Tag: gowing law solicitors

Public Accident Injuries and Mental Health: We understand

Posted on October 7, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Accidents in Public, Blog, Uncategorised

Public accident injuries can happen at any time and any place. This is what makes them so devastating. Usually, when people make a claim it’s because they have suffered from physical injuries. These are known as “general damages”. However, they don’t tend to think much about any other type of repercussions, including “special damages”. Did you know that 3 out of 4 people end up having mental issues because of their accident? It’s not surprising considering the type of trauma that they have experienced.

Not many people consider the mental impact that public accidents can have on a person. But Gowing Law certainly does. We want you to understand that we know the after-effects of a public accident. Whether you have suffered an injury from a work accident or perhaps a car accident on the road, we want to be able to help you through the hardest parts of your injury claim. Part of this assistance is ensuring that you look after your mental health during the recovery process. That’s why we would recommend not only checking your claim on our new form, but also downloading our helpful whitepaper below.

Why would I suffer from mental health problems after a public accident?

When we think about public accident injuries, we tend to think about life-changing wounds that could have a severe impact on someone’s daily routine. For instance, if someone has suffered from an accident on a construction site, they may have lost mobility in part of their body after using faulty equipment, or if they are doing repetitive tasks in their office then they may have repetitive strain injuries in their fingers, hands or wrists. Some injuries may appear minor but can still cause the victim to experience trauma that may make them feel anxious, nervous or paranoid about carrying on with their daily activities.

This is the true psychological effect of an accident on your mental health. Whilst the injury may be small, you certainly do not want to go through it again. That’s why you start putting up emotional barriers that can prevent you from going through the same experience again. Take a look at our case study below to get an idea of how this could happen:

What are the symptoms of mental health trauma?

When the National Accident Helpline conducted a survey of around 1,000 of their clients, they found that at least 7 out of 10 people who had experienced an accident through no fault of their own had experienced some symptoms of mental health trauma. The most common types of symptoms (reported by around 34-35% of those surveyed) were anxiety and stress. However, other trauma symptoms may include:

Depression
OCD
PTSD
Trichotillomania
Self-harm
Anger
Problems with relationships
Panic attacks
Phobias

Experiencing trauma after any type of public accident injuries can leave you feeling like the world is not quite right. It can shake up how you view the world and also the dynamic of your household. It can also put you at odds with the people you love. After all, they don’t want to see you hurt, but you may feel as if they cannot understand everything that you have been through. Therefore, you may struggle with fits of rage or sadness. Either way, it is going to shake your mental health and may mean that you need some help to get yourself back on your feet.

The impact of mental health and public accident injuries

If you are suffering from public accident injuries from your accident, you cannot underestimate the effect that your mental health will have on your recovery. Most people make this mistake with public accident injuries and assume that they will be completely fine once they have been prescribed the appropriate treatment for their physical injuries. But mental health can have a bigger impact than most people would like to admit.

The best way of thinking about your mental health accident is that it is just like a broken bone that needs time to repair. It’s not going to be an instant fix. Instead, it may need proper treatment to address the issue. The same way that a broken bone may need a cast, you may require medication, counselling or specific therapies in order to slowly address your issues.

Have a look below to see some of the issues you may experience if you are recovering from a physical injury after a public accident.

These are only a few of the problems that could come about due to a public accident injury. That’s why you need to be prepared for how you are going to recover both mentally and physically. Look at it as a long trek not a quick walk. It’s going to take time and effort to eventually get to a stable point on the pathway, but overall it will be worth it.

Mental health and the workplace

Unless you are working remotely, you may find that your job adds to your stress. If you have recently been hurt in the workplace, don’t forget to check out our work accident interview series. This should give you some information on what you should claim for the case.

It’s important to realize that if you have suffered from a serious injury, and are also suffering from emotional damages, this could inhibit you from doing your normal job. In fact, you may start to struggle doing simple tasks due to your heightened emotions and the fear that the accident may happen again. If you have been sent home to recover, and are currently not getting SSP, you could claim for the wages you have lost, as well as any loss of opportunity.

Will I need evidence for my mental health claim?

Whilst you do need to relax in order to help with your recovery, if you want to make a mental health claim for your public accident injuries, you will be required to provide evidence. There are many different types of damages that you can claim for, including:

Physical damages
Emotional damages
Equipment damages
Loss of Opportunity
Financial damages
Medical fees

You cannot make a claim for emotional damages (aka. for your mental health claim) without there being evidence of a physical injury. So make sure that you have photos, videos, CCTV evidence, witness statements and receipts of treatment. If you want to combine this with emotional damages, you may also want to use witness statements and diary entries to prove that you are struggling on a day-to-day basis. You can also use medication receipts and reports to prove that you have been to a doctor about the issues. This will prove that they exist and you are suffering with them. It can also show that you have been forced to pay for treatment for them out of your own pocket.

