A
random act of kindness cannot just change someone else’s life, but your life
too,state Curry Popeck,Harrow
solicitors.
This statement will become clearer from this unbelievable case involving a
pensioner and a builder, who was left £500,000 in the
pensioner’s will, after refusing to take payment from him for cleaning out his
gutters.
Mr.
Butcher, 75, a bachelor and a lonely pensioner from North London changed his will
to disinherit his cousin and two family friends and left his entire estate,
worth £500,000, to a kind builder who refused to take payment from the
pensioner for cleaning out his gutters.
The
previous beneficiaries of Mr. Butcher’s will claimed that Mr. Butcher was unaware
of the contents of his will and did not approve. However, they failed to provide
evidence in support of their claim, which led to the court upholding the will
in favour of the builder, Mr. Sharp.
Mr.
Butcher and Mr. Sharp met in 2009 and remained friends even after the gutter
cleaning job was completed. Mr. Sharp would occasionally visit Mr. Butcher and
would talk to him about sport and other shared interests. Mr. Butcher’s family
however claimed that Mr. Butcher hated sport!
The
Judge found Mr. Sharp to be a truthful and straightforward man and did not find
any of the circumstances surrounding the signing of the will to be suspicious. The
courts eventually sided with Mr. Sharp, as they considered the Will to be made
of Mr. Butcher’s own volition and with full mental capacity.
According
to the experienced solicitors at Curry Popeck,law firm in
Harrow,
"wills can be made leaving your entire assets to the person of your
choice, however it is possible, following your demise, for a person to challenge
your will. Wills can be challenged on many grounds, including lack of mental
capacity when the will was made, and many others under the Inheritance
(Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975.”
It
is therefore very important to have your will made by a solicitor who is a will
expertso they can advise you on the best ways to prepare this to prevent any
challenge. The solicitor you choose may also be able to provide evidence,
if necessary, to show that you did have full mental capacity at the time the will
was being made, that you understood what you were doing and also that you were
not being forced or coerced into making the will.
Your will is one of the most important
documents you make as it decides what will happen to your hard earned money and
assets after your death. So professional advice is essential and can make a
significant difference to any provision made for those close to you.
Contact Curry Popeck, one of the leadingHarrow law firms. They can provide you with extensive knowledge and
expertise across a wide range of areas pertaining to wills and lasting powers
of attorney.
To schedule an appointment, visit-http://www.currypopeck.com/
