Timms Solicitors Blog

Timms Partner Wins Hands Down

noreply@blogger.com (SamHampton) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 23:32:00 +0000

Timms Partner Jill Hampton won massive accolades in a keenly contested competition for the biggest pumpkin at Chapmans nursery Rosliston this weekend.

The Pumpkin, carefully nurtured over the Summer weighed in at 245 pounds, was more than twice the weight of the nearest competitor, and required three men to get it on the scales to be weighed. Jill was absolutely delighted by the result and donated the £50 gift voucher prize to a local charity, saying she is now hooked on pumpkins and hopes to enter again next year.

Amongst her close friends Jill is well known to be a keen gardener, but she is much better known more for her skills as a probate solicitor working mainly from the Swadlincote office of Timms Solicitors.

You can find out more about her by visiting http://www.timms-law.com/our-people-wills-and-probate.aspx

Aren't We All Entitled to Access to Justice

noreply@blogger.com (SamHampton) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:52:00 +0000

There is so much media attention these days on the “compensation culture” that anyone would think that there wasn’t a person alive left who hadn’t made a claim which was probably exaggerated or made up. I don’t believe that is true. Most people I see tell me they wouldn’t be taking the claim if they didn’t have to do so just to keep their financial heads above water.
I see people everyday who feels they have no choice but to sue. They have been injured, are unable to work for some time and are not getting paid. Even if they do get benefits it is very little and the bills don’t go away. In any event it seems that due to government cuts there are less and less people eligible for benefits even where they have a genuine need.
In addition, there are thousands more who are being encouraged to take a claim through their insurance companies, often when they themselves don’t even want to bring a claim. Very often the insurers have passed it on to solicitors and the whole thing has begun before they have even signed the client care letter to say they want to bring the action.
At least if people have proper access to justice by being able to make their own, unpressured choices and see a local solicitor face to face, then they are making the right decision for themselves. I offer a free appointment to decide if the client has a claim to take and then leave the client to decide what he or she wants to do before taking any action. I think that people need the respect to make their own informed decisions. Shouldn’t people be entitled to put the needs of their family first and not judged for taking appropriate, lawful action?

Why are Solicitors so Scary ?

noreply@blogger.com (SamHampton) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:48:00 +0000

You've probably all received those text messages telling you that you can get £3000 for that "accident" that you've just been in and felt either annoyed with the intrusion or excited at the prospect - lets face it we could all do with the extra money right now - but is it genuine? What about those companies setting up shop in the centre of town? Chatting to you from a stall with no privacy and then being based far out of town so you never get to see them again? And then there is your insurance company forcing you to go to their own legal advisors, who are often based miles away and are hard to get hold of or you never get to see them, and telling you that you can't choose your own solicitor? Do we really trust these people and is it what you want to or even should do?

I suppose the old adage - if it looks too good to be true then it probably is too good to be true probably applies here. All decent Personal Injury solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis and seeing your own local solicitor for a Personal Injury case will not cost you anything at all. But why go to your local solicitor? Well, if you have had an accident and are injured then the best thing you can do is ignore the text message, walk past the stall and tell your insurance company "no thank you". Would you trust your health to a random stranger who had sent you a text? Would you give your money to someone you had never met? Or someone out of the blue who asked for your details while you were out shopping? How do you know they are who they say they are? Replying to those text messages is the same thing and worse you could be handing over your personal details to identity thieves! Your insurance company will also have their own interests at heart and not yours. Insurance companies have lobbied the government about people taking claims yet they are encouraging more claims with their bullying behaviour. The safest thing to do is to see your local, qualified and easily accessible solicitor. Most solicitors firms, like Timms Solicitors, are easy to get to, easy to contact and are staffed by properly qualified and experienced lawyers who specialise in Personal Injury and Clinical (Medical) Negligence work.

But many people seem nervous of going to see a solicitor in their offices. Maybe we seem a bit unapproachable or people still see solicitor’s offices as being austere and unfriendly? In reality you will find that many firms are just like Timms, friendly, bright busy places with approachable staff and happy clients. In fact you will probably find that most locally based solicitors go to your gym, frequent your pubs have children at your schools, are on facebook and Twitter, watch telly and have lives very similar to your own. We will even come to see you at home if you are not comfortable with coming to an office and you can talk about your accident and the pain, suffering and loss of income in a confidential safe environment. What's more we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority and are answerable to the Legal Ombudsman and the Law Society so you know that you will be protected and are talking to people that you can trust.

So call your local Solicitor today and speak to someone who knows what they are talking about and who will get you the right settlement and can do you the best possible job in a friendly and confidential environment. Timms are based in Burton on Trent, Swadlincote, Ashby and Derby but handle cases from a wide area across the midlands and can come and see you where you are, at your home.

Red Alert for Landlords

noreply@blogger.com (SamHampton) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:45:00 +0000

What are the risks of allowing a tenant to occupy your premises with no lease in place or before the lease completes?

The risks are considerable!

If you allow a tenant to occupy your premises before the lease has been fully negotiated

1. you weaken your negotiating position on outstanding issues on the lease; AND
the tenant may never sign the lease; AND
if he/she does pay the rent regularly a protected tenancy may arise; AND
he/she may acquire security, so that it is difficult for you to evict him; AND
it will be difficult for you to sue the tenant for rent and other payments.

You should never let a tenant into occupation unless he is on the hook (legally!).

If a tenant is keen enough on premises, he will do what is necessary to get the lease completed.