A lot of people ask – what is the point of making a Will if it is going to be contested or disputed by disappointed beneficiaries who have not been left anything in the Will, or if the Executor appointed is someone that the deceased person was no longer in contact with, or they no
During the month of February the Probate team took part in an event to help Barnsley Hospice. Members of the public were invited to make a Will during that month and instead of paying the fees to us, they made a donation to the Hospice. The department, consisting of three solicitors and their secretaries were
The Government has recently announced that their proposed changes to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) scheme have been placed on hold. These changes, if implemented, mean that no compensation will be payable for injuries worth less than £2,500. The current minimum payment is £1,000 and there would be a substantial reduction of awards
What is Landbanking? “A landbanking scam involves the selling of plots of land which are usually worthless or very low in value, often using high pressure selling techniques, to members of the public as potentially high return investments. Victims are often led to believe that the land is likely to be developed for housing in
The Legal Services Board has recently announced proposals to make Will writing a reserved activity. This would mean that anyone offering Will writing services would need to be regulated, therefore providing greater protection to consumers. Many people are surprised to learn that currently anyone can operate as a Will-Writer without being required to follow guidelines,
A recent case came before the Courts who were asked to decide whether a Will had been properly executed. Mike made a Will in hospital three hours before he diedleaving everything to his sisterJennifer. The Will was challenged by someone who would have been entitled to his estate had no Will been made. A Will must
Recent statistics provided by the BBC have indicated that only three out of every ten people in the UK have made a Will. However, of those people who have made Wills, a large number may find that the provisions that have been set out are now out-dated or that the Will no longer reflects the
The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has recently announced possible changes to the Criminal Injuries Compensation scheme run by the CICA. This is a Government scheme designed to compensate innocent victims of crimes of violence. At present claims for all injuries worth £1,000 or more can be made. If implemented, the planned changes mean that only
The firm’s Private Client department has continued to develop its reputation for outstanding service and has recently appointed Matthew Gibson as a solicitor within the team. Matthew joins the established team of solicitors already in place of Steven Dawson, Cassie Worton and Angela Coles to further build the department. Steven Dawson, Head of the Private