year is counted from date of registration. If I had known this I would not have bought the car.

Purchase of pre-reg cars is pretty mainstream now, and a) I don’t think you can reject the car on the basis of misrepresentation – the sale document would have stated the condition as well as the date of registration, and b) service being three months early hardly seems a reason to be unhappy if the car is running well.

I own my flat in a block of six, and each of us is liable for a share of repairs. The property is not factored but we have a residents fund which five of us pay into. The other resident, who we have no way of contacting, does not pay and ignores even lawyers’ letters. This leaves the burden of their share with the other residents. How should we proceed to reclaim money we are owed.

Your title deeds may set out the rights and duties of all owners, failing which you should be able to band together and sue the defaulting owners for the unpaid shares of necessary or majority-agreed repairs. Check the Land Certificate of any of the flats – it should contain a list of burdens as they are called and these ought to clarify the legal responsibilities and remedies.

My husband has left me and our three young children. He runs a small supply business and says he is transferring the business into his father’s name so I cannot make a claim on it. Can I stop him?

You may be able to stop him with a court interdict, but even if he does it, the court in your divorce case can look back to before the transaction and see it is artificial and intended to defeat your legitimate financial claim, so will ignore it and treat husband as if he still has that asset, so you don’t lose out. The starting –off point is what you both owned at the date of separation. If your husband gives assets away after, he can still be held accountable for them.

My son and daughter-in-law separated, and sold their house - the proceeds of the sale were split, and some debts paid off. Since then both have bought new flats separately. However, my son’s ex has accumulated massive debt and I am concerned creditors will coming knocking HIS door. they have not got round to divorcing yet.

As long as the debt is in her name alone, your son cannot be made liable to the bank or lender. His wife cannot claim back from his any share unless the debts were incurred before the date of separation, and for proper family purposes. Her own spending, and anything after the split is hers alone.