A WORK colleague of mine has inherited her grandfather's flat after he passed away recently. The flat is in her sole name.

She took out a personal loan on it and a month later received a letter from the Inland Revenue saying she owes £30,000 inheritance tax. She's only 22 and very worried. Strictly speaking, it is not your colleague who is due to pay the inheritance tax but the estate from which the flat was inherited. But if the tax is due, then the Government is able to utilise assets in the estate to pay it so has, in effect, first call.

However, it is unusual for a flat to be passed over to the beneficiary without the tax already having been paid. You will need to ask the executor of the estate why tax has not been paid if it was due. Car dealer is at fault

I BOUGHT a second-hand car with an extra month's warranty.

It has a fault but the dealer says my month is up. A mechanic says he must have known about it at the time of sale. Three things: 1. The law gives any car purchased from a dealer a warranty that the car is fit for driving and is not limited to a month; 2. If he knew about the defect, he has misrepresented the car's quality; 3. You told of the defect before the end of the contract warranty period, so you are within the time limit. You are definitely entitled to your money back. Firm won't pay £100 reward

I WAS promised an advertised "reward" of £100 by a roofing company for recommending a friend but it has failed to materialise.

I have contacted them several times, only to be put off with some tale. Is there anything I can do? If it is a contractualobligation on the part of the company you can take them to the small claims court and sue for the money. £6000 kitchen unfinished

WE paid £6000 for a new kitchen from a local builder. Six months later, he still hasn't finished the job. When I call him, he either doesn't answer or hangs up. Can I sue?

I paid in cash and he gave me a receipt but I don't think he declared earnings to the taxman. Can I report him for this? Yes to all the above. Never pay a tradesman in full before a job is complete.You should get a written report on the shortcomings of the job from a surveyor and use this as your evidence of breach of contract when you sue the builder. No extra day off for Xmas

I WORK in retail. We had Christmas Day and Boxing Day off as part of our rota. Are we due an extra day because Christmas and New Year fall on these days? Not unless your contract allows this. If not, then an employer can insist these days are part of annual entitlement of 20 days in most cases. DO YOU HAVE A LEGAL PROBLEM? Write to Austin at Evening Times Features, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB or e-mail him at: features@eveningtimes.co.uk