How can Gowing Law Solicitors help with your recovery?

Mindfulness is extremely important when it comes to your recovery. That’s why we have created a whitepaper on how to look after yourself if you get hurt due to an accident that was out of your control. This can be a good starting point when it comes to understanding how you can relax and unwind so that the stress of the incident does not affect you as hard.

However, we can also help with the claim itself. It can be a bit of a hassle trying to recover whilst having an ongoing case for compensation. Not only can they get extremely complicated, especially if the other party refuses to accept a settlement agreement, but you may find that they have paperwork that requires a large amount of legal experience to fully understand. You shouldn’t be forced to endure this. That’s why having the help of a legal specialist will put you on the right track.

Not only that but Gowing Law can offer you the names of psychological and trauma specialists in your area that can help you get the help that you need. We can try and contact them for you on your behalf and let them know what sort of problems you are facing. That way you can get the help that you need when you need it most. Gowing Law Solicitors will be here to support you throughout your legal journey.

Will my mental health affect my claims case?

Now, normally for any sort of claims case you would find that there is a deadline that has been set for a settlement to be agreed in three years. However this can be changed depending on how bad your mental health is. For instance, if your accident has left you with severe mental health issues, you may find that the amount of time you have to sort the case out is extended. To get this extension, you will want the assistance of an experienced solicitor. That way they can write in to the courts and help you understand exactly how much time you get for your claim.

It’s important to remember that your mental health trauma is completely valid. If you are in need of help then you have the right to take it. We can make sure to help you get the best amount of time possible to ensure that the case is undertaken with the appropriate amount of time.

What should I do if the other party refuses to work with me on a settlement agreement

Not all cases are cut and dry. In fact, some public accident injuries may be so severe that your life is changed forever. Most of the time, the other party involved will be willing to work with you on a settlement agreement. However, in other cases you may find that they don’t. If this happens to you, you can work with your solicitor on collecting evidence and your medical records. If they still do not agree to work with you, you and your solicitor can take them to court. This is where a judge can decide on the amount you are owed. So, don’t worry, it will end up being sorted!

This is why it is always important to have a legal specialist on your side. They can help you fill out any tricky paper work help you avoid potential mistakes and make sure that your claim is handled with ease. Even if the other party refuses to work with you, they will make sure to handle all of the difficulties of the case on your behalf.

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors today for help with Public Accident Injuries!

Ready to get the help you need to claim a high amount of compensation? You didn’t deserve to get hurt. That’s why Gowing Law Solicitors will be here to make sure that you get the compensation that you deserve. We can offer you free advice and consultations to get started. If you are happy with our solicitors and their advice, you can work with them on a “no win, no fee” basis. That means there will be no hidden fees and you will always come out on top.

If you are already a customer of Gowing Law, why not get involved in our loyalty scheme? That way you can have the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes. Click here to learn more about our loyalty scheme.

Contact Gowing Law today by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by using our contact page. One of our team members will then be in contact in order to help you with your claim.

Learn more about compensation claims for public accident injuries

Don’t worry! Gowing Law will always be here to help you with your claim. That’s why we keep our blog updated with the latest information about different types of compensation and UK legal policies. If you cannot find the blog you are looking for, why not let us know? We would be more than happy to write about your own suggestions! Send in your ideas to info@gowinglaw.co.uk. Our helpful content team would then be more than happy to write up a blog to help you understand the claim in more detail. We can also sign you up to our newsletter. Just let us know.

We look forward to seeing you in our next blog. Good luck with your claim!

Loss of earnings: Will my solicitor ask about them?

Posted on October 1, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Accidents in Public, Blog, Uncategorised

Your loss of earnings could indicate that you have suffered damages if you have recently been involved in an accident that was not your fault. Normally, when you think about the different types of accidents there are, the first type your mind will go to are the physical damages that could come with the injury. However, there are many more types of damages that could range from general losses to special losses. This is why when your solicitor asks you about your loss of earnings, you should not get defensive or feel concerned about it. In fact, they are simply trying to add up the amount of losses you have already experienced.

Gowing Law Solicitors are here to support you through any type of public accident claim or financial-mis-selling claim. Click the link below to check your claim and learn more information from our trained solicitors in Manchester.

What exactly is a “loss of earnings” claim?

