OPG: Unlikely LPA timescales will return to 8 weeks anytime soon
It is “unlikely” that lasting power of attorney (LPA) application timescales will return to eight weeks anytime soon, the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has said. Speaking during a meeting with industry body the BEST Foundation, the OPG said demand has continued to increase since the spikes seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, with usual […]
Retired judge obtains £50 in compensation from HMCTS after probate delays
After a “gross delay” in his probate application, a retired solicitor-judge has extracted £50 in compensation from HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), as reported by The Law Society Gazette. The judge, Stephen Gold, has been “chronicling his ordeal of being the executor of his late aunt’s estate” which caused a 10-week delay in issuing […]
Burger van chef wins inheritance fight to keep £5m from deceased man’s sister
A burger van chef left a huge £5 million fortune by a businessman who befriended him and has won an inheritance battle with the deceased man’s sister. David Turner died in 2017 and left his wealth to Sam Jones – who he “treated like a son”. They both met 17 years earlier and London’s High […]
Professional deputies are managing LPAs ‘diligently’, review finds
A new Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) review has revealed that England and Wales professionals deputies are managing LPAs diligently and there is no evidence they are delaying registration of their clients’ LPAs, according to STEP. The SRA found that registration delays are usually due to either clients taking time to consider next steps or the […]
SRA fines firm which failed to have AML risk assessment for four years
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has issued a fine of £4,000 against a firm that has failed to have a money laundering risk assessment in place for more than four years, according to The Law Society Gazette. The firm, Chepstow-based Bevan-Evans & Capehorn Solicitors LLP have been fined after investigators found the practice “failed to […]
FCA’s Consumer Duty comes into force
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Consumer Duty came into force on 31st July 2023 for existing products and services, seeks to ensure customers receive these “good outcomes” and will impact providers of certain probate products, funeral plans, and other estate planning and bereavement services. The Duty is made up of an overarching principle and new […]
Blog: The types and costs of Missing Beneficiary Indemnity Insurance
Missing Beneficiary Indemnity Insurance (MBII) protects Personal Representatives and known beneficiaries should a missing or otherwise unknown beneficiary come forward after the estate has been distributed. Title Research’s blog provides an overview of the MBII policies available, known risk and comfort cover. Additionally, the blog covers: The cost of MBII Insurers’ normal requirements What to […]
Life assurance policies – the importance of protecting your mortgage payments and loved ones
If clients have a mortgage and a family, the importance of protecting mortgage payments with Life or Critical Illness Cover and additional protection for children, is paramount. It could mean the difference between a family keeping their home – or not – in the event they are unable to meet future mortgage payments due to […]
Aretha Franklin’s smiley face will: A landmark legal decision?
A court ruling in the USA confirmed that a handwritten note found underneath the late soul singer Aretha Franklin’s sofa could be used as her legal last will and testament. But could the outcome of this landmark case, in which a smiley face was taken to be a clear and official signature, have wider repercussions? […]
