Certainty in uncertain times – by Gordon Lennox our Specialist Future Wills & Planning Solicitor

In the past week or so, there have been numerous blogs, articles and posts advocating to one and all the need to ensure your Will is up to date or to make one if  you have not already done so and the necessity for having a Power of Attorney in place.

Whilst to many these may seem crass at this time and that firms are trying to cash in that is simply not the case.

The legal profession have a duty to provide the best advice we can, tailored to the circumstances that are presented by our clients or the predicament in which they find themselves.   The nature of such advice, in certain circumstances, may induce clients to face their own mortality and consider a world without them.  That is one of the roles of being a private client solicitor.

The current CoVid-19 pandemic has created a whole new world for us all in the short term and in the long term nobody really knows.   What ‘normal’ will look like on the other side is anyone’s guess.   In his book the “The 4-hour Workweek”, Tim Ferris advocates people will chose unhappiness over uncertainty.   People like certainty and if CoVid-19 has done one thing, it has, for the time being, snatched certainty away.

So, in times such as now, it has never been more necessary to ensure your affairs are in order and you have created as much certainty as possible.

• Review your Will or make one if you do not have one already.

 

• Prepare a Power of Attorney.

 

• Check with your pension provider and ensure your pension nominations are current.

 

• Ensure your loved ones know what life insurance you have in place and is it sufficient.

 

• Review your financial position.

 

The list is far from exhaustive and it is always good to do these things at any time but more especially now!

The post Certainty in uncertain times – by Gordon Lennox our Specialist Future Wills & Planning Solicitor appeared first on Scullion Law.

from Scullion Law https://scullionlaw.com/certainty-in-uncertain-times-by-gordon-lennox-our-specialist-future-wills-planning-solicitor/
via IFTTT

Thank you to Sir Tom Hunter for your generosity

Delayed Glasgow Kiltwalk efforts boosted by The Hunter Foundation’s incredible 100% top-up pledge

Everyone at Scullion Law would like to sincerely thank Sir Tom Hunter and The Hunter Foundation following today’s incredible gesture for all Glasgow Kiltwalk participants.

Having previously promised to uplift all fundraising by 50%, The Hunter Foundation have now increased that pledge to an incredible 100% in recognition of charities being so adversely affected by the corona-virus crisis. #Covid19. This is super kind and generous for which we are all very grateful.

Scullion LAW is a proud participant of Glasgow Kiltwalk for the fourth year running this year and this announcement doubles our fundraising total to date to a brilliant £1214.64 so far. 

Several members of the Scullion LAW team plan to complete the walk whenever it is rescheduled and will hope to further increase that fundraising total with a number of charities benefiting including Marie Curie Scotland, The Catherine McEwan Foundation, Chas, Diabetes Scotland and others.

Diana McLeish, Scullion LAW Executive Director, said: “What an incredible gesture from The Hunter Foundation. We can’t thank Tom and his team enough.

“There are so many more important things on everyone’s minds right now however we are all looking forward to completing the rescheduled Glasgow Kiltwalk whenever that might be. Today’s announcement adds even more motivation and will help us push up our fundraising total to help a number of very worthy charities close to our hearts.

“Until then, all the team at Scullion Law are united in wishing everyone the best of health and to stay safe in the weeks ahead.”

For more information about Scullion LAW visit scullionlaw.com

 

The post Thank you to Sir Tom Hunter for your generosity appeared first on Scullion Law.

from Scullion Law https://scullionlaw.com/thank-you-to-sir-tom-hunter-for-your-generosity/
via IFTTT

Useful information from the Scottish Government for people buying or selling private residential homes during #COVID19 (Part three)

Accepting offers

The buying and selling process can continue during this period but you should be aware that the process is likely to take longer than normal.

You are free to continue to accept offers on your property. However, the selling process may take longer. You should seek advice from your solicitor.

Advice for people to stay at home and away from others means you should not invite visitors into your home, including prospective buyers or agents.

