Finding A Solicitor

[knockavacca]

i need to make "lasting power of attorney",so any suggestions about how to find a reliable solicitor,ive asked a few friends etc but noone has had to use one recently to offer any suggestions,there must be a bout 20 within 2 miles of me ?????

[Buenchico]

I'm confused. You only need to do some form filling, so why do you need a solicitor?

Start here:
https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney/overview

Read all of the links down the left-hand side, ensuring that you read the notes to the forms. Then simply do it yourself.

[dzug2]

Agree with Chris - it's an easy enough DIY job.

Download the forms, print them off, get all the necessary signatures, and send them off with the fee

[knockavacca]

many thanks for your advice

[atalanta]

There may be Court Offices near you. The staff there can be amazingly helpful in situations like this. They can also witness a signature without making the charge which solicitors will make. Find your local magistrates' court on the net or in the phone book, and ask where the Court Offices are - not always in the same building. They may also have lists of local solicitors.
If you need to have official stamps put on documents, or if you have to have photocopies certified ( copies of Birth certificates, passports, etc) they can do this.

[FredPuli43]

Not sure that you need the magistrates' court! You need the court office of the local County Court, if any. That court deals with all kinds of civil matters, the court staff are familiar with civil procedure and are very helpful. The magistrates' court deals, almost always, with criminal matters, though it does have some ,limited, non-criminal jurisdiction. But the form is easy to fill in, if you follow Buenchico's link.

[woofgang]

not true flip_flop.

[flip_flop]

Well that's settled then.

[woofgang]

I am glad that you agree. :-)

[bednobs]

anyway, to answer the question, although i am a reasonably intelligent person, the whole concept of LPA and the forms was more than a little confusing to me, so i went to a solicitor to get them done. I just rang a few to get a quote and went with the one i wanted

[Barmaid]

Can I just mention that i think going to the County Court is a bad idea. The staff there are not legally trained and are under extreme pressure. They also have no "special status" to witness signatures. Indeed on the LPA form the witnesses can be anyone.

[ladyalex]

This is a really important document, so I would not take the chance of filling in the forms myself. Paying a solicitor would certainly be worth the money for peace of mind for me.
Remember there is also the question of ' welfare attorney' should it be required.

[knockavacca]

thank you all for your help and suggestions,i have taken it all onboard,and will look into it in dept, many thanks