Due to the upgrading of Storm Eunice to a Red Alert, we have decided to shut the office tomorrow to ensure we keep everyone as safe as possible – Property Completions will still take place and arrangements are in hand to deal with these.
The phone lines will be covered and urgent calls dealt with as best we can.
Stay safe everyone!!

We are pleased to help launch the Parenting Through Separation Guide during ‘Good Divorce Week’, an annual initiative by the family justice organisation Resolution to raise awareness of how families can separate amicably. This free guide is available to any parent seeking help during their separation. It contains advice about how to co-parent with a former partner, background on the common disputes that arise between separating parents, and how to talk to children about the painful topic of divorce or separation, plus much more. Michelle Smith our Family and Matrimonial Solicitor knows that the pandemic has put huge pressure on families and even more so on those who are separating. She understands that every parent wants to put their children’s interests front and centre, but all too often they don’t know where to turn for help and aren’t given the support they need in order to do this.  Michelle feels that it is important for parents to have access to good, authoritative and professional advice that helps them to parent responsibly through their separation and hopes that this new Guide will help couples navigate the challenges divorce and separation brings. This is an extract of advice contained within the guide: Top tips for discussing divorce with your children : – If your situation allows, try to have a joint conversation when all of your children are present. Keep this age appropriate – Plan a series of conversations, including different follow up conversations, if your children are different ages. – Be mindful that their reactions will depend on their age, developmental stage and their individual personality. – Reassure your children that it is okay to feel sad or scared and showing emotion is good. They can always talk to either of you and ask questions. – Remember you are a role model and your children are watching how you manage this situation. If they see that you are still their parents, making decisions together about them, then they will cope better. If you would like advice on Divorce and/or Separation, please contact our Family and Matrimonial Solicitor Michelle Smith on (01267) 237441, who will be pleased to help you – we also offer a free 30 minute consultation.

For separated families with children, it can be difficult for parents to reach agreement in respect of contact arrangements over the festive period.

Christmas contact is an extremely sensitive and emotive subject as both parents would of course like to spend this special time with their child/children. However, it is inevitable that parents will need to accept that this time will have to be shared, with the child/ren spending Christmas morning and perhaps even the entire day with one parent.

There are however, several arrangements that can be made to ensure that your child spends quality time with both families. Consideration could be given to the child spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with the one parent, with the other collecting them on Christmas Day evening or even Boxing Day morning and there being somewhat of a second Christmas Day celebrated during that time. This can then be alternated on an annual basis so that each parent has the opportunity of spending time with their child/children on Christmas Day itself.

If you have not already done so yet, you should contact your ex partner with a view of agreeing Christmas arrangements now – if you are unable to reach an agreement, then we can provide you with legal advice with a view to a letter being sent to your ex partner in an attempt to resolve matters as early as possible so that everyone can plan their festive season.

If you would like advice on this matter, please contact our Family and Matrimonial Solicitor Michelle Smith on (01267) 237441, who will be pleased to help you – we also offer a free 30 minute consultation.

We all know that we should write a will, but too few of us know we should also consider making a Lasting Power of Attorney.

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) gives another individual(s) the legal authority to look after specific aspects of someone’s financial affairs and/or health and welfare should they lose the capacity to do so. They are not just for the elderly; younger people may become incapacitated through accident or sudden illness and we have clients of all ages who have planned for the future by preparing an LPA.

If someone becomes incapacitated and they were the person who always dealt with the family’s finances, then without a LPA in place, relatives may face long delays and expense in applying to the Court of Protection to get access to bank accounts, insurance companies and utility and mobile phone companies.

It is important to ensure that an LPA is drafted correctly – otherwise life can be made unintentionally difficult in applying to register the Lasting Power of Attorney (which has to be done before they can be used) and for your attorneys in the future.

All our LPA work is undertaken by qualified Solicitors and we offer competitive fixed fees for preparing LPAs.

If you would like to have a chat with someone about making a LPA, then please can call our office on 01267 237 441 – Option 2 – or e-mail us at mail@utk.co.uk.