Statement on COVID-19
In light of rising concerns surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19), we want to assure you that Carpenter & Co is committed to maintaining business operations as usual. Our number one priority is the health and wellbeing of our clients and staff. With this in mind, we wanted to let you know what we are doing to keep everyone as safe as possible during this time.
We are not accepting “walk-ins” and we are not arranging face-to-face meetings. We have however the technology to have meetings via telephone conferencing and video calls.
What else are we doing?
- Our lawyers and staff are working from home wherever possible. Our operating model supports remote working. We are confident that clients will continue to be well served with limited disruption and delay;
- We are using digital technologies that support an enhanced connected experience;
- Our offices are no longer open to the public;
- No face-to-face meetings will take place at our offices;
- Regular updates for staff on government and company guidelines;
- Admin staff come in to the office as much as necessary to check the post and support our lawyers so they carry on working from home; and
- We are communicating regularly with staff as their welfare is our primary concern.
We are also able to advise clients in respect of the legal challenges they face due to COVID-19. So if you do need help, please give us a call on 020 8669 5145 or drop us an email at covid-19@carpenterssolicitors.co.uk.
Some of our clients have also used this opportunity to attend to legal matters that have been hanging over their heads, such as finalising their Wills, LPA’s, estate planning, cohabitation agreements, etc. If you need any assistance on any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact Luiza Lobo or Taynia Pemberton in our Private Client Team.
Our primary focus is to support our staff and to continue delivering the needs of our clients. We will continue to update you on developments at the earliest and most appropriate opportunity, and we would ask that you work with us during this time.
We are conscious that you are likely to be receiving a high volume of communications about COVID-19, but we hope the above provides you with the re-assurance that we can continue to partner together uninterrupted during this challenging time. If you have any further questions, please email Sue McCormack who will respond to you as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Paul Verlander
Senior Partner
Carpenter & Co
Simon McIlwaine appointed Legal Advisor to the South African Legion
Our partner, Simon McIlwaine, has been appointed as Honorary Legal Advisor to the Legion in the United Kingdom, where he will be assisting with developing the organisation’s charitable structure.
Around 227,000 South Africans reside in the United Kingdom, probably one quarter of whom have undertaken national military service in the armed forces or the South African Police.
The South African Legion United Kingdom & Europe is an ex-servicemen’s association comprised of South African Military Veterans who have either served in South Africa’s security forces or in the British Armed Forces and who now reside in the United Kingdom and Europe.
South African forces fought with distinction in both World Wars, the Korean War and in the war to protect South Africa’s borders. They have a long and proud record of service, and an active programme of remembrance and social events in the United Kingdom.
Carpenter and Co are signatories to the Armed Forces Covenant and are proud to support British and Commonwealth veterans.
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Charity Golf 2019
We are looking forward to our 11th annual charity golf day at Silvermere golf course on the 30th of September this year. The event is in aid of Help for Heroes who do great work assisting armed forces veterans, service personnel and their families.
If you’d like to take part in this event, we have spaces available. See the flyer or contact us at golf@carpenterssolicitors.co.uk for further details.
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Free seminar for first-time home buyers
If you’re a first-time buyer, this event is for you.
A panel of friendly experts (including our own Rebecca Mabert) will give presentations. They also will be glad to answer all of your questions about getting on the property ladder – there is no such thing as a silly question.
- Place: The Ginger Frog, 53 Woodcote Road, Wallington SM6 0PH
- Time: Thursday 4th April, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm
- Booking: If you’d like to attend, email reserve@ftb-uk.com for your free e-ticket.
But hurry! There are only 50 seats available.
See the image below for further details.
A Chilling Forecast: England and Wales to See a Sharp Rise in Probate Fees from April 2019
The Government has announced major changes to probate fees, which means applications for a Grant of Probate may cost some families £6,000 or more – unless the estate is worth less than £50,000, in which case no fee will be payable on application.
Currently, probate fees – paid when administering someone’s estate after they die – are fixed at £0 for estates worth £5,000 or less and £215 (or £155 when applying through a solicitor) for estates valued over £5,000.
The good news is that the £0 fee threshold is set to extend to estates worth up to £50,000 from April 2019, which means that approximately 25,000 estates per year will be exempt from paying probate fees to the Probate Registry.
The bad news, however, is that if the estate’s value is higher than £50,000, applicants will see a sharp increase in probate fees. Estates that are worth between £50,000 and £300,000 will be charged £250, while estates with a value of £300,000 or more will be charged on a sliding scale up to a maximum charge of £6,000 for estates worth £2 million or more.
These changes could also prove challenging for executors if the deceased was ‘capital rich but cash poor’ meaning they had little money in their bank account but significant wealth tied up in property or investments which cannot be accessed until the Grant of Probate has been obtained. On a practical note this means that unless funds are freed to cover the probate costs the executors will have to pay the fees personally.
See also:
https://www.ft.com/content/fa2ba466-e365-11e8-a6e5-792428919cee
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Carpenter & Co Charity Golf Day – Silvermere Golf Club
Help for Heroes
Thank you to everyone who came and supported out Annual Charity Golf Day at Silvermere Golf Club on 24th September 2018 being the 10th anniversary of this prestigious event. A good time was had by all, raising money for Help For Heroes.
Our support of this worthy cause depends on the generosity and unending support of the people who give up their time and money to join us each year at this event. We raised thousands of pounds and could not have done it without you our amazing supporters! We would like to also thank Chris Parker Brigadier (retired) MBE, for joining us and for sharing his account of his 28 years’ service to HM Forces.
Thank you also for the many kind donations to our Raffle and Auction.
In case you missed it, our winners were:
- Winning Team – Rob Preston, Michael Fowler, Lee Challis & Gary Challis
- Individual Overall Winner – Bob Grace
- Individual 2nd place – David Sweeting
- Individual 3rd place – Myles Verlander
- Nearest the Pin – Anton Males
- Longest Drive – Jay Cordwell
Charity Golf
We are looking forward to our 10th annual charity golf day at Silvermere golf course on the 24th of September. The event is in aid of Help for Heroes who do great work assisting armed forces veterans, service personnel and their families.
If you’d like to take part in this event, we have spaces available for a few more teams. See the flyer or contact us at golf@carpenterssolicitors.co.uk for further details.
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Alzheimer’s Society Cupcake Day
There’s nothing we love more than getting behind a worthy cause. Amy Ellis and Chloe Preston who are Dementia Friends have decided to run a Cupcake sale. We will be busy baking cakes to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society and selling them outside our offices on Tuesday, 12th June between 11.00am and 3.00pm.
Funds raised on the day are aimed to raise awareness for the fight against dementia. 850,000 people in the UK have dementia, and this is set to rise to over 1 million by 2025. We are proud to be taking part in Cupcake Day which is a brilliant and easy way to support the work of the UK’s leading dementia charity.
There will be bunting pages for kids to colour in and a selection of cakes to buy for a donation upwards of 50p.
Come along and treat yourself to a tasty little morsel in aid of an excellent charity!
Health & Wellbeing Event
The Health & Wellbeing Event of the Wallington Community Wellbeing Group took place on 27 April at the Trinity Centre in Maldon Road, Wallington, SM6 8BL.
We were proud to sponsor it.
The view from our stall
