Our ethos
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We firmly believe that the legal services we provide and our advice should be delivered in person. We always meet our clients face to face and take the time to understand their needs and wishes.
The legal documents we draft can be very different from those our clients thought they needed when they called us to make an appointment.
Zoom, WhatsApp, Skype and FaceTime options mean that we don't have to be in the same room to be face-to-face.
We’ll follow up with emails and telephone calls.
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Unlike traditional firms, we do not charge an hourly rate for the work we do routinely - Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, client meetings, supervising signing, communicating with clients, drafting documents, progress checking and chasing.
Unlike many legal firms, we don’t break down our consultants’ working hours into 6 or more segments of chargeable time and add those to your invoice either.
We never make an additional charge for an email, letter or phone call.
We never ask for an advance payment; our engagement letter explains when your invoice will be payable.
Our fees are fixed, include all taxes and are easy to understand.
Non-standard work
On rare occasions, when a client requires us to carry out extra activities or tasks, or we have to liaise with a client’s family members, their accountant or financial adviser, we will provide an estimate for this work. Our principal’s chargeable hourly rate of £100 applies to non-standard work.
If your financial adviser, accountant, or other professional introduces you as a new client, we may pay them a fee or commission for their introduction. This will never affect what you pay for our services. All Carisma Wills clients pay the same fee for the same work.
Are we the cheapest locally?
No, probably not.
Are we affordable, cost-effective and realistically priced?
Yes, definitely.
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Once we have all the information we need, we will give you a firm quote for the work we will do for you.
Our prices are fixed and published in advance, so there are no nasty surprises.
We ask you to settle your invoice once you have signed your Will or Lasting Power of Attorney (within 28 days of engaging us) and you are delighted with the work we have done for you.
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At our first meeting, we ask you what you want to happen when you are no longer around to take care of your finances, property and loved ones.
We listen carefully to your priorities and wishes and advise you about any steps to consider in planning your estate.
Once we have everything we need, we will create your personal documents and send you a draft copy in your preferred format. To keep your personal details safe, we email a secure link to view your documents online or send a draft by post.
All our consultants are members of the Institute of Professional Willwriters.
Our Principal has a law degree (LLB Hons), a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL/CPE), 15 years of relevant legal experience, is also a STEP affiliate, and has been a full member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters since 2007.
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Once you’ve decided to take action, we’ll help you put everything in place quickly and efficiently.
14 days - that’s our standard turnaround time for Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney.
We have an urgent document drafting service for Wills if you need your documents quickly because of ill health or a holiday. We charge +50% on our standard fees for urgent work.
In an emergency, we can prepare a Will on the same day (subject to a satisfactory testamentary capacity assessment).
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Our team provides a home visit service in Stoke on Trent, Leek, Cheadle, Uttoxeter and the surrounding towns of north Staffordshire.
Home visits* are provided free of charge.
Video call appointments are also free of charge.
We’re happy to meet you wherever you’ll be most comfortable.
*within 20 miles from ST10 1JE using Google maps.
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We’re happy to meet new clients across England and Wales via video conferencing. We can meet you using Zoom, FaceTime, Skype or WhatsApp.
If it’s uneconomic for us to travel to meet you at home, and you don’t want to use video calling, we’ll be happy to recommend another Institute of Professional Willwriters’ member who works in your area.
Your peace of mind is our priority
From the first moment you contact us, we aspire to delight you with our friendly, first-class customer service and our expertise in estate planning.
You’ll find the service at Carisma Wills is always professional, caring and centred on you and we’re delighted when a client leaves us another 5* review on Google.
Click the button below to read what our clients say about us.
Trusted Partners
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Secure, insured, waterproof and fireproof storage
The original legal document, Will or Power of Attorney, is the only legally binding version. The original Will is your only Will and must be kept safely.
Never keep an original Will at home. If you have a fire, flood or burglary, you risk losing your Will. If your Will is damaged in any way, even by a paperclip, then it may be declared invalid.
Carisma Wills can arrange to store your legal documents with National Will Safe - a complete document archive solution that solves all of the problems of protecting important legal documents, for a low annual fee.
Never store your original Will in a safety deposit box - a grant of probate is required to open the box and to obtain a grant your executors need the original Will.
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We work closely with two specialist probate practitioners to provide our clients with an affordable probate and estate administration service.
If the estate you’re dealing with is fairly simple, you may only want a little help to obtain the grant of probate.
However, if things are more complicated and you want to get things sorted as quickly as possible, a full estate administration service may be a better choice for you.
We’ll refer you to trusted probate experts who offer a comprehensive estate administration service that’s designed to take away all of the stress and hassle from you and your family. An experienced probate practitioner will do all of the challenging work on your behalf, keeping you updated throughout the process. You’ll know how everything is progressing.
Some elements of estate administration are reserved activities. Only regulated lawyers can carry out this work. The firms we recommend have the appropriate skills and qualifications within their teams. We carry out our own due diligence but this is not a substitute for your own checks. You should satisfy yourself that any firm you decide to work with meets your needs. Ask for credentials and check the terms of business before you engage. We don’t have any control over referral partners and so cannot accept any liability for their work.
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The Certainty National Will Register is a database recording the location of over 10 million Wills.
The Certainty National Will Register is chosen, endorsed and used by legal professionals, law firms, insurers, government agencies, charities, public sector organisations and the public to register Wills and search for Wills.
Certainty is the longest-established and by far the largest register in the UK. As well as storing your Will safely, registering your Will is an essential part of the Will making process.
If you choose to store your Will with National Will Safe, its location will be automatically logged on the Certainty National Will Register.
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The death of a loved one is often devastating, turning your world upside down. It can sometimes be difficult to open up to those around you about how you are feeling, especially if they are dealing with the loss too.
Laura at Creative Souls Counselling offers compassionate support on your grief journey. We know that you will be listened to without judgment and given a safe, confidential space to share whatever you may be feeling. Laura is an experienced counsellor and registered with the BACP.
Weekly sessions are available for adults remotely or in person.
Remote counselling takes place using video calling or a telephone appointment, while in-person sessions are often ‘walk and talk’ therapy in a quiet, natural setting such as a park. If the idea of traditional talking therapy does not appeal to you, Laura offers creative counselling using art, images and objects to access and express emotions.
Find out more about Laura and how she can help in the link below.
A selection of our reviews (you’ll find more on Google)
Office hours
Home visits and video appointments
Monday – Friday
8 am – 8 pm
Saturday
10 am – 1 pm
Helpline
01538 756166
Later and earlier appointments are available by arrangement. As you might expect, Saturday appointments are often fully booked for several weeks in advance.
We’ll always do our best to find a time that suits you.
Daisybank House is our registered business address and post hub. Our estate planning consultants and admin support team work remotely to keep costs low and our fees affordable. We will visit you in the comfort of your own home.
All of our team are DBS-checked and have relevant training and extensive experience working with vulnerable and elderly clients.
If you prefer a more formal office-based meeting, please let us know. We have meeting room options at 3 business centres in Stoke on Trent and Uttoxeter.