Author Archives: hjs

1. Help to Buy ISAS: The End of an Era. As one door closes…

   October 24, 2019 3:01 pm Leave a Comment

   It will not have escaped the attention of first-time buyers that one major government scheme which was introduced to help first time buyers (the Help to Buy ISA scheme), will be no more from 30th November 2019. Help to Buy ISA’s were launched in 2015 to help first time buyers get on the property ladder. They introduced a bonus which is given to you in addition to the amount saved. Please click here for more details.

   If you opened your Help to Buy ISA account before 30th November 2019, you will still be able to keep saving until 30th November 2029, but the bonus must be claimed by 1st December 2030.

   Is it still worth opening an account?

   Clearly the Help to Buy ISA has been a popular scheme and I have seen first-hand how it has helped first time buyers purchase their first home without the need to borrow from a relative or friend.

   From our perspective, as the solicitor who would assist the first-time buyer to draw down the bonus (provided they meet and satisfy all the other scheme eligibility requirements), the scheme is not complex or overly onerous to administer. This is reflected in the statutory charges that can be levied for this element of work.

   Is it the only option?

   It is not within our expertise as solicitor to advise whether the Help to Buy ISA is the right scheme for your individual circumstances. Please seek advice from an independent financial adviser, who can help you consider all your options. For example, the Help-to-Buy ISA will close this year to new applicants and another popular home-buying resource – the Help-to-Buy equity loan scheme – is also potentially ending in the near future. If you are not aware, the Help-to-Buy equity loan scheme is to become more restricted over the next few years, and will stop altogether in March 2023 unless the government extends it.  See here for more details.

   However, the “Lifetime Isa”, which has been available since April 2017, is an alternative option for those who want to save up to buy their first home OR build a retirement savings pot where the government will add a 25% bonus to your savings up to a maximum amount per year. Please see here for more details. You can withdraw money from your LISA if you’re buying your first home provided all the other scheme conditions are met such as the proposed property costs £450,000 or less, you buy the property at least 12 months after you open the Lifetime ISA, you use a conveyancer or solicitor to act for you in the purchase (as the ISA provider will pay the funds directly to them) and you’re buying with a mortgage.

   So clearly there is life after Help to Buy ISA’s if you are able to take advantage of that particular scheme before it ends in November 2019.

   Please contact our Residential Team and ask to speak to Adam or Maria on 01626 772441 or email us. We can provide you with all the necessary legal advice and discuss the mechanics and any added costs of using the Help to BUY ISA, Help to buy Equity loan Scheme or Lifetime ISA in the purchase of your dream first home.

   Written by Adam Clinch-Othman, Partner Solicitor, October 2019

   

2. Charity Dress Down Days – Supporting Local Charities

   October 22, 2019 5:24 pm Leave a Comment

   Scott Richards hold a charity dress down day, which is usually on the last working Friday of each month.  This is sometimes replaced by a different event.  For example, each year in September we hold a coffee and cake morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support and in November we support Children in Need (see separate news items).  We have been holding these charity dress down days since April 2017 – some of the most recent charities we have supported are detailed below.

   RNLI

   For January, February and March 2020, we will be raising funds for the local RNLI. The aim of the RNLI is to save lives at sea.  The Teignmouth Lifeboat the “Two Annes” and the Lifeguards keep our river, beach and coastal area safe. Teignmouth lifeboat volunteers carry out around 40 rescues every year.  You can read more about the work that they do here.

   Homeless in Teignbridge Support (HITS)

   Throughout December 2019, we supported the charity HITS again. Please see the separate HITS 2019 news article. Further details about HITS can be found at: http://hitsfoodbank.org/

   Alzheimer’s Research

   For August and October 2019, our dress down day was in support of the #sharetheorange campaign in aid of Alzheimer’s Research.  You may have seen this campaign on social media, where celebrities are photographed holding an orange, representing the physical brain mass lost in a person suffering from Alzheimer’s.

