Beware of the unregulated advisers who may charge you thousands

A BEVERLEY legal expert has retrieved £7,000 for two elderly ladies in East Yorkshire who were sold family trust and will packages by an unregulated adviser.

Senior solicitor Lucy Butterfint, a specialist in elderly private client issues at the region’s leading law firm Wilkin Chapman solicitors, spoke out to warn of unregulated practitioners operating in the area’s market towns.

Later this month Ms Butterfint and her colleague Wilkin Chapman Partner Lesley Archer be joined by Andy Collinson, a senior financial planner at Informed Financial Planning, to host a free ‘Top Tips For Retirement and Beyond’ seminar.

The event, from 3pm until 5pm, at East Riding College’s Seminar Suite, Flemingate, Beverley, on Thursday, November 30, will see Ms Butterfint and Ms Archer outline the range of options available for planning for the future including the importance of making Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and the use of Trusts to protect wealth for family members.

In addition Mr Collinson, will offer vital pension and investment advice for people looking towards retirement.

Miss Butterfint has recently spoken out to warn of unregulated practitioners operating in East Yorkshire’s market towns.

“Within the last two weeks I have retrieved £7,000 for two elderly ladies in East Yorkshire, who had paid the money to an unregulated adviser selling family trust and will packages.

She explained how the ladies had handed the money over, but they became concerned about the Trust package sold to them and contacted Miss Butterfint’s office. As they were still in the ‘cooling off’ period, they were able to cancel the arrangements, but it took four months to get the money back.

“Unregulated advisers and companies will cold call people or hold events, with market towns like Beverley being popular areas for them. They will then advise people to set up trusts and charge between three thousand and five thousand pounds up front for doing so,” she explained.

Once sold, the expensive packages will most likely not protect the client in the way they were told, said Miss Butterfint. She warned that many will lead people to believe it will protect their homes if they need long-term care, when in fact that is not the case.

 “Unfortunately, anyone can call themselves a legal adviser and write a Will or sell a Trust package, claiming they have expertise with no legal qualifications at all.

 “I cannot stress enough the importance of people seeking advice from a regulated solicitor. For many people we are talking about their lifetime’s savings or assets and they need to be properly looked after,” she added. 

Registration to the free seminar is available now online at www.wilkinchapman.co.uk/events

For more information speak to Miss Butterfint on 01482 398391.