A Power of Attorney is a device used to grant a friend, relative or professional the power to deal with your personal affairs. It can be an authority to deal with all of your affairs, or limited to one or two specific areas. Powers of Attorney are useful in many circumstances where you are going to be personally unable to perform a task such as signing documents on the sale of a house etc.

Powers of Attorney are particularly useful in the event that you become mentally or physically incapable of managing your own affairs through illness, old age or hospitalisation. A failure to have an attorney to assist you in these circumstances can result in the non-payment of bills etc and the general mismanagement of your affairs. It can even result in the court stepping in to manage your affairs on your behalf.

With a Lasting Power of Attorney you can bestow upon a spouse, relative or friend the power to deal with your affairs, whatever may befall you in the future, although it is often advisable to grant the power so that it only comes into effect if you should become incapacitated. People often choose to execute a Lasting Power of Attorney at the same time as they are drafting their Wills.

We also advise on the matters concerning the Court of Protection, the Office of the Public Guardian and Deputyship applications.

Please call Peter Russell in our Private Client Department on 0207 703 5034 or e-mail him at pjcr@meaby.co.uk