Concluding missives

We recommend that all parties should work either: to delay concluding missives until after the period where stay-at-home measures to fight coronavirus (COVID-19) are in place; or to include explicit contractual provisions to take account of the risks presented by the virus.

If you have concluded missives, you have entered into a legal agreement to purchase the property. In these circumstances, we encourage all parties to do all they can to amicably agree alternative dates to move, for a time when it is likely that stay-at-home measures against coronavirus (COVID-19) will no longer be in place. You should seek advice from your solicitor about the implications for you…

Solicitors

Top of Form

Solicitors should continue to support the sales process as far as possible and consistent with the protection of the safety of themselves, their staff, clients and the wider public and compliance with the stay-at-home measures against coronavirus. Solicitors should make sure their clients are aware of the difficulties of completing transactions in this period, particularly where any documentation requires to be physically signed (and/or witnessed), including dispositions and standard securities. Reference is made to the Guidance and Practice notes issued by the Law Society of Scotland and the Keeper’s up-to-date guidance on registration. In particular, solicitors should make every effort to support clients who are due to move in the stay-at-home period to change the date of the move.

Where possible, as noted above, if missives have been concluded, encourage seeking agreement between the parties to a variation to missives concluded to take account of the COVID-19 outbreak and not to move.

Bottom of Form

Last week we managed to successfully complete a few urgent home moves despite the unforeseen closure of the Registers Of Scotland and for this we received amazing feedback from happy clients with one couple quoting that ‘Gemma Brown, our conveyancer really went above and beyond to provide an excellent service’ for which they were exceptionally grateful. They also commented on the professionalism, dedication and commitment shown from our full team. Everyone is working hard from home and doing their best to service our clients.

We are here for you and available to answer any Q you may have at this time.

Please call 0141 374 2121 or email info@scullionlaw.com

Thank you for your patience during this time.

Stay safe, stay healthy and stay positive.

Please keep an eye on our @ScullionLAW facebook, linkedin and twitter for regular updates. 

 

 

The post Useful information from the Scottish Government for people buying or selling private residential homes during #COVID19 (Part three) appeared first on Scullion Law.

from Scullion Law https://scullionlaw.com/useful-information-for-people-buying-or-selling-private-residential-property-in-scotland-amidst-covid19-part-three/
via IFTTT

Useful information from the Scottish Government for people buying or selling private residential homes during #Covid19 (Part two)

If you must move

If you must move and the following both apply, then you may proceed to do so:

• you are able to complete the move safely, i.e. you and anyone else involved in the move can maintain all the social distancing requirements
• the property into which you are moving is empty or can also be safely vacated.

What if an extension goes beyond the terms of a mortgage agreement?

UK Finance have confirmed that, to support customers who have already set dates for completion, mortgage lenders are working to find ways to enable customers to extend their mortgage offer for up to three months to enable them to move at a later date.

If a customer’s circumstances change during this three month period or the terms of the house purchase change significantly and continuing with the mortgage would cause house buyers to face financial hardship, lenders will work with customers to help them manage their finances as a matter of urgency.

If your home is not yet on the market

You may find getting your home onto the market more challenging than usual during this period. There should be no visitors to your home.

If you are thinking about selling, you can use this time to start gathering together all of the information you will need to provide to potential purchasers.

Advice for people to stay at home and away from others means you should not invite unnecessary visitors into your home, including people involved in marketing your home.

Viewings

If your property is already on the market, you can continue to advertise it being for sale but you should not allow people in to view your property.

There should not be any visitors into your home, and you should not therefore let people visit your property for viewings. Your agent may be able to conduct virtual viewings and you could speak to them about this possibility.

The post Useful information from the Scottish Government for people buying or selling private residential homes during #Covid19 (Part two) appeared first on Scullion Law.

from Scullion Law https://scullionlaw.com/useful-information-for-people-buying-or-selling-private-residential-homes-during-covid19-part-two/
via IFTTT

Useful information from the Scottish Government for people buying or selling private residential homes during #Covid19 (part one)

We at Scullion LAW are open and active for business. Our full team are working from home.

