Emma Beddows of Kerwoods
A Worcestershire law firm is warning the public to beware of doorstep sales people who are peddling expensive legal documents that in many cases don’t work as intended.
Emma Beddows, a partner at Kerwoods Solicitors in Redditch, said that luckily a client had come to her for a second opinion after being quoted £6,900 to put her property in a lifetime trust and to prepare two sets of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) for her and her husband.
There are two kinds of LPA – health and welfare, and property and financial affairs.
Miss Beddows said: “The lifetime trust was recommended to protect the house from care fees even though this would fail as the husband is on dialysis and the wife has Crohn’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis.
“The creation of a trust under these circumstances would be seen as a direct act of deprivation under the Care Act 2014 and could have landed the couple in trouble with the local authority concerned.”
She pointed out that if someone is concerned about issues which may affect their care arrangements and how their affairs should be handled in their later years, they should consult a legally qualified care specialist.
“The cost of specialist advice from a qualified professional at a law firm would be nowhere near the figure quoted and would mean that the client gets up to date advice rather than something peddled on a sales leaflet or in a cold call.
“Luckily, in this instance, the client had the good sense to seek a second opinion from her local, trusted law firm and we were able to advise her and her husband correctly,” she said.
Kerwoods are so concerned about the issue, they are offering a free ten minute phone call where individuals can seek professional advice. To arrange an appointment, please call 01527 584444
