Powers of Attorney

At the current moment, you may be fully in control of your own finances, property and making welfare decisions. However, due to illness, such as a stroke, brain injury or incapacity, many people every year become unable to manage their own finances or make decisions about their welfare.

In such cases, it is possible to appoint someone you know and trust to take control of, or assist you with, your financial or personal welfare decisions.

At Braddon & Snow, we recognise how difficult a decision like this is. Having a Lasting Powers of Attorney in place helps to prevent possible issues in the unforeseeable future, especially in concern to a third party accessing your finances or being disclosed private medical information in concern to yourself.

Our lasting power of attorney lawyers can provide expertise on matters including:

Our team of powers of attorney solicitors are experts in the field and have a broad scope of knowledge, meaning you can be entirely confident in the service we provide. No matter your situation, we have the expertise to lend a helping hand.

Our expertise with powers of attorney

Advice on powers of attorney

Choosing to place your trust and control into another person’s hands in the event you become unable to make decisions concerning yourself is a huge decision and should be carefully thought about before taking any rash actions.

Our solicitors have your best interests at heart and will ensure that you are fully informed about what powers of attorneys are, the types available, and the potential implications it can have, in addition to discussing who would best fit being your attorney. Once you are fully aware and have asked any questions you may be concerned about, you can decide whether a power of attorney is right for you.

Making a power of attorney

If you make the decision that you want someone to act as an attorney in the event that you lose mental capacity, it’s important to seek advice and guidance from a specialist lawyer who has the knowledge and experience needed to assist you.

Our team have worked with a range of clients over the years, all with different circumstances that require extensive consideration prior to committing. Setting solid foundations is important, and our solicitors can make sure your powers of attorney document is best structured, as well as draft the document for you, in addition to ensuring the selected attorneys fill out the required documents.

Advice for powers of attorneys

If you have been appointed as an attorney for an individual, it can feel like a daunting and concerning situation, but you aren’t alone. Our solicitors can provide you with expert advice and guidance so you can accurately and efficiently carry out the role. We have helped a variety of clients acting as solicitors over the years with all types of power of attorney roles, from those straightforward to others more complex.

Helping with deputyship

If a person has lost mental capacity to make important decisions concerning their health or finances but does not have a lasting power of attorney in place, there are ways for loved ones to obtain deputyship so they can act on their behalf, either to be one type of deputy or both types.

Our solicitors can help you apply to the court to become a deputy, including drafting your application and ensuring everything has been done correctly. We can also aid you with carrying out the role, ensuring all responsibilities are carried out accurately.

Speak to our powers of attorney solicitors in Hoddesdon or Broxbourne

For help and advice in respect of powers of attorney, please feel free to contact our friendly solicitors:

Powers of attorney FAQs

What is a general power of attorney (GPA)?

There are certain situations where a lasting power of attorney is not an appropriate option, particularly where it may not be a permanent situation for the attorney to be in place. Instead, a GPA, sometimes known as ordinary powers of attorney, is more of an appropriate option. A GPA can be used where there may be particular tasks which the individual finds challenging, such as going to the bank, paying bills or more.

What types of lasting power of attorney (LPA) are there?

Lasting Powers of Attorney replaced Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) in October 2007. There are two types of Lasting Powers of Attorney, and these are: 

  • Financial affairs lasting power of attorney
  • Health and welfare lasting power of attorney

Financial affairs lasting power of attorney

A financial affairs lasting power of attorney gives your attorney the authority to deal with your finances, including paying your bills and your investments and even assisting in selling your house if required. Such documents are extremely valuable if you ever lose the ability to deal with your own affairs, whether temporarily or permanently.

Health and welfare lasting power of attorney

A lasting power of attorney for health and welfare gives your attorney the authority to make decisions with regard to issues such as life sustaining treatment or a move to a residential care home.

Both types of Lasting Powers of Attorney are serious legal undertakings, and it is recommended that you take legal advice before entering into one to ensure that you understand the significance.

Who can be a lasting power of attorney?

Anyone over the age of 18 is eligible to become an attorney. However, donors often will appoint a trusted member of their family to act as their attorney.

When will an attorney have authority?

An attorney will only have authority to act on behalf of the donor when they have been registered at the Office of the Public Guardian, otherwise, they do not have the authority to act on behalf of the donor.

A financial lasting power of attorney can be used as soon as it has been registered, but a health and welfare lasting power of attorney will only come into effect when the donor is unable to make health decisions due to loss of mental capacity.

Our powers of attorney fees

We understand that legal fees can be a concern to many, and that’s why we are completely transparent with our fees from the outset, so our clients can make a fully informed decision about whether to work with us.

