PLG Introduce: Ben Furlong & Andy Riddle, who are they and what do they do?

Over the years there has been huge growth within the Probate and Court of Protection world, with Private Client solicitors being busier than ever and requiring more assistance from professional and reliable service providers to help get certain ‘non legal’ matters done.

The question is though, who can be trusted and relied upon? How do you ascertain who can be trusted without going through the risk of ‘trial and error’?

Probate and Court of Protection matters are two of the most stressful things a client will need to deal with, so any introduced firm must be several things.

1.      Professional and able to deliver the service they have been instructed to.

2.      Cost effective and able to produce evidence of their charges.

3.      Understanding of the sector they are working within, and able to demonstrate such knowledge.

4.      Have technical expertise and the means to complete the work as quoted.

5.      Be able to communicate and work closely with the legal team.

6.      Are available when needing to be contacted.

7.      Can adapt to the needs of each individual case they are required to assist with.

8.      Are committed to providing the same level of service as you are.

9.      Have a reputation that can be relied upon.

Forward thinking and reliable companies are hard to come by, so here at the PLG we have made it our mission to ensure we work with the best of the best. Our ‘Partner Firms’ are people we work with that have solid reputations and are known for delivering the highest level of service to their customers.

I want to share my network with you, so you benefit from my many years of experience, and hopefully establish relationships with the right people.

This article features two interviews. One with Ben Furlong of Estate Search, and the second with Andy Riddle of Professional Deputies. 

Ben Furlong

Estate Search offer Asset & Liability Searches, (including credit and liability search), Statutory Notices & Will Searches. In addition, Insurance and Property Services are also offered.

With a secure on-line portal, you are given all your service needs in one place for greater efficiency. In fact, Estate Search won ‘Best Use of Technology’ at the 2020 British Wills and Probate Awards, which is great recognition for the forward thinking team.

I asked Ben some questions about some of the services available to his customers, and how he can be of such assistance.

1. What kind of challenges exist when identifying accounts in an estate?

Direct Line survey, 88% of practitioners report growing difficulties in identifying estate accounts because of rise of online banking, switch to paperless billing, sheer range of financial service providers, moving houses and moving jobs more regularly, forgetfulness and secrecy or obfuscation 

2. What kind of issues does this create for practitioners?

Missed Asset = additional cost if discovered after distribution and potentially unhappy beneficiaries if having to pay incur cost of what they perceive should have been sorted

Missed Liability = personal liability. Executors can advertise but note the Trustee Act caveats. Plus nothing stops creditors chasing unhappy beneficiaries who might then ask why it wasn’t found in the first place

See updates to PPH handbook and watch this webinar on updates with Lesley Kin – insert link.

3. How does Estatesearch help legal professionals?

We provide a comprehensive and efficient asset and liability search, which provides peace of mind for executors and beneficiaries. It helps re-patriate accounts and protects against cost or risk of missed assets/liabilities. 

We take a data led approach using data and technology to draw on available information sources such as Credit Reference Agency data and using technology to automate task of searching for estate accounts.

4. Have you developed any interesting case studies?

Yes, checking DoB confirmed accounts and found ￡60k.

In another a removed Deputy was discovered to be hiding pension.

We’ve found accounts ranging from ￡2 to in excess of ￡1million

5. What is your advice or recommendation to people when thinking about how to identify assets in an estate?

Consider and set your policies and procedures. Communicate risk in client care letter and ensure clients know what the options are. We offer suggested client care wording free of charge.

6. How does PLG assist you in your day to day role?

The ability to help deal with particularly complicated property matters, or property matters we are not well versed in. Every time we have come to you you’ve been able to find a solution which is appreciated!

Ben can be emailed at [email protected]

The website is https://www.estatesearch.co.uk/

Andy Riddle

Professional Deputies manage the property and financial affairs of adults who are deemed mentally incapable of doing this themselves, and have no family or friends that could, or want, to assist them with this vital day-to-day task.

The seven overriding beliefs, ideals & values that Professional Deputies consider vital to the way we go about our work are:

i) transparency

ii) accountability

iii) to act in the best interests of our clients

iv) to carry out our duties and responsibilities to the best of our abilities

v) to act professionally at all times in all business conducted

vi) to be willing to find innovative solutions to problems

vii) to be committed to offering value for money

Andy answered some questions I had about the way Professional Deputies work, and how they help not just the general public but solicitors and law firms across the UK

1.Professional Deputies – tell us who you are, and what you do?

