What are Boys & Maughan's current arrangements for making a Will or Lasting Power of Attorney?

We are still working and available to you during the Covid-19 pandemic. We have always been flexible in the way we conduct our work to suit your needs and this remains the case. 

Our lawyers frequently take instructions for the preparation of Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) by phone so it simply means we are doing more of this than before. 

The best way to progress your Will or LPAs is to make initial contact by phone or email us and we’ll call you at a mutually convenient time. We can then find out more about you and give you more information about the process and, of course, the cost. 

With modern technology we can conduct the majority of the work by phone and email. There are, necessarily, some limitations with a remote service:

• ID: we are required to confirm your identity. To do this remotely we can use scans or photos of your ID and conduct an online verification. The fee for this is £7.20.
• We will also need to ensure that you meet the legal requirements for capacity to make a will.
• LPAs & Certificate Provision: in some limited circumstances we can still act as your Certificate Provider. For example, where we have met you recently or know you personally. Where this is not possible you can use someone who has known you for more than two years and is not related to anyone named in the LPAs. We will provide guidance for your Certificate Provider to follow. 

Witnessing
With a remote service we cannot supervise the completion of your Will or LPAs or act as a witness. We will send the final documents to you with clear instructions for their completion. When they are returned to us we will then check them to ensure they appear to have been signed correctly. When our offices re-open and you are able to visit us, we will be pleased to offer you the opportunity to make a free appointment to sign your Will again in your lawyer’s presence.

Two witnesses must be physically present at the signing of a Will. We appreciate that the signing of your Will may be urgent, particularly if you are elderly, in poor health or if you are a key worker. We are not encouraging people to leave their houses and respect the need for everyone to stay at home but if you are not able to find your own witnesses due to social distancing we can put you in touch with a drive through contactless Will witnessing service you can use. This is provided by Lindsay Sharp, a Notary Public in Littlebourne, near Canterbury. After discussing this option with us, you will need to make arrangements with Lindsay to witness your Will and pay her directly for the service.

As always, if you have any queries we are more than happy to talk things through with you and find a solution that works – all you have to do is get in touch.