One of the biggest problems that can happen after an injury, whether it be due to an accident at work or a traffic accident, are financial losses. These are commonly known as “special damages.” Not only could your life be completely changed due to a severe injury, but you could potentially be unable to support yourself as medical fees, recovery fees and equipment payment could leave your wallet feeling more than a little empty. This is why if you have potentially lost money, you need to let your solicitor know as quickly as possible. They can help you calculate your total losses and ensure that your get a fair pay-out. If this is from your employer then it will be from their employer liability insurance, however if you are involved in a traffic accident then this could be from the other party’s vehicle insurance.

How would a solicitor be able figure out my special damages from my payslip?

If you have suffered from a loss of earnings and opportunity potential, the payslips will actually act as evidence to show that you are being accurate with your statements. One of the biggest slip-ups that people can do when it comes to their injury claim is over-estimating their losses. This means that they can come out as inaccurate and potentially lower the amount of compensation if it comes to light they were miscalculated. That’s why it is best to always have a solicitor help you with the amount of compensation that you are owed.

You should provide your solicitor with payslips from over the last three months. These payslips should be from before the accident took place. That way an accurate representation of your wages can be gained. These slips will count as your evidence and will prove your losses based on their post-tax figures. They will demonstrate what you could have been entitled to if you did not have the accident in the first place.

What else could a pay-slip prove?

In the legal world, there are two types of damages that you can claim for. These are known as “general damages” for your pain and suffering and “special damages” for your financial losses. If you have suffered from life-changing injuries then this could mean that you are spending more time at a hospital than you are at work. This means that there is a chance that the amount of pay that you receive may fluctuate over time, especially if you are not able to continue with your work duties remotely.

Your pay-slip can not only account for these fluctuations, but it could also account for any sort of loss of opportunity as well. Think of it this way. You were promised a pay raise and a promotion for your hard work for your company. You received the pay raise first before you were going to be moved up to your new title. However, before this happened, you managed to get badly hurt in a work accident.

Now, you expected your company to follow standard protocol and provide you with compensation from their insurance for the accident. However, as you took time off work in order to recover, you found out that the amount of money you received for your monthly wage was lessened. There were also no more talks about getting a promotion, instead, you found out that someone else received the title and wage to go with it. This is known as a loss of opportunity.

Be honest and open with your solicitor. That way they can quickly calculate how much you could be owed in your claim.

Should I expect sick pay to help me with my loss of earnings?

Yes! At the very minimum then you should expect to get sick pick in order to help you with your recovery. If you have got hurt somewhere, it is very likely that you are going to need to take time off work in order to aid with your recovery. For instance, if you have recently been involved in a construction accident and have hurt your hands, you aren’t going to be able to handle heavy equipment. That means that it is very unlikely you are going to be going to work until you have healed up.

In order to pay for your sick-pay, you may find that your employer actually deducts it from your net earnings. If this has already been agreed in your contract then you will not be able to claim for the losses. However, if it was not then you can work out your loss of earnings through figuring out your daily rate. You can then multiply it by the amount of days that you were absent from work.

Loss of future earnings

Let’s assume that you have suffered from a life-changing accident. That means that it’s more likely that you are not going to return to work for quite a long time. This means that eventually your employer is going to have to consider your future earnings. You will also need to consider how this is going to affect your claim.

Your loss of earnings will depend on your medical records and assessment. A doctor can make a statement about what they think your recovery will be like, what medical rehabilitation services you will need and how long it will take. If your timeline states that it will take a few months or years to recover, then this can be used to work out the amount of income you’ve lost. It will also consider the ideas of promotion and wage increase depending on your own history at your latest workplace.

Important things to think about with a loss of earnings claim

Before we move on to how a solicitor can help you with this type of claim, there are some important points that you should think about before you try to find legal representation. The first thing that you should think about is that you need to figure out if and how your accident happened due to someone else’s negligence. So, if you were in a traffic accident and were injured by a hit and run from an uninsured driver, then clearly you were not at fault because the other driver did not take safe measures to ensure your safety. They even left the scene of the crime and did not help you.

Think carefully about the type of claims case that you have. You need to prove that you were not at fault for the accident. That’s why it’s essential for you to submit your evidence. You can prove that you had no choice but to stay off work.

How can a solicitor help you with your loss of earnings?

Honestly, no matter what type of accident claim you have, it is important that you have some form of legal representation. This is because they can help you through the claims proceedings. Legal claims can get extremely complicated especially if you are struggling to come to a settlement agreement with your employer. That’s why it’s useful having someone with the right experience. They can help you understand when it comes to your loss of earnings.

