Your Lasting Power of Attorney and low cost glossy services

By making Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) you are taking the opportunity to chose a trusted person to look after your affairs should the time come when you can’t do that yourself.

You can do an LPA yourself but there is a lot to do to get the LPA right and there is a lot to think about in terms of powers to grant your attorneys and restrict and whether to make decisions joint only or for individual attorneys. There are plenty more considerations in most cases.

With all that in mind it is no surprise that many people seek professional help. The internet is awash with offers of online cheap LPA services as well as those from the more traditional sources e.g. solicitors.

Do take care here, as some are definitely cheap but what are you getting for your money? It seems that many offer no more than some basic advice available from any number of sources and a service which comprises of little more than filling in the first part of the LPA form for you.

This can apply equally to face to face services as well as the internet online offers.

That service can be helpful as far as it goes, of course, but there is a great deal to get right and wrong from this point in the process. You are left with a set of instructions by most.

So if you are tempted to use a ‘cheapie service’ do ask and get answers about what exactly is on offer and by whom.

Offering services to make Lasting Powers of Attorney is not a regulated activity and whilst it is often done by qualified lawyers such as solicitors and barristers there are many unqualified or lightly qualified people offering ‘glossy’ services. All show and no bottom?

If you pay for the right service you will be taken through the whole process with a guarantee to put things right at no extra cost if any errors appear in the application.

So if you do sign up for a low cost Lasting Power of Attorney service you may get what you pay for!