Here to give you peace of mind during these worrying times

Reassuring message from our Marketing Director Carol Fish

We are here for you throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to help give you peace of mind in these worrying times.

With lockdown extended as anticipated, we all continue to adapt to a different way of life.

As a business Cartmell Shepherd has had to adapt too – and quickly – in order to continue to meet our clients’ needs and to help with queries arising out of the pandemic.

Whether it’s help with business advice for employers around furlough changes or debt recovery to improve cash flow, advice for individuals in light of the rise in domestic violence, concern for the care of elderly relatives and putting their legal affairs in order, or those in the midst of property transactions, we are by your side to help you.

Because we had already invested in the latest technology we have been able to transfer smoothly to home working so that we are always only a phone call away.

From Carlisle to Cockermouth, Prudhoe to Penrith, we have 100 team members working hard for you from home across the region.

We are offering free employment advice via Question and Answers through our website and social media channels around the coronavirus outbreak.

And we have joined up with other leading business hosts who have come together to collaborate in a weekly free webinar run by NXT Recruitment – again to share our experience and expertise to help.

Where for legal reasons we need to visit you to advise or to arrange for important documents to be signed and witnessed, our expert teams do so while remaining within all social distancing regulations to make sure you stay safe.

Quite understandably in the current situation, we have seen an upsurge in new will instructions and there are very strict rules about how wills must be drawn up. If those rules aren’t followed – such as regulations about signatures having to be witnessed in the correct way – then the will can be declared invalid.

You will also need to think about who has power of attorney. If you are in hospital for a period of time and incapable of making your own decisions, who do you want to have the authority to make decisions on your behalf?

There’s also inheritance tax to consider. What assets do you have? Whose name are they in? Are you aware of tax liabilities of doing things in different ways? Who are you appointing as your executors?

When it comes to business advice our team have been issuing regularly updated guidance, such as the changes to the furlough system or help on improving your cash flow by recovery of outstanding unpaid debts or issues arising out of pre-pandemic contractual agreements.

For those buying or selling property we have shared information on our website about how property transactions, including home sales and purchases and commercial and agricultural transactions, are affected.

COVID-19 has also forced a lot of partners in non-cohabiting relationships to review their future together and to take the plunge and move in together after the restrictions are lifted. It is important to consider legal and financial consequences which can arise from living together, especially if only one of the couple owns the property.

The rise in domestic violence is also of great concern and our family lawyers are here at the end of the phone to help and advise on steps to take to protect those in this situation.

Whatever the concerns people have, as professional solicitors we are here to help where we can to get all of us through these difficult and challenging times.

To contact Carol please call 01228 516666.

Jonathan Lee 32West