Solicitors in Wells & Frome
In order that we can continue to ensure the safety of our clients and staff Harris & Harris would like all clients when visiting their offices to follow these guidelines. When you arrive at the office you will be required to use the hand sanitiser and wear a face mask during your appointment.
If you do not have a face mask then one will be provided for you prior to the meeting.
We would like to thank all our clients for their cooperation at this time. Keep safe.
The Partners of Harris & Harris are pleased to announce the promotion of three of our solicitors. Louise Williams, Maisie Priscott, and Ben Monksummers became Associate Solicitors on 1st July 2020.
Louise Williams specialises in Family Law and is based at our Wells office. Maisie Priscott is an experienced property solicitor and is part of the Ecclesiastical and Charity Property Team, which is also based at our Wells office. Ben Monksummers leads the Residential Property Team at our Frome office, and also works with our Commercial Property team.
Partner Kathryn Lander said:
“We congratulate Louise, Maisie, and Ben on becoming Associates, which is very well deserved. The promotions recognise their individual expertise, which is greatly valued by our clients, and also reflects the important contribution they each make to the continuing success of Harris & Harris”
Ben Monksummers, Maisie Priscott and Louise Williams
We are delighted to congratulate Caroline Fletcher, Solicitor and Partner in our Private Client Department, on obtaining her STEP Diploma in Advising Vulnerable Clients with Distinction. As a result of achieving the STEP Diploma, Caroline will receive “TEP” status, the designation of a full STEP member and is currently the only full STEP member in Frome.
The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (“STEP”) is the global professional association for practitioners who specialise in family inheritance and succession planning. You can find out more about STEP on their website: www.step.org/for-the-public
At Harris & Harris we pride ourselves on our care for our clients and Caroline’s achievement and development of this specialism shows the firm’s continued commitment to looking after vulnerable clients.
The organisation Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE) has published a study warning that the UK is heading for an ‘incapacity crisis’, with a wide gap between the rising number of people likely to lose capacity and the relatively small number who have arranged a health and welfare lasting power of attorney.
Click below to read the full article published by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP):
https://www.step.org/news/uk-incapacity-crisis-approaches-dementia-incidence-outruns-powers-attorney
Annemarie Swainson, partner and head of Wills, Estates and Trusts, and Joshua Eva, partner, are both full members of STEP. Caroline Fletcher, partner, is an associate member of STEP and full member of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE).
Joshua Eva comments: “SFE’s report highlights the importance of putting LPAs in place to cover both one’s property & finances, and health & welfare decisions. With professional guidance the process is not difficult and once in place these documents continue until death. It is important to appreciate that one has to make LPAs when still mentally capable of doing so. Once mental capacity is lost it will no longer be possible to grant LPAs and in that case the only option for someone to be granted authority to act for the incapacitated individual is a very costly and time consuming Court application. This also leaves to chance who will actually be appointed to deal with the individual’s affairs, whereas with an LPA one can choose known individuals who are trusted to take on such important responsibilities”.
If you would like to discuss this topic, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our specialist solicitors:
Harris & Harris are proud to confirm that Neil Howlett, Partner and Solicitor based at the firm’s Frome office, has been awarded a Civic Award by Frome’s Mayor, Sheila Gore.
Neil commented:
Thanks folks, and particularly to Sheila Gore. I’m getting quite used to being the only male in the line-up – here’s me with my professional colleagues in Stony Street. It takes me back to my first job as a solicitor back in 1984 when I was the first male in an all-female firm.
Read more about this news in the article featured in the Frome Times, via the following link:
http://www.frometimes.co.uk/2018/04/10/towns-champions-honoured-with-civic-awards/
Harris & Harris are pleased to announce that they have raised £1,800 in support of the Royal United Hospital, Bath’s charity The Forever Friends Appeal.
The month of September 2017 saw people across the Royal United’s catchment area being urged to put their affairs in order and make or update their Wills as part of the hospital’s third Make a Will Month scheme which raised a total of £42,000. The highest so far.
The Forever Friends Appeal provides a vital service to help improve the hospital’s environment, providing additional medical equipment, facilities as well as all the finishing touches and extras that help care for patients more effectively, together with its ongoing research and development. Every donation raised by Harris & Harris as part of the Make a Will Month will help to continue providing this care.
We are delighted to have made a contribution towards the Appeal and would like to thank all our clients who made generous donations.
The Ministry of Justice has launched the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) refund fee scheme for payments made to register either Lasting Powers of Attorneys (LPAs) or Enduring Powers of Attorneys between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2017.
If you registered either an LPA or EPA in this period and paid a fee, you may be eligible for a partial refund plus interest.
The scheme is by way of an online application, details of which can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney-refund
For those who do not have internet access you can ring the OPG helpline on 0300 456 0300 (option 6).
The application can be made by either the donor (the person who made the LPA or EPA) or their attorneys appointed by the registered Power of Attorney. The refund must be made to the donor and takes approximately 12 weeks to be paid to their account.
If you have any queries regarding whether you are eligible for a refund, please contact one of our specialist lawyers:
http://www.harris-harris.co.uk/what_we_do/wills_probate_trusts/
Caroline Fletcher
We are delighted to congratulate Caroline Fletcher, Associate Private Client Solicitor, on obtaining the STEP Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients with Distinction. Caroline is currently studying for the STEP Diploma in Advising Vulnerable Clients and this certificate is one of several she will complete in order to obtain the STEP Diploma and achieve “TEP” status, the designation of a full STEP member.
The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (“STEP”) is the global professional association for practitioners who specialise in family inheritance and succession planning. You can find out more about STEP via the following link:
At Harris & Harris we pride ourselves on our care for our clients and Caroline’s achievement and development of this specialism shows the firm’s continued commitment to looking after vulnerable clients.
As of 22nd November 2017, first time buyers purchasing for £300,000 or less on a property pay no Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) and those purchasing between £300,000 and £500,000 will pay considerably less. The change has come in with immediate effect, therefore even if you have exchanged contracts you may still benefit if you complete on or after 22nd November.
We act for numerous first time buyers and the recent changes have been welcomed by most to help them take their first step on to the property ladder.
The following conditions must apply in order to qualify for the relief:
More information can be found on the following government websites:
If you require assistance with your property matter, please contact one of our specialist lawyers:
