SOVEREIGN PLANNING – TERMS OF BUSINESS

1. DEFINITIONS
1.1 “Company” refers to Sovereign Planning, a trading name of Sovereign Europe SL.

1.2 “Client” means any individual instructing the Company to provide Will Writing or associated Estate Planning Services.

1.3 “Will Writing Services” includes the preparation and provision of Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA), Trusts, Severance of Tenancy documents, and other legal documents associated with Estate Planning.

1.4 The Company may request written confirmation if the Client chooses not to follow the advice given but still wishes to proceed. The Company reserves the right to decline instructions where this may breach professional standards.

1.5 “Documents” refer to all materials produced as part of the Will Writing Services, including but not limited to Wills, LPAs, Trusts, and Severance documents.

1.6 “Estate Plan” refers to the broader process of evaluating and documenting the Client’s estate, including recommendations, document creation, and planning advice.

2. OUR SERVICE
2.1 Upon instruction, the Company will carry out a consultation to establish the Client’s goals. Draft documents will then be produced and sent via email for review.

2.2 Clear explanations will be provided regarding all terminology and implications of the documents.

2.3 Once the Client confirms satisfaction, final documents will be sent with attestation instructions. The Company strongly advises that all documents be signed and witnessed in accordance with English and Welsh law.

2.4 The Company does not verify the execution (signing and witnessing) of documents and can hold no liability for this.

2.5 A fee will apply for issuing replacement documents if the originals have been incorrectly signed or lost.

2.6 Document storage, where offered, does not include responsibility for future updates or legal changes unless otherwise agreed. We strongly recommend a review every three years or upon significant life events.

2.7 If the Client opts not to use our storage service, they are responsible for keeping documents safe, secure, and accessible. The Company accepts no liability for documents not stored with us.

2.8 You have the right to cancel your service within 14 days of the date of instruction or payment. This statutory cooling-off period is provided under UK consumer law. If you cancel before any work has begun, a full refund will be issued.

2.9 By booking an appointment, you agree that we may begin providing services immediately. If you cancel after your consultation or once work has started (e.g. document preparation), only a partial refund may be available. We will deduct a fair proportion of the fee to cover work already carried out, and in some cases no refund will be due.

2.10 If you attend your appointment but decide not to proceed with the Will Writing Service, we reserve the right to retain part of the fee to cover the consultation and any preparatory work undertaken.

2.11 If you miss an appointment or cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice, we may charge up to the full cost of the service. This applies even if you are still within the 14-day cancellation period, as the appointment time cannot be reallocated and work will already have commenced.

3. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES
3.1 The Client must provide honest, full, and accurate information. The Company is not responsible for omissions or errors arising from incomplete or inaccurate information.

3.2 Clients agree to review draft documents carefully and request clarification where needed to ensure they reflect their intentions.

3.3 Clients are responsible for ensuring proper signing and witnessing of documents within 30 days of receipt.

3.4 Clients are responsible for paying all agreed fees on time. Additional fees may apply for amendments or will trust revisions post-signing.

3.5 If document storage fees fall into arrears, the Company reserves the right to cease storage services.

4. LIMITATIONS OF SERVICE
4.1 We are not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and no solicitor–client relationship is created by engaging our services.

4.2 Our services do not include:
– Giving legal advice or assessing whether our service is suitable for your specific needs.
– Verification of your identity or those named in your documents.
– Carrying out testamentary capacity or mental capacity assessments.
– Checking for undue influence, coercion, or pressure in giving instructions.
– Providing tax or inheritance planning advice.
– Supervising the signing or witnessing of documents (unless otherwise agreed).
– Providing ongoing legal updates or future amendments unless explicitly arranged.

4.3 If there is any concern that your mental capacity may be questioned, it is your responsibility to obtain independent medical evidence (for example, a doctor’s letter).

5. DATA PROTECTION & CONFIDENTIALITY
5.1 We adhere to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and will only share your personal data where legally required or with your explicit consent.

5.2 Where we work with trusted third-party providers (e.g., for secure document production), you will be notified in advance.

6. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
6.1 We are committed to providing a high-quality service. If you have a complaint, please contact us at:
– Phone: 0800 810 1095
– Email: support@sovereignplanning.co.uk
6.2 Complaints will be acknowledged within 3 working days and investigated within 28 days. If we are unable to resolve the issue to your satisfaction, we may recommend referring the matter to an independent mediation service or other appropriate body.

7. GOVERNING LAW
7.1 These Terms shall be governed by the laws of England and Wales.
7.2 By engaging our services, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Business.

8. DUTY OF CARE

We are committed to providing a high-quality, transparent, and supportive service throughout the estate planning process. We aim to communicate clearly and avoid legal jargon wherever possible. If at any point you are unsure about any aspect of our service or documents, we encourage you to ask for clarification.

9. LANGUAGE OF SERVICE

All consultations, documents, and communications will be provided in English. It is the responsibility of the Client to ensure they are able to communicate effectively in English with our will writers to avoid any misunderstandings or misinterpretations of instructions.

10. BEST ADVICE AND OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS

As part of our service, we may advise you to consider additional documents or actions to ensure your estate plan is as robust and effective as possible. These recommendations may result in additional fees, which will always be communicated clearly in advance. You are under no obligation to proceed and, where relevant, we may ask you to sign a disclaimer acknowledging you are proceeding against advice.

11. LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY (LPA) AND OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN (OPG)

Where you have chosen to include Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) documents in your Estate Plan, we will prepare the necessary documentation for you. Please note, a separate fee is payable directly to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) for the registration of each LPA.

The OPG registration fee is currently up to £92 per document and is means-tested based on your financial circumstances. Sovereign Planning does not cover this cost and has no control over any decisions made by the OPG.

12. PROFESSIONAL EXECUTOR SERVICES

12.1 Where requested, Sovereign Planning can include Sovereign Executor Services as professional executors in your Will at no additional charge at the time of drafting. This is entirely optional, and you are free to appoint executors of your own choosing.

12.2 If you decide to remove Sovereign Executor Services from your Will after signing, your Will must be redrafted and re-signed. Any changes requested more than 14 days after purchase may be subject to an amendment fee.

12.3 Once your Will has been checked and finalised, we will provide you with executor cards. These contain details your appointed executors can use to contact Sovereign Executor Services at the time of your passing.

12.4 We may need to share relevant personal data with Sovereign Executor Services to facilitate document storage and fulfilment of executor duties.

12.5 Sovereign Executor Services may work with third-party professional probate providers to manage estate administration. If they are appointed following death, a service fee will apply. As of this document’s publication, the fee is 2.1% of the gross estate value, plus disbursements. Fees are subject to change, and a full breakdown of costs will be provided when the estate is assessed.

12.6 If your executors or beneficiaries choose not to proceed with Sovereign Executor Services following death, we may renounce the appointment if legally permissible. The cost for preparing a renunciation document is £210, or £54 if the renunciation is provided directly by your executors. Any payment made to Sovereign Planning does not cover services provided by Sovereign Executor Services after death.