   On Friday 18th October, we invited our staff to make their dress down donation, and have their photo taken with an orange. We wanted to to help spread awareness that ‘dementia is a physical disease and through research, diseases can be slowed/stopped’.  You can read more here.

   Scotty’s Travels

   This is our very own charity, aimed at raising funds to send a local child in need and their family on holiday.  If you are going away, pop into our office and ask for Scotty to take with you!  For every new holiday destination Scotty reaches, we will make a donation into our Scotty’s Holiday Fund.  Read more and see some pictures of his travels here.  We raised funds for Scotty’s travels during April, June and July.

   Bring your dog to work day

   On Friday 21st June, we supported national Bring Your Dog to Work day (visit their website here for more details).  We dressed down and raised money in support of the local Dogs Trust.  We raised a total of £50.00.

   Three Alpine Peaks in Three Days

   For May, we supported Paul Bettesworth from Bettesworths Estate Agents in his bid to summit Three Alpine Peaks in Three days – one in each of France, Switzerland & Italy, each over twice the height of Ben Nevis.

   Paul did his climb to raise money for Restart Rugby – a charity dedicated to supporting players suffering from serious injury, illness or hardship.  You can link to Paul’s fundraising page here. 

   Alice Cross Centre

   We supported the Alice Cross Centre in Teignmouth for January, February and March 2019 – see the presentation here.  The Alice Cross Centre aims to bring people together to provide friendship, a good lunch and a helping hand.  It has a range of activities and services for everyone to enjoy. We also supported the Alice Cross Centre in December 2018 and 2019 – read the articles here and here.  Further details about the Centre can be found at http://thealicecross.co.uk/ 

   Homeless in Teignbridge Support (HITS)

   We supported the charity HITS throughout the month of December.   HITS are a local charity that works with homeless people and those in crisis and need throughout Teignbridge.  The people that they have helped include those who are homeless, victims of domestic violence, ex-service personnel, the elderly, families in poverty, disabled people, ex-offenders and many others.  Please see the separate article here.

   Further details can be found at: http://hitsfoodbank.org/

   The Sea Cadets

   For July, August and October 2018, we supported The Sea Cadets.  Sea Cadets is different from school. There’s a lot of learning. But it’s done through activities – on the water, on land and in the unit – and their volunteers leading by example.   Further details can be found at https://www.sea-cadets.org/about

   Helen Foundation

   During April, May and June 2018, we supported The Helen Foundation.  By providing prizes in schools, subsidised arts-based workshops and bursaries, The Helen Foundation  encourages and supports young people to develop their talents and pursue their ambitions.   Further details can be found at http://thehelenfoundation.org.uk/

   Torbay Holiday Helpers Network

   We were delighted to be able to present Brian Lewis (pictured centre) of Torbay Holiday Helpers Network with a cheque for £185.00 from donations raised in the previous quarter of dress down days.  THHN gives families with serious illness and bereavement memory making holidays.  Further details can be found at https://www.thhn.co.uk/

3. Happy 20th Building Anniversary!

   October 8, 2019 3:03 pm Leave a Comment

   It’s been 20 years since Scott Richards took up residence in our beautiful listed building in Regent Street, Teignmouth!

   Pictured in the “blast from the past” is Senior Partner, Paul Dyson and Partner, Pennie Lennon on opening day in 1999, after a busy 3 days of moving offices from Wellington Street just across the road.

   

   Pictured outside the building today are just some of our wonderful Scott Richards team of 2019.

   Before we moved in, the building had previously been used as a bank, a printing press and a steam laundry. If anyone has any old photographs, or memories from the building before we moved in, we’d love you to share them with us via Facebook or Twitter or via email to law@scottrichards.co.uk

   We’d like to thank all of our clients, staff, families and suppliers both past and present for helping us to achieve this memorable milestone. Here’s to the next 20 years!

   

4. Trail Sponsorship

   August 9, 2019 4:47 pm Leave a Comment

   TRAIL 2019

   Scott Richards sponsored the Community Prize for the Outdoor Sculpture TRAIL in this, the 15th year for TRAILART.

   The TRAIL runs along Teignmouth sea wall for the duration of the summer season. TRAIL is an artist-led voluntary organisation which focuses on raising awareness of environmental issues through recycled art. There is no charge to the artists for exhibiting here.

   Alongside the TRAIL, there are regular workshops, they make sculptures for environmental campaigns and organisations and work with local schools and community groups.

   It is now too late to vote, but take a look at the brilliant entries for this year here.  You can read more about the artists and community groups who created the exhibits this year.  There are also pictures of past winners.

5. Dawlish Celebrates Carnival 2019

   3:14 pm Leave a Comment

   

   Dawlish Celebrates Carnival took place from the 10th to the 16th of August 2019.  Scott Richards again supported this annual event, as a Silver Sponsor. 

   There was a huge range of different events for the whole family throughout the week-long Carnival.  Despite the weather, all the events were well attended and were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who came along.  The website giving much more detail can be found here, but the pictures below give just a flavour of the fun!

   

6. Rowcroft Hospice Make A Will Week 2019

   July 22, 2019 5:22 pm Leave a Comment

   Scott Richards supported the Rowcroft Hospice Make A Will week (MAWW).  This year, it ran from 13th – 17th May.  We raised an amazing £2,100.00 for the charity.  Pictured below, Rowcroft meet the team at Scott Richards – pictured left to right, Chloe Fairbrother of Rowcroft with Joanne Osborne, Becky Sharp, Charlotte Phillips, Claire Robins and Sean Mercer of Scott Richards.

   

   Throughout Make A Will Week, we waive our usual fee for making a Will in return for a donation to the Hospice.  In 2018, Rowcroft Hospice raised an amazing £38,465, helping patients to receive vital care while enabling those making or updating their Wills to secure their own and their family’s futures.  You can read more about MAWW and the work that the Hospice do here.

   

7. 2019 Charity Summer Party – Thank You!

   4:53 pm Leave a Comment

   Scott Richards, winners of the Devon & Somerset Law Society Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2018 held a second annual Charity Summer Party at The Humber Barn on Friday 7th June 2019.  The event was in support of our chosen charitable trusts, the local Louisa Cary Children’s Ward at Torbay Hospital and our own Scotty’s Travels.

   The Louisa Cary Ward is a dedicated children’s ward for children of all ages undergoing inpatient medical care. Money raised for the ward enables the staff to go above and beyond, ensuring that both the children and their families are comfortable and well looked after during their stay. Hospital stays can be a really distressing time for all involved, and the funding raised goes towards providing added extras to reduce this distress.

   Scotty’s Travel is a charitable trust set up by the Partners of Scott Richards Solicitors. The trust aims to send a local child who is going through a hard time and their family on holiday for some quality time together and some well-deserved respite. Our mascot, Scotty, travels all over the world, raising awareness and each tagged photo of Scotty in a new destination earns the trust a further donation.

   A wonderful night of food and live music from Soul Connection and the well-known local band, Mafia 4 was enjoyed by everyone.  The weather unfortunately meant that the whole event ended up indoors – but this didn’t seem to spoil the fun!

   The final figure to be shared between The Louisa Cary Ward and Scotty’s Travels is £3,420.00.

   

   

   Thank you to everyone who bought tickets, made a bid at the auction or bought raffle tickets.  A massive thank you to all those who donated a huge range of really generous prizes for the raffle or otherwise helped to make this event a success.  They are listed below.