A good solicitor will leave no stone unturned when it comes to your earnings. They will look into every sick day, holiday, overtime and loss of opportunity that could have affected the type of pay-out you received. Remember, you need time to recover and having a legal case on your mind will not aid with that. Instead, they will work on your behalf to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. That way you can simply relax and feel as if your case is in safe hands. They can even represent you in court if you feel nervous about any sort of hearing. Keep in mind that it could even be a remote hearing due to the current Covid-19 pandemic.

How much compensation am I owed due to my loss of earnings claim?

Now, when we get this type of question, usually the answer is “how long is a piece of string?” Each compensation claim is entirely different. In some cases, the losses combined with physical injuries may only be minor. That means only a small amount of compensation can be claimed to help with the recovery. However, for life-changing injuries and financial losses, you will be able to claim much more.

The best way to determine the amount you could be owed through a pay-out is to speak with your solicitor. They can take note of all of your evidence, your injuries and your medical records. That way your case can be displayed in the best possible light. It is important that can get you a good amount of compensation for your losses.

Contact Gowing Law for help

Here at Gowing Law Solicitors, we want to make sure that you get the help you need with your claim. We have experience in a wide range of different types of claim cases. Whether you have suffered from a simple PPI tax mistake or perhaps a more serious medical negligence accident, our specialist solicitors can provide you with free advice and consultations. If you want to move forward with your claim, we can offer you our services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means you will always come out on top. There will also be no hidden fees!

Contact our law firm today by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or through our live chat on our contact page. One of our staff will then be in contact to help you with your questions.

Do you want to learn more about claims?

We are proud that we have kept our blog updated with the latest information about compensation claims and legal matters. If you want to learn more then you should keep an eye on our posts to see what’s new. We even accept suggestions from our readers. Feel free to send your ideas in to info@gowinglaw.co.uk. We would be more than happy to answer your questions. That way you can feel prepared for your claim even before you get started with our solicitors.

We wish you the best of luck with your claim. See you in our next blog update.

Health & Safety in Retail: Avoiding Accidents

Posted on June 16, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Accidents in Public, Blog, Covid-19, Employment, Work Place Accidents

Health and safety in retail is a big issue right now. As of June 15th 2020, the UK government has now allowed for non-essential stores to re-open. Non-essential stores, including clothing and book shops, have been closed for over three months. This was to help lower the rate of infection of Covid-19. However, you may be feeling a little nervous about going out and about so soon. The corona virus is still a major health & safety risk with a lot of businesses having either moved online or to remote work to remain open. That’s why at this moment you may be thinking that it is just safer to shop online.

Boris Johnson has stated that we should ”shop with confidence”, but do you know precisely what you would do if you had an accident in a public place? If you work in retail, you may have no choice but to return to your store. That’s why, whether you are a customer or a consumer, it is essential that you know precisely what rules and regulations are in place to keep you safe. That way you can avoid accidents.

Read on to learn more about how you can protect yourself and the others around you from accidents in a retail store, and what you should do if you do suffer from an accident.

What is happening in the UK?

As you can see from the BBC’s latest update video, the UK has undergone a number of changes in the last 24 hours. Whilst this may not immediately get things back to the way they were, it can help workers in the retail industry have their livelihoods restored to them. Although essential stores have remained open, like food stores, pharmacies and banks, most non-essential stores have been shut since March.

Now, what’s important to take from this is that not only will stricter shopping measures be in place, but you will have a choice about whether or not you should return to your work environment. If you have proven that you can do your job from home without any problems, then it will be quite hard for an employer to outright say that you should go back to the office. However, if you can only do your work by being in a certain building, you will have to go in to do your work. Should you tell your employer that you are not going in because of fears of Covid-19, you will not be entitled to sick pay.

According to David D’Souza, from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, he has listened to the complaints of people being forced to go back to work by their employer and believes that it is:

”Of huge concerns in terms of people’s physical and mental well being…Any return to work should only be done if these criteria are met: It’s necessary, it’s safe and it’s mutually agreed.”

It is up to you to decide how you feel about returning to work. If you are worried about catching Covid-19, you will need to discuss this with your employer. That way you can get an outcome that would suit your situation.

Safety in a retail: Covid-19 Edition

For both employees and consumers, new safety measures have been put in place in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19. So, if you are going out today, it’s important that you adhere to the following rules:

These rules have been put in place in order to help the public get used to shopping outside again. However, there is controversy about this move. The World Health Organization has warned against further lock down easing in England. According to Hans Kluge, the WHO’s European director, the UK is still in a “very active phase of the pandemic”. This means that there is still a chance that Covid-19 could be spread around through public contact.

If you do choose to go out to shop, make sure you do it with caution. There have been hundreds of people queuing already to visit large retailers like Primark, therefore take social distancing regulations seriously and try not to approach people within 2 m. You may also want to wear face-protection and have your own personal supply of hand gel.

Public Accidents in a Retail Store: Health and Safety

Despite all of the health and safety regulations that have been put into place, there is still a chance that both consumers and workers could be involved in an accident in the store. Yes, employers need to make sure that social distancing measures are put in place, but with all of this focus on Covid-19 safety regulations, it is more likely that smaller problems may be overlooked. There is still potential for one of the following accidents to take place in a store or retailer:

Slips and falls from unmarked puddles.
Trips over hazards/objects on the floor.
Poorly built shelves falling over.
Mannequins and display items falling down.
Bad Lighting.
Bad carpeting.
Violent customers

All of these accidents can help due to employer negligence. Each business has a duty of care towards their customers and employees to keep them safe. Therefore, to have an unsafe work environment, and to not keep it clean and tidy, is to breach that duty. You deserve to feel safe when you are shopping, therefore if you have had an accident in a public place, you could claim compensation for the fall. This is due to the fact that the retailer themselves has been negligent.

Who was to blame for the accident?

All retailers have to keep their employees and customers safe when they are on their premises. This is normally through risk assessments. This includes keeping the place clean and tidy and ensuring any spills or hazards are fixed before customers can fall victim to them. Employees must also ensure that all staff are trained to carry out their work safely. If these duties are not fulfilled then they could be liable for a compensation claim, especially if they do not enforce social distancing regulations.

Customers: What to do if you have suffered an accident in a public space?

It can be nerve-wracking building up the courage to go back out in public to go shopping. That’s why you don’t deserve to be hurt when you finally enter a store. If you do unfortunately get injured, you need to report it to a member of staff. This injury can then be written down in the store’s accident book. You should be given a copy of the injury statement.

If you do not have to go to hospital due to your injury, remember that you will need to collect as much evidence as possible. This could include:

Photographs
Videos
CCTV Evidence
Witness Statement
Diary Entry (made on the same day)
Police reports
Medical Statements

If you want to make a personal injury claim, you will need to make it within three years of the accident occurring. Make sure to seek help from a solicitor as these types of injury claims can get extremely complicated if you are looking for compensation on your own. A solicitor can explain how much compensation you could be owed, what pitfalls you need to avoid and how long it may take to get an outcome from your claim. Be patient with your solicitor and make sure to keep in contact with them about your claim.

Employees: Health & Safety in retail stores

Customers are not the only people who get injured in a store. As an employee, your employer owes you a duty of care, especially in regards to health & safety in retail environments. That means you should have received official training to help you cope with the latest social distancing laws and safety in general in the work space.

So, you have a responsibility towards customers to keep them safe. But you may be wondering, what should you do if you get hurt? An accident at work could put your livelihood at risk, as you may not be able to keep working and claim your wage. You can experience the same accidents as a normal customer, worse still you may be more at risk of Covid-19 if your store has not put in health and safety regulations to ensure the safety of their employees.

In order to keep safe in the work environment, remember to:

Your employee must be trying to implement social regulating laws, perhaps even communicating through walkie-talkies or phones instead or face-to-face contact. If there is no evidence of a risk assessment, you could be owed compensation for your work-place accident.

How much could I earn from an accident at work compensation claim?

Now, this depends on the type of accident you have had and how severe it is. If your retailer employer has not carried out sufficient health assessments or thought of the risks of returning employees to work, you could be owed thousands if you recently had a work accident, aka. a breach of health and safety in retail.

To use an example, perhaps you work in a clothes shop. They implemented a one-way system to help customers get around the store. However, you did not think of aggressive and messy customers. So you slipped on the clothing and fell over. If you broke your leg this may mean a higher pay out than if you pulled a muscle.

Talk to your trained solicitor about your injuries and how much you could be owed. The amount you receive will depend on your losses and injuries. Therefore, they will be able to give you a good estimate.

How to handle a breach of health & safety or a work accident?

The same way a customer must alert staff to an injury in a store, you must alert your employer or manager about your injury. They will record your injury the accident book. Make sure to ask for a copy! You must also find evidence of your accident that can prove that it was your employer that was liable for your accident. This could be through their lack of a risk assessment, a dangerous environment or perhaps a lack of training. Either way, keep calm and simply follow procedure to ensure that you can collect your evidence and alert your employer to your accident.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your work accident claim!

The transition from complete lockdown to social-distanced work can be quite scary. You want to support your family, however what happens if bring something home nastier than intended. If you have been injured at work, or health & safety guidelines have been breached, Gowing Law Solicitors can help you get the compensation that you deserve.

We can work with you remotely and can offer you free advice or consultations to talk about your accidents. Our trained work accident specialists can then get to work on your case. If you are happy working with us, we work on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means that even if we do not get a positive outcome, you will still come out on top. Let our trained specialists help you get the best amount of compensation to allow you to recover from your injuries.

