Hughes Solicitors office closure on 19 July 2021 – a thank you to our team
Our office in Heathfield, East Sussex is going to be closed on Monday 19 July 2021, or as some people are calling it, ‘Freedom Day’. “In anticipation of the Covid-19 restrictions lifting, we wanted to give our staff a reward for their tireless efforts and hard work...
Big weddings on again – but don’t forget your will …
From today, 21 June, big wedding ceremonies and receptions are back on in England, with no restriction on the number of guests who can be invited as long as it is held outside or in a Covid-secure public venue, and all social distancing rules are complied with. This...
Vacancy for legal secretary to join our private client team in Heathfield, East Sussex
We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic Legal Secretary to provide a personal assistant role and full comprehensive support service to at least two lawyers in the private client team.
Rod Hughes becomes Consultant Solicitor, retiring as Partner
It is with mixed feelings that we announce that Rod Hughes will be retiring as a partner on 1 May 2021, though Rod will remain as a part-time consultant assisting with property related matters for clients of the firm. He will be working three days each week, usually...
Rod Hughes reflects on his legal career
Taking a step back from partnership as he becomes a consultant, Rod Hughes reflects on his legal career, achievements over the last ten years with Hughes Solicitors, what the firm means to him and he shares (more than) a few plans for his retirement. Founding Hughes...
Video: Reasons for making a will when you have children
If you have children or dependants, making a will is not just about gifting wealth and personal possessions. You can use your will to outline any important decisions for your children’s future, such as making financial arrangements and deciding who will be their...
Video: Three good reasons for making a will
Making a will is one of those tasks which often gets put to one side. However, the coronavirus has shone a spotlight on our mortality and if anything should happen to you, we are sure you would want to make it as easy as possible for your family to deal with your...
East Sussex home-buyers to benefit from SDLT extension in budget
Commenting on the extension to the Stamp Duty Land Tax holiday, Matthew Sabine of Hughes Solicitors, welcomed the move by Rishi Sunak in the Spring Statement: ‘The extension will be welcomed by buyers and sellers struggling to complete house purchases by 31 March...
Inheritance tax threshold frozen and tax planning in spotlight
While the newspapers were predicting changes to inheritance tax, Rishi Sunak restricted himself to simply freezing the current threshold at which inheritance tax is payable until 2026. The Spring Statement also included proposals for tackling ’promoters of tax...
What information do I need to prepare before making a will?
If you are planning on making or updating a will, there is certain information which you will need to have ready for your solicitor. This will ensure that your wishes for funeral arrangements, property and finances after death are fully set out. It will also set your...
What will happen to all my online music collection when I die?
Our grandparents stored their photographs on slides and their music was on vinyl records and, while the latter have made something of a comeback recently, it is the earliest editions which are valuable. For example, a rare copy of The Beatles: 'Til There Was You' (10”...
East Sussex private client lawyers’ recommendations for 2021 resolutions
It is that time again when we make our New Year’s Resolutions for the year ahead. Perhaps you intend to learn a new skill or take more exercise. But what about looking beyond the next 12 months… have you made plans to look after your finances, your family and your...
Inheritance planning – Making lifetime gifts
Christmas is a time for giving, and maybe also a time for planning your inheritance as we look ahead to a new year. If you wish to limit the amount of inheritance tax which will be owed to HM Treasury when you die, then there are various steps which you can take which...
Acting for someone under a financial power of attorney
If you have been asked by someone to act for them under a power of attorney, and have accepted, then you have been placed in a position of great trust and responsibility. You must act with honesty, integrity and in good faith. You must keep the donor’s affairs...
Conveyancing solicitor vacancy in East Sussex
We are looking for an enthusiastic residential property lawyer to join the conveyancing team. The role is full time and we will consider candidates that are qualified as a solicitor, legal executive or licenced conveyancer. This position is well suited to an...
Professionalism and quality: Hughes Solicitors is CQS accredited
Hughes Solicitors is extremely proud to have achieved the required standards of practice to be accredited by the Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme. The Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) is a recognised quality standard for residential conveyancing in law...
Updates to our working arrangements from 5 November 2020
Office arrangements From 23 September 2020 our office reception in Heathfield is closed. We would like to reassure our clients that the practice remains fully operational, however we are reducing face-to-face contact and will be liaising with clients via video...
Lexcel quality assurance accreditation passed with flying colours
East Sussex law firm Hughes Solicitors is celebrating after passing the Lexcel quality assurance accreditation with flying colours. Lexcel is a specialist quality assurance accreditation for law firms and it is only awarded to those who can satisfy the requirements of...
Putting your affairs in order
‘Putting your affairs in order provides an opportunity to think about how you wish to be treated and cared for, the legacy you will leave and how you might like your life to be celebrated,’ says private client partner Cerrig Parr. Here are seven key things we...
Three tips for selling your house
Matthew Sabine, head of residential conveyancing at Hughes Solicitors in Heathfield shares his three top tips for selling your house: Collect all the paperwork about your property together to ensure that no important documents are missing, for example, permissions or...