   • Torbay Sands Hotel
   • Alive Gym
   • The Lemon Tree
   • Teignmouth Golf Club
   • Shaldon Wildlife Trust
   • Exeter Racecourse
   • Guardhouse Café, Brixham
   • Teignmouth Pavilions
   • River Dart Country Park
   • Saddles & Paddles
   • Woodlands Family Theme Park
   • Plymouth Aquarium
   • Below Decks
   • Forever Beautiful Hair Salon
   • Lazy Jacks
   • NaughTEA But Nice
   • Rustic Kitchen
   •  Ashcombe Activities
   • World of Country Life
   • Ocean Hair & Beauty
   • El-Nashar Dental Care
   • Oystercatchers Café
   • Boho Reloved
   • Chicy Racheal
   • Scallywags
   • Fork Handles
   • Finley Browns
   • Charlotte Taylor Photography – pictures underneath all courtesy of Charlotte Taylor Photography
   • Passage House
   • Plectrumb    

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

8. Are you part of a blended family? Protecting your loved ones

   July 3, 2019 3:08 pm Leave a Comment

   Are you part of a blended family? Protecting your loved ones

   You may have seen in the news recently the battle between two stepsisters which is currently being heard in The High Court in relation to each of their respective parents, John and Ann Scarle.

   John and Ann were found dead at their property in October 2016. Their cause of death and the length of time taken to discover their bodies has meant it is impossible to determine which of the couple died first. In instances such as these, the law presumes that the oldest person died first which in this case would be John. However, John’s daughter is arguing that it is likely Ann would have in fact been the first to die, given her pre-existing health conditions. The Judge has reserved his ruling on the matter for a later date.

   The order of death is an important determination as, because the property was held in the joint names of John and Ann, the half share of the first to die will automatically pass to the other joint owner, regardless of the terms of their Will. On the death of the second spouse, their assets (now of course comprising of the first spouse’s share in the property) will pass as per the terms of their Will. Therefore, if John had died first and Ann second, John’s half share in the property would have passed to Ann and it is likely she would have left her whole estate to her children without making any provision for John’s children, and vice versa. This has meant that, either way, one stepsister has not been adequately provided for in the way presumably their parent would have wanted.

   The full news article can be found here.

   If you are part of a “blended family” and you or your spouse or partner have children from previous relationships, you may wish to consider putting in place “life-interest trust Wills” and altering the way in which your property is held to ensure that your intended beneficiaries ultimately inherit after your death, regardless of how well you all get along at present.

   If you die before your spouse and have prepared a “life-interest trust Will” you can allow your spouse to continue living in the matrimonial home during their lifetime whilst also ring-fencing your half share in the property so that ultimately it passes to your children. On the death of your spouse your children will receive your share, regardless of the contents of your spouse’s Will.  Had John and Ann each put in place this type of Will, their children would have each benefited from their respective parent’s half share in the property, regardless of who had died first, which would have avoided the need for the matter to become litigious.

   If you think that the above situation may apply to you and your family, ensuring that your Will properly protects the interests of your loved ones will, hopefully, remove the need for matters to become contentious on your death, in turn relieving stress and upset for your family at an already difficult time.

   If you would like to discuss the above, or any other aspect of estate planning, please do not hesitate to contact our Private Client team.

9. Louisa Cary Presentation

   July 2, 2019 4:48 pm Leave a Comment

   Another huge thank you to everyone who was involved in our Scott Richards’ Summer Charity BBQ where we raised money for both Louisa Cary Fund Raising and Scotty’s Travels.

   

   Paralegal Charlotte, who took a leading role in organising the event, was delighted to present Jane Edwards, Ward Clerk Supervisor at Louisa Cary, with a cheque for £1,710.00

10. Alice Cross Centre Donation

    June 19, 2019 4:49 pm Leave a Comment

    Laura Arnold was delighted to present a cheque to the town’s Alice Cross Centre.  Laura presented the centre with £103 raised from the firm’s Dress-Down Fridays during 2019.
     
    The centre’s Business Administrator, Alison Fenton said, “We really like the concept and fun of Dress-Down Friday and using it to raise money for the local community is inspiring. Thank you for your ongoing support.”

    

    Pictured left to right: Laura Arnold  (Receptionist, Scott Richards), Julia Street (Centre Manager, Alice Cross) and Alison Fenton (Business Admin for Alice Cross).

    Further details about the Centre can be found here.