Contact us now by calling 0800 041 8350 or emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk. You can also directly message us through our contact page.

Want to learn more?

Do you want to know more about Covid-19 and UK legislation? Our blog is has the latest legal stories and information. That way you will always know what to do if you are faced with a legal battle. That includes information about work safety and your worker’s rights.

If you have a blog topic that you want us to discuss, let us know by contacting info@gowinglaw.co.uk. We would be happy to write about it!

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Are you the Victim of a Mis-Sold Pension?

Posted on May 12, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, Pension Claims, Uncategorised

No one deserves to be the victim of a mis-sold pension. As we get older, we deserve to enjoy our golden years with a secure pension to support our livelihoods. After all, you have worked hard to earn this period of relaxation. However, if you have opted out of your job’s pension scheme, you may have been unintentionally mis-sold a pension by an unscrupulous firm or financial advisor. Whether you want to move pensions or are considering a specific SIPP, it’s important that you are aware of all of the s that come with investing pensions into money schemes.

Here at Gowing Law Solicitors, we understand that many people investing in more high-risk schemes are simply looking for a stronger pension fund altogether. So, if you have already become the victim of bad financial advice, we can help you make sure that you receive the compensation that you deserve. Today, we are going to learn what sort of high-risk pension schemes are out there that could make you lose money!

The Three Types of Pension Schemes

Before you consider whether or not you have been the victim of a mis-sold pension, it’s important to know what sort of pension you already have. There are three options available to you:

For both your defined benefit pension and defined contribution pension, you will usually get around 25% of your nest egg tax free. However, keep in mind that any private pension arranged by yourself may go up and down depending on what sort of investments were put into it. The value of how your pension pot will perform will then depend on how well your investments perform.

Automatic Pension Enrollment

One of the main questions that you need to ask yourself before you retire is ”How much money will I have to live on?” For most people, the answer is going to be that it will be significantly less than what you may have been earning whilst you were employed. If you don’t want to be living on the bare minimum, then you will need to consider whether or not it’s worth it to invest in a state pension all together. Now, Martin Lewis, in an interview on This Morning gives some useful tips on improving the state of your pension. But is this really enough?

If you are thinking about leaving your “auto-enrolled” pension, you may have been looking into a privatized financial scheme. This would help you take the money that you have saved, invest it in a validated scheme and then reap the reward.

Pension Investment Schemes

There are quite a few schemes that you can invest in.

SIPPs (Self- Invested Personal Pensions)

A SIPP is an investment scheme where you can use pension funds to create a higher return. Whilst you can get advice from your financial advisor on these plans, remember that they are more suited to experienced investors. This is because the bigger risks tend to have more returns. Try to avoid investing all of your pension into one SIPP, that way it is less likely you will be too badly impacted by a mis-sold SIPP.

GSIPPS (Group Self-Invested Personal Pensions)

GSIPPs are offered by employers to build up a larger retirement fund. They focus on a group of people under a specific scheme. Each person under the scheme has an individual SIPP contract between you, the other members, and the pension provider. Your employer can contribute to your GSIPP, but they may also need your contribution as well.

SSASs (Small Self-Administered Pension Schemes)

This scheme is a workplace pension that is established by key members of staff and company directors. They can offer this scheme to any employee who wants it. The best part of these schemes is that you can choose precisely how your money is invested. You can even decide to invest in the company you’re employed by. Just make sure you know all of the risks of the investment before you confirm your interest.

Private Sector Investments

A private sector investment can be high-risk, as you will need to look into the potential investments yourself and consider their risks. The private sector includes a wide range of industries that can be sponsored and return your investment at a higher price. This should increase your standard of living.

Defined Benefit Transfers

You may decide to transfer your salary-defined pension in exchange for cash. This is what is known as a defined benefit transfer, aka. A final salary transfer. You must then invest this money into a defined contribution scheme, aka. A personal pension or a SIPP.

The three that you are most likely to invest in are SIPPS, SSAS and Defined Benefit Transfers. This is because the majority of them do come with less risk. You can find out the best schemes for you and your pension through a reliable financial advisor. But be warned, it is also useful for you to do your own research on the schemes that you have been recommend.

The Signs of a Mis-Sold Pension

When you are deciding on which pension scheme is right for you, it is essential that you get solid advice from a financial advisor that can steer you in the right direction. However, not all pensions are the perfect fit for everyone. Sometimes your advisor can tell you to invest in the wrong type of pension. This is where there is potential for you to make a mis-sold pension claim.