I’m Andy Riddle and I’m the Managing Director of Professional Deputies.

Professional Deputies was formed in April 2011 (so yes ten next month!) with the aim of providing an all-round money management system for some of the most vulnerable members of society.

Prior to setting up my firm I spent 11 years working for a large number of local authorities throughout the country as a consultant, setting up and advising on the best way to manage vulnerable client’s financial affairs – specifically clients who fall under deputyship and the Court of Protection.

Professional Deputies manage the property and financial affairs of adults who are deemed mentally incapable of doing this themselves, and have no family or friends that could or want to assist them with this vital day-to-day task. These adults are some of the most vulnerable members of society, and safeguarding their assets is at the heart of what we do. We do this in one of three ways:

1. Appointeeship - offered to a person who just receives state benefits, but lacks the mental capacity to manage their own finances. Appointees are appointed by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP), and are provided with the authority to manage the state benefits of the client.

2. Deputyship - works in the same way as appointeeship but offers the protection of the client’s assets, savings or property. Deputies are appointed by the Court of Protection (CoP). The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is entrusted with supervising the work of deputies appointed by the CoP. Deputies are provided with sealed legal documents allowing them to act for an individual in all aspects of their financial affairs.

3. Lasting Powers of Attorney - allows an individual to appoint someone to make decisions (either about Property & Financial Affairs or Health & Welfare) on their behalf, if and when they are unable to make such decisions for themselves at a future point in time, due to loss of mental capacity.

Drafting applications to the Court of Protection for members of the public also forms a large part of our business. Such applications cover the following areas:

·       Property & Financial Affairs

·       Health & Welfare

·       Change of Trustee

·       Gifting

·       Amended/extended powers

·       Contested applications

2.What type of clients would be usual clients for Professional Deputies, and what sectors do you work with?

Our clients generally come from a range of care groups including: Elderly, Learning Disabilities, Mental Health, Alcohol & Substance Misuse, and Physical & Sensory Disabilities.

We work closely with law practices, Will Writers/Estate Planners, local authorities, charities, not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises, care providers, Primary Care Trusts, the NHS, advocates & the general public.

3.Tell me a bit more about the way you work with law practices, and the benefits for them when it comes to working with you?

We work with various law firms around the country in a number of different ways.

We receive referrals to act for individuals who may have received a Personal Injury Award that needs managing due to the client’s incapacity to manage this themselves. The award may relate to areas like medical negligence, road traffic accidents, civil rights infringements etc.

Law firms that do not have a specific Court of Protection department or who do not specialise in this area of work will refer such work to us as they know we are a ‘safe pair of hands’.

It also may simply not be of a viable commercial nature for these firms to undertake such work if they do not have the resources in place. They would much prefer for us to take on say a Lay Deputyship application (where they have been instructed by a member of the public to apply to the court so that person can manage their loved one’s finances), and get the job done in a timely manner, instead of themselves (who may not have the requisite experience) taking a lot longer to finalise the matter.

Also as we do not practice in other areas of private client law, these firms can be safe in the knowledge that we will not ‘poach’ their clients when it comes to offering associated services.

4.Working with PLG – what do you find personally are the benefits?

For me it is all about the service, enthusiasm and first class service which is backed up with decades of experience within the sector.

As well as looking to gain the best sale price when it comes to our client’s properties, we also look for a seamless transaction without too many hiccups which can obviously lead to further work for all. PLG regularly provide this, whilst also ticking a number of compliance boxes when it comes to managing the sale process.

For us here at Professional Deputies it is all about knowing that our client’s properties are in safe hands.

Andy can be reached at [email protected]

The website is https://www.deputyship.co.uk/

PLG - Working with Professionals

At Property Ladder Group we pride ourselves on the relationships we have with professional service providers in the sector. We understand the importance of forming relationships with the right organisations to ensure the introductions we make, and the individuals we team with are operating to the same, extremely high standards as ourselves.

With this in mind, if you would like to become a member of our network and feel you would like to be introduced to other likeminded professionals that will help build your brands image, reputation and workload, please get in touch with the PLG team, or myself directly.

E: [email protected] T: 0330 124 7434

D: [email protected] M: 07510 529 710