Where matters are quite simple, such as providing legal advice over power of attorneys, we may be able to offer fixed fees. This allows you to know exactly what it is you’re paying from the start.

Some matters require additional work, support, or legal expertise and, for this reason, may require a higher-level solicitor. In such a situation, we may need to charge on an hourly basis. We will provide a cost estimate so you have a good idea of what you will be paying.  

See here for more information in concern to our pricing.

Speak to our powers of attorney solicitors in Hoddesdon & Broxbourne

For a friendly, informal discussion with one of our powers of attorney solicitors about how we can help you with your needs, please get in touch:

For more information about our services, see our Wills & Probate page.

What our clients say

  • "No improvement to service needed. Alison was the epitome of professional calm in going over options and maintaining patience, and indeed advised against a path that certainly would have achieved higher fees for her, but the correct call in retrospect. So I feel her advice was professional and unbiased. She was attentive in keeping me appraised of news, and maintained a polite and stress free approach which kept me calm and optimistic a final result in my favour would occur. Would recommend her, and the firm, to others." Anon
  • “Dealt with Alison primarily for Power of Attorney, very helpful and polite.” Anon
  • “I cannot think of any way that we could have had better service!!!” Anon
  • "Our solicitor has been extremely conscientious at all times, always available to advise and above all has always been very supportive and empathetic to my case. He really did make a stressful situation a lot easier for myself and my family" Mrs T
  • "We used this wonderful firm for a recent home sale and purchase, their service was outstanding. Everything was carried out with the utmost care and attention and all the staff including a senior Partner were so friendly and helpful. Absolutely top notch." Anon
  • "Over the past 8 years Teresa Braddon and her team have created my Will and have done numerous conveyancing transactions for myself and my family.  I have found Teresa and her Team most helpful and efficient. Everything was carried out with care and attention. All the staff including Teresa, a senior Partner, were friendly and helpful. I would recommend Braddon and Snow and their services." Tony Stavrou
  • "I would highly recommend Braddon & Snow to anybody, very professional and efficient service. They treat you like a person rather than just a number. I am mentally disabled and sometimes I do not get respect or understanding shown to me. Braddon & Snow couldn’t of been more kind and they always took the time to explain all the legal terminology to me so I understood. I would especially like to thank Emily Morten and Jane Blackett as they really went above and beyond what they had to. Value for money and excellent staff. Use this company."  Mr M Brooke
  • "Thank you all so very much for all your help and kindest attention over the years.   In every conceivable way you go out of your way, above and beyond any expectations. You are incredible, and all your team are unbelievably pleasant. I hope these few lines go a little way to thank you so very much."  Mr M Ledger
  • "May I say that Laya has been fantastic.  She has been an absolute delight to speak with, always giving clear and positive instructions and pacifying when necessary.  Please be assured we will definitely recommend your company and hopefully be in a position to use your services again and again." L Page
  • "We found dealing with Braddon & Snow very pleasant and relaxed.  We had a few problems dealing with the seller's leaseholder solicitors which needed a lot of patience and Teresa and Laya were very helpful at all times and very easy to communicate with." R & J Keith
  • It’s been an absolute delight and superb to work your Conveyance Team of Jane Blackett and Emily, providing first class services. Dedicated and smart resolutions to most difficult queries. Our sincerest and dearest appreciation for their magnificent services and friendly communication throughout
  • I appreciate the efficiency of your team (Louise, Sara, Elle, Melanie, Alex, Lauren etc) during this crisis. You were always easy to get and had a great phone forwarding system with access to the details on transactions. Everybody was very helpful, responsive and friendly. You can be proud of the company you work for. 
  • I cannot speak highly enough of the service given to me in the sale and purchase of my properties last week by Jane Blackett and Ken Sheppard at the Broxbourne office. They dealt with my matters promptly and with care and commitment. Nothing was too much trouble and they were always there to speak to me when needed. Everything was done with professionalism and courtesy. They ensured that everything was covered and I felt very confident in their dealings with all matters concerned. I recommend them without hesitation to give their clients a smooth and excellent service.
  • The best thing throughout this process was the professionalism shown by the Conveyancing Team at Braddon and Snow Solicitors, our case was handled by Melanie and her very able assistant Roksana.  Although we were frustrated and sometimes very ratty, they kept very calm and dealt with all of our enquiries and problems as they came along, most of all they kept us advised and up to date.  We in all honesty could not have asked for or been supported any better by these two Ladies. Towards the end, we were calling Roksana on a regular daily basis, and were delighted to hear her positive and cheerful friendly voice.  I would highly recommend these Ladies to anyone, unlike the Firm that they were dealing with, who would not even respond to their calls.