I HAVE worked for 10 years for a property firm, and the firm was sold to another company.

I was told my contract would stay the same but changes have now been brought in - holiday entitlement has been cut, meal breaks cut in half, pay date changed and I am to work unpaid overtime. If I resign, can I claim constructive dismissal?

Only if you had no alternative, and do NOT do that without consulting an employment lawyer personally. A company taking over employees is bound by the TUPE regulations that protect the employee from changes, and any changes need your consent or they are a breach of your contract, you would be best to take a grievance with the employer, keep a record of everything, consult ACAS and see that employment lawyer soon.

I HAVE been separated almost 20 years. How can I get a quick divorce, and how much does it cost?

Call your local sheriff court and speak to the clerks. Or log on to www.scotcourts.gov.uk. If there are no financial issues, and as you are separated so long there are clearly no children under 16, you can use the Simplified Procedure. Fill up the forms, pay the booking fee to the court and you should get your divorce through in a matter of weeks with minimal help needed from a notary public. For readers generally, don't worry that you have to be separated a long time to use this facility at court. If you have been apart for at least one year and both agree to the divorce, or if separated more than two years and one spouse at least wants the divorce, the court will deal with your case. You don't in those instances need to prove misbehaviour on the part of your (former) other half.

MY daughter and partner have split up. The flat was his when she moved in and although they were engaged for the last two years he says she is entitled to nothing from the value of the flat. Is she entitled to anything from him, after contributing to the household for seven years?

Not to any value in the flat. It is not in joint names and was not purchased together as a family home. However, she may be entitled to a financial award as she caused an economic advantage to her former cohabitant through her contributions to the household economy.

My neighbours have put up an iron fence on what they think is the boundary between our gardens but it is in fact on our land. They previously cost us lawyers' fees when they painted part of our building, and they have told us they will take legal action if we do anything to or about their fence. Can we get a lawyer to force them to take it down and charge them our legal fees?

You can only get back fees if a court awards them to you. however, if the neighbours won't obey a letter from your solicitor to take it down, you can take them to court and get an order from the sheriff to force them to move the fence and pay your legal court costs.

Austin Lafferty has a weekly slot on YOUR Radio from 10-11pm every Wednesday night. The station can be heard online at www.yourradiofm.com www.yourradiofm.com or on 103 and 106.9FM in West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde and Helensburgh.