Wills, Probate and Inheritance

A woman has been ordered to pay rent for the time she spent living in the house she shared with her partner after he died without a Will. The partner had been married in the 1980s and had two children. He later began a relationship with the woman involved in this case. They had similar incomes and bought a house together in 1989 with a joint mortgage. They had a…

The UK Government are changing the rules which govern where your estate goes if you die without having a Will (i.e. die intestate) leaving a spouse or civil partner and children. Currently, under the intestacy rules, if you die without having a Will and have no children, your spouse or civil partner will inherit all of your estate. If you have children, your spouse or civil partner will be entitled…

LIFE in the north-east is proving just the ticket for solicitor Alice Whittome who has just landed her dream job. Alice, a Newcastle United season ticket holder, has joined leading legal firm Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors as a private client solicitor in Haltwhistle. Alice is now preparing for her first Christmas as a homeowner with fiance Robbie, a trainee GP at Hexham General Hospital, and their two miniature dachshunds Evie and…

WILD swimming meets the Winter Solstice in the English Lake District this weekend and Laura Clarke wouldn’t miss it for the world. Laura, whose outdoor adventures include trekking to Everest Base Camp, loves nothing more than an early morning dip in the tranquil waters of the Lake District. “There’s just you and the water surrounded by amazing scenery at the first light of day,” said Laura. “It takes your mind…

ONE of the newest members of a top legal firm’s 100-strong team has spoken of his delight at joining the company. Nick Devlin, who along with wife Georgina has recently moved to Cumbria from East Anglia, says he had always hoped he would one day be a member of the Cartmell Shepherd family. He first got a taste of the business during a work placement week – and almost six…

The Office of the Public Guardian (“OPG”) have begun to offer deputyship fee refunds to those who were overcharged fees from the 1st of April 2008 to the 31st of March 2015. Why are the OPG offering refunds? A deputy is a person appointed by the Court of Protection to be legally responsible for someone who no longer has the ability to make decisions for themselves. Currently you must pay £365…

The granddaughters of a farmer have lost their shares in his farm because of complications that arose when their father died without making a Will. The grandfather had died in 1992, leaving behind a wife and four children. His Will stated that the farm was to be left to his wife and two of his sons as tenants in common. The Will added that in order to receive their share…

By Sian Rae Solicitor The proposed increase in probate fees has been put on hold due to the recent turmoil in parliament. It’s not clear if or when the increases will take effect. Currently there is a flat fee of £215, or £155 if a solicitor is involved. The government had planned to introduce a banded system that caps the fee at 0.5% of the value of the estate, up…

This week is Dementia Action Week and it was amazing for #TeamCartmells to get involved in our local communities and show support. It is important for us, as businesses, to make ourselves more accessible to those living with dementia and to help shape a wider community that strives to be more inclusive to those with disabilities.  Cartmells are active members of the Local Dementia Action Alliance and work within our…

Our team of dedicated solicitors who ‘go beyond the extra mile’ for their clients is flying the flag for Cumbria as finalists in the prestigious Northern Law Awards. Our private client department is now in the running to be named 2019 private client team of the year at a ceremony in Newcastle in June. Deborah Flynn, Director and Head of Department, said being shortlisted was fitting recognition of the extraordinary…