Most prospective new home owners who are in a position to purchase property for more than £125,000.00 will know that the single largest expenditure they will incur is Stamp Duty Land Tax.
For some home buyers there is therefore a temptation to try and reduce the extent of the tax. One of the main Stamp Duty avoidance tricks is to try paying for fixtures and fittings separately. In so doing however extreme caution should be exercised as the transaction could be challenged by HM Revenue and Customs who are keen to get their hands on all of the monies that the Revenue is entitled to! More...
The team at Howells Solicitors is very pleased to announce that we have secured membership to the Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme - the mark of excellence for the home buying process.
Howells underwent rigorous assessment by the Law Society in order to secure CQS status, which marks us out as offering high levels of service in the residential conveyancing process.
Law Society President John Wotton said that the Law Society introduced CQS to promote high standards in the home buying process.
“CQS improves efficiency with common, consistent standards and service levels and enables consumers to recognise practices that provide a quality residential conveyancing service.
"Buying a home is one of the largest purchases anyone will make in their lifetime, so it is essential that it is done to the highest standard by a solicitor. There are many different conveyancing service providers out there, making it difficult for home buyers to identify those which can ensure a safe and efficient level of service.”
Mark Hobbs, an Equity Partner at Howells Solicitors, says: “Here at Howells we are delighted to have secured CQS status. It is recognition of the high standards we provide to our residential property clients and is a signal to future home buyers of the excellent service level we provide at what is often a stressful time for many people.
“The overall beneficiaries will be clients who use Howells when buying a home. They will receive a reliable, efficient service as recognised by the CQS standard."
The scheme requires practices to undergo a strict assessment, compulsory training, self reporting, random audits and annual reviews in order to maintain CQS status. It is open only to members of the Law Society who meet the demanding standards set by the scheme and has the support of the Council of Mortgage Lenders, the Building Societies Association, Legal Ombudsman and the Association of British Insurers.
Swansea City, whose stylish approach to Premier League football has impressed spectators and pundits alike this season, took their biggest scalp thus far, as they dented the title winning prospects of a star-studded Arsenal side with a 3-2 win, and Howells Solicitors were delighted to be able to get in on the action!
Philip Howell, equity partner and manager of Howells’ Swansea branch, was delighted to be able to sponsor the match ball, as the Liberty Stadium played host to one of the most enthralling matches of the season so far.
The match itself ebbed and flowed, with Arsenal taking an early lead thanks to the precise finishing of Robin Van Persie. The Swans were not phased however, outplaying the visitors for much of the match and grabbing a well deserved equaliser from the penalty spot. Nathan Dyer, who is enjoying a fine season, then put the hosts in front.
The threat from Arsenal’s frontline was a constant thorn in the Swans’ side, and Theo Walcott managed to slip through to chip a neat finish over an advancing Michel Vorm. With the match poised on a knife-edge, it was then left to Danny Graham to seal a memorable victory.
After the match and in high spirits, Philip Howell attended a fundraising dinner for the Alzheimer’s Society and kindly donated the match ball. The ball fetched £350 for the society and now for the time being has pride of place in the Days van rental office in Swansea. Days van rental now plan to raffle the ball off to customers and raise even more money for the charity!
Philip and his wife Theresa have been active supporters of the work of the Alzheimer’s Society for many years, having completed the Cardiff half Marathon last year, raising much needed funds for the society. And just in case they’re hoping we haven’t noticed, it’s coming up to that time when they need to don their running shoes and get training, especially if they are going to achieve their aim of beating last year’s time and raising even more money!
Are you caring for an elderly parent at your home? Perhaps they are already ill and would otherwise be reliant on care provided privately or through Social Services at a cost of somewhere in the region of £14.00 an hour? The cost of such care over the course of a year is unthinkable. What if it was possible to secure assets to pay you back for the cost of the care over time?
Our expert solicitors for the elderly, based in Cardiff, can help your elderly parents to set up a Trust in recompense for the provision of such care.
A trust will act to ring-fence assets from the future imposition of care home fees. This will ensure you are paid a calculable sum if the costs of care do become a burden for you in the future.
Although this process is not without risks, with the expert and professional assistance of a specialist team of solicitors for the elderly, the chances of success are high.
We have a specialist team of solicitors for the elderly, headed by Claire Davis, the only Welsh Director of a national organisation of specially qualified elderly solicitors. She has direct experience of dealing with issues relating to elderly care and dementia as her mother suffers from Alzheimer’s. You are therefore guaranteed not only an expert service and advice but empathy which is not always present from other solicitors for the elderly.
If you are interested in this or any other issues relating to elderly client matters such as asset preservation through Wills, Trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney or Court of Protection, please contact our expert team of solicitors for the elderly based in Cardiff.
The following is a general guide to our conveyancing process when selling your property. Hopefully our open and honest approach will help you to anticipate any pitfalls before they arise. However, if you are still unsure about any aspect of the conveyancing process when selling your residential or commercial property then our expert solicitors will be only too happy to clear it up for you.
Once you have chosen and informed the solicitors you would like to commence the conveyancing process when selling your property, you will soon receive a ‘Letter of Engagement’ or ‘Confirmation of Terms of Business. This should be signed and returned promptly so the work can begin. In some circumstances the solicitor may request funds to cover initial expenditure.
Once your solicitor has been officially instructed to start the conveyancing process they will, if necessary, obtain the title deeds from your lender. More...