If you have been mis-sold a pension, you need to consider:

Was it sold to you due to bad financial advice?

If you did not understand the full risk of your pension investment, and therefore lost your funds due to it, this could mean that you are due some form of compensation. This is because you were not made fully aware of what sort of financial scheme you were getting yourself into. Instead, you lost out due to the negligence of someone else. This means you deserve to be compensated for your losses.

There are other ways that you could have been mis-sold a pension. Check out some of our examples below!

What really brings these types of claims together is the fact that you did not have any knowledge of them. You were promised a certain type of pension scheme and, instead, received something completely different. You are the victim of negligence, and your investment was used for selfish reasons. This may have put you in a notably worse financial position than when you first started. If you were really unlucky, you may have lost your entire pension fund altogether! That’s why, experienced mis-sold pension lawyers, like Gowing Law Solicitors in Manchester, are here to help you claim any compensation that is owed to you.

Don’t forget about mis-sold SIPP schemes!

As you can see from our infographic, there are quite a few pension schemes that have the potential to be mis-sold to you. Mis-Sold SIPP schemes work in a similar way, meaning that you will have to keep an eye out on the invested company and any advisors who recommend you the scheme in the first place.

Here at Gowing Law Solicitors, we want to make sure that you know exactly which bad SIPP schemes are out there. That way you can know precisely whether or not you have a compensation claim with them. This is why we have started creating a list of mis-sold SIPP schemes. This includes:

The Dolphin Trust / The German Property Group
Berkeley Burke
Harlequin Properties
Liberty SIPP
Fast Pensions
TailorMade Independent
One Stop Financial Services
Guinness Man & Trust
Point York SIPP

Make sure to check out our Mis-Sold Pensions page for more information on SIPPs!

Gowing Law & Successful SIPP Claims

If you are considering working with a Gowing Law pension solicitor, we want you to know that you have an experienced claims lawyer on your side. Our team of mis-sold pension specialists have already won legal battles against problematic SIPP providers and financial advisors. This includes:

Berkeley Burke
Harlequin Properties
The Dolphin Trust/ The German Property Group

It can feel intimidating going up against a large financial investment company on your own. But you don’t have to! With the help of a specialist mis-sold pension lawyer, we can help you get the compensation that you deserve and much more. No one deserves to have their retirement fund taken away from them due to false promises. That is why our expert pension claim advisors are here to assist you with your case.

What do I do now?

No matter how big or small your claim is, it is worth pursuing. You deserve compensation. After all, you invested your hard-earned money and expected something in return. If you have experienced a financial loss due to your pension investment, it’s time for you to get help. You can work on your compensation on your own, or perhaps visit the UK Government’s website for help, but having a solicitor on your side can simplify the process and increase your chances of a win.

The first thing you need to consider is the amount of information you have on your pension. No matter what you have been mis-sold, the more information you have on it the better!

The documents you have need to:

Prove you were unaware of the risks of the investment
Show that you were promised more than you received
List the main clauses of the agreement and what was expected from the financial advisor
The details of any parties that are involved
Any signed documents or letters of communication

If you want more advice on what you need, make sure to contact the FCA or the Financial Ombudsman to see what legal powers you have. You can also make the company aware that you plan to launch a complaint against them. From there, contact Gowing Law Solicitors to help prepare your case. Our trained lawyers can help make things simple for you and get all of your information ready for any legal battles that may ensue.

How long will it take to make a case?

Most people try to leave their mis-sold pension case in order to see how things change in the future. However, we would recommend that you get in contact with Gowing Law as quickly as possible. You deserve compensation and we can get it to you in a timely manner.

Remember, how long it takes to get compensation depends on how big your case is. Some mis-sold pension claims are simpler than others. Therefore some may just take a few weeks, whilst others make take a few months. Please make sure to be patient with you pension claim solicitor. They will give you the best information possible and how you can move forward

How much could I claim?

Again, this depends on how much you have put into your pension investment. Each claim will depend on an individual’s circumstances. That’s why some claims are worth thousands of pounds. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) can provide you 100% protection on a pension mis-selling claim for up to £50,000. Work with your solicitor to see how much you could be owed!

What do you want to read about next?

We want to make sure that you are up-to-date with the latest law blogs. That’s why we are always uploading new topics to our blog page. This includes topics on immigration visas, the basics of PPI tax claims and even information on Covid-19 & Wills!

If you’re interested in learning more about one of our specific services, please get in contact with Gowing Law Solicitors today through our email: info@gowinglaw.co.uk. We want to write about everything that you want to know.