Every single member of Scullion LAW is working hard behind the scenes to assist you as usual. 

 

You can call us or email us when required. We are also available for facetime or video calls upon request.

We appreciate these are very uncertain and stressful times for all of us but we are doing our very best to maintain excellent standards of service and care.

We must take this opportunity to thank you for your patience during this time.

 

 

Most importantly we want to ensure you, and your family all stay safe and healthy. 

We are here for you when you need us and our wide range of services are available via our website www.scullionlaw.com

Please click on this link for updates from the Scottish Government website for useful information for people buying or selling residential homes during #COVID19

You may also find the Registers of Scotland website helpful during this time as well as it is regularly being updated to keep you informed as is the LAW Society of Scotland website.

 

We have taken some useful paragraphs off the Scottish Government article to bring to your attention below for ease of reading. Please let us know if you have any questions.

There may be no need to pull out of transactions but we should all be trying to reduce social interaction between people in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). People are therefore urged to delay moving to a new home while stay-at-home measures are in place.

We recognise that this will be difficult for people who had hoped to move house in the next few months but urge all of those involved to adapt and be flexible.

Prioritising the health of individuals and the public must be the priority.

People are allowed to leave their homes to move home but only where it is reasonably necessary, which may include where a new moving date cannot be agreed.

This Guidance is directed at moving home involving the buying and selling of property. Similar considerations apply to people moving in other circumstances.

In all circumstances, we recommend that you speak to your solicitor. You should also remember that the process of moving home involves a number of different people and businesses who may also be affected by COVID-19.

 

What does this mean for my property move which is scheduled whilst the stay-at-home measures against coronavirus (COVID-19) apply?

Home buyers should, where possible, delay moving to a new home while stay-at-home measures are in place to fight COVID-19.

In light of the risks to health arising from COVID-19, no one should be contemplating a home move involving not only themselves but any other parties in the process, e.g. sellers still in residence, solicitors, surveyors, removal companies or estate agents and their relevant support staff. A home move involves many others, over and above the purchaser, who should not be asked to place themselves at risk.

Where move dates have already been agreed, we encourage all parties to do all they can to amicably agree alternative dates to move, for a time when it is likely that stay-at-home measures against coronavirus (COVID-19) will no longer be in place.

All parties should work together to agree a delay or another way to resolve this matter.

 

If the parties are unable to reach an agreement to delay, people must follow advice on social distancing to minimise the risk of spreading the virus as a result of the move.

Anyone with symptoms, self-isolating or shielding from the virus, should not move house at the present time. All parties should prioritise agreeing amicable arrangements to change move dates for households with individuals in this group. This includes where someone in the chain of those involved in the proposed move is in this group, particularly where that person is being shielded from the virus.

If you have not yet agreed a date of entry

People who have not yet agreed a date of entry should not agree a date that falls within the period during which stay-at-home measures apply. It should be noted that these measures might be extended. Any agreement made between parties around a future date of entry should make explicit provision for the possibility of deferring that date.

If you have agreed a date of entry

People who have an agreed date of entry should seek to delay that date with agreement from the other people involved in the transaction, taking account of the period of time the restrictions are likely to be in place. Bear in mind that you may have reached a formal legal bargain to buy or sell on a particular date and discuss this with your solicitor. You should also agree the approach to any future potential need to delay as a result of COVID-19.

 

Call us 0141 374 2121 if you have any Q – we are here to help you

The post Useful information from the Scottish Government for people buying or selling private residential homes during #Covid19 (part one) appeared first on Scullion Law.

from Scullion Law https://scullionlaw.com/useful-information-from-the-scottish-government-for-people-buying-or-selling-private-residential-homes-during-covid19/
via IFTTT

Continuing to care for you throughout #Covid19

SCULLION LAW

We continue to care about you and your family during #Covid19.

Our team are here for you during this period of uncertainty and anxiety.