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors today to learn more about mis-sold pension schemes

Mis-sold pensions are never fun to deal with on your own. That’s why Gowing Law Solicitor’s trained pension mis-selling specialists are ready to offer their help. We offer free consultation advice and work on a “no win- no fee” basis. That means you will not have to pay if we do not win your case. Any fees will be discussed with you upfront to ensure you understand what to expect when you work with us.

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors now by calling 08000418350 or emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk. You can also use our direct chat on our contact page to message our staff about your enquiry.

From everyone here at Gowing Law, we wish you the best of luck with your mis-sold pensions claim and look forward to working with you soon.

Writing a Will in the Corona Virus Pandemic

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, Covid-19, Uncategorised, Wills

You should not try will writing on your own. There comes a time when we need to think about our last will and testament. No one likes thinking about death. But eventually our age is going to start catching up with us and it’s extremely important to start thinking of the future.

The Corona Virus has made a lot of people start to think about their mortality and how they can protect their families. That’s why there has been a jump in will inquiries by 75%. A will can grant you peace of mind during this troubling time. After all, there is only so much you can do to protect yourself. If the worst comes to the worst, a will can ensure that you can help your family and friends even after you have passed. That’s why it’s crucial that you are able to contact an experienced solicitor to help you through the process.

Your Vulnerability to Covid-19

As you can see from the video, there is a higher chance that you may die from Covid-19 if you are older or have an underlying health condition. That is why the government has imposed a lock down of at least 12 weeks for these vulnerable categories of people. During this time, it is essential that you stay indoors, although you can open a window if you need fresh air. You must not visit anyone and impose social distancing from others who are not currently living with you. The people you live with may also need to discuss their work options so that they do not bring anything home that could be transferred to you.

This whole process is known as “shielding” and has probably given you enough time to yourself to think about the future and what are you going to do if the worst comes to the worst. According to deVere group’s CEO, Nigel Green, he has claimed that the current will enquiries from vulnerable people are due to “minds being more focused” on a post-death financial plan. More specifically, Green claimed:

”The corona virus pandemic has had an unprecedented, collective focusing-of-minds effect. Like too many aspects of financial planning, including retirement planning, drawing up a will is not something that most people rush to do. It remains ‘on the back burner’ until something, such as an illness or a change of circumstances, focuses minds.”

People have more time on their hands to think about their own personal lives thanks to social distancing. Without the distraction of work, socialisation and private matters, it is natural to think about the prospect of the future and how your family will be able to cope if the worst comes to the worst.

Why is it so important to have a valid will?

This is a time of uncertainty. You cannot possibly leave anything to chance, including your own health. You may be following all of the lock down rules perfectly, but there is still a chance that you could potentially catch Covid-19. That’s why it is important to consider what you want to leave behind if your children or family are struggling due to an unfair dismissal case once the pandemic has ended.

However, there are additional reasons why you need to consider creating a will in this pandemic:

As you can see, there are a number of emotional and logical reasons why creating a will can help both you and your family. Documenting your financial assets can help your family and friends organise themselves based on what your wishes were. During the grieving process, this can ease the burden on them, especially if they are your executor.

So, now that you have motivation to start creating your will, you may be considering how you can even begin whilst you are still under lockdown. Well, the answer is a lot simpler than you think.

The Basics of Will Creation: Corona Virus Edition

If you are interested in creating a will, it’s important that you understand what information you need to place in it. Yes, you may have assets, but you need to know precisely what you want to pass on to your friends, relatives and loved ones. Working with a Gowing Law Solicitor can help simplify the process, however until you make a consultation, we have made things easier with an infographic. Please see below for more information:

Remember, Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with this will creation process. If you bring us all the information that you want to put into your will, it can be constructed in an extremely organised manner. We understand that the Corona Virus has caused some difficulties in the will writing process. That’s why not all of these will writing legalities will be able to be adhered to in the future. If you are concerned about this, make sure to contact our lawyers for their advice. It is completely free.

The Call for a Laxing of the Law

Amongst this rise in will writing, some problems have occurred. As we are currently all self-isolating and are social distancing from each other, this has made it extremely hard to find witnesses to validate the will. Although there has been talk about video-calling being a way of getting around it, it has been agreed that a physical presence is still required in order to make sure that the will writer has not been forced and is of sound mind. That’s why the following options may need to be considered in order to get around it:

All of these ways will suitably ensure that you are kept away from people, whilst ensuring that you comply with will validation rules. With two witnesses saying that they signed and saw you sign your contract, that means that it is legally binding and will ensure your peace of mind.

If you want more advice on how to validate your will during the pandemic, please speak to our will specialists for their opinion. Although you cannot sign a contract with an electronic signature, the influx of will requests may soon change this.

The Use of a Trained Will Solicitor

Yes, you