We are hope that you, and your families stay safe during these difficult times.

We understand this outbreak is having a significant bearing upon individuals, as well as society as a whole and we want to keep you informed, to instil confidence that we remain committed to providing you with the very best service possible, despite the challenges that lie ahead.

Our team are continuing to work hard behind the scenes from home to deliver essential legal services and support.

Most of our work is being done electronically via phone, email, video calls and the online signing of documents among other measures.

If you have any questions you can still contact us by phone 0141 374 2121 or by email info@scullionlaw.com.

We are continuing to do our best every day to provide the highest standards of service and care to all of our clients.

These are exceptional times.

 

The business is very much open and active but it not ‘business as usual’.

Some of the new measures and restrictions which have been put in place by the government and other bodies have changed the way we work.

As such, we wanted to keep you as informed as we can by summarising everything we are doing per department below.

If you have any Q please call us on 0141 374 2121.

Thank you in advance for your patience.

 

Property LAW

Due to the recent closure of the Registers of Scotland, all of our conveyancing transactions are on pause until further notice. This is entirely out with our control and we are keeping a regular eye on both the Law Society of Scotland website also on the Registers of Scotland website. We are also regularly updating our Linkedin page, our facebook page and our twitter feed to keep you up to date.

If you have any Q please call the office 0141 374 2121.

 

 

Road Traffic LAW & Criminal LAW 

Due to the #COVID-19 Pandemic, all cases are calling administratively and being adjourned (rescheduled) until August/September 2020.

At the present moment, please note that you should not attend court.

A representative from Scullion LAW shall deal with matters on your behalf, unless you are told otherwise.

Please be aware that we are still working hard from home every day in order to prepare your case and continue to negotiate and resolve matters through active investigation and by liaising with the Procurator Fiscal.  We will continue to proactively manage your case, and where needed we can organise appointments via video link or by phone.

Work does not stop because the office is shut, and we are still here for our clients every day.

Our focus remains on making sure our clients get the best result possible.

If you have any Q about your ongoing case please call 0141 374 2121

Thank you for your patience during this time.

 

 

Family LAW

Our Family team continue to work from home. If you need any advice or assistance you can call them on 0141 374 2121 or email info@scullionlaw.com. We can take initial appointments using Facetime video calls. We appreciate that this will be a particularly difficult time for families and we remain available to you for any help you need during these exceptional times.

 

 

Wills & Future Planning

During this difficult time the Private client team are still operating as normally as possible albeit with alternative working arrangements. We are still available to all our clients at, what is, a very difficult and uncertain time for everyone.  We are keen to ensure our level of service and client care remains unaltered.

If anyone would like to discuss any private client matter such as Wills or Powers of Attorney’s for the elderly please do not hesitate to get in touch with Gordon at gordon@scullionlaw.com or Emma at emmaw@scullionlaw.com. Although we are not currently holding face to face meetings appointments are available via Facetime or telephone in the first instance.

Please note we are also offering FREE Wills to everyone in the community over 55 in aid of Marie Curie. If you would like more information please call 0141 374 2121.

Thank you for trusting in Scullion LAW.

 

The post Continuing to care for you throughout #Covid19 appeared first on Scullion Law.

from Scullion Law https://scullionlaw.com/4836-2/
via IFTTT

Working from home – business unusual

Diana our marketing manager at Scullion LAW has been working from home all week. You may have seen her positive and uplifting messages throughout the #covid19 crisis whilst she tries to get on with business as usual in self isolation with nurseries and schools closing around us, and the threat of a national lockdown from Friday. So, what are her hints and tips to stay as calm, relaxed, positive and focused as possible? Please click on the link below to find out. She is confident ‘this too shall pass’ so just take it day by day, do your best and stay safe.

 

Working from home DOC V2

 

 

The post Working from home – business unusual appeared first on Scullion Law.

from Scullion Law https://scullionlaw.com/working-from-home-business-unusual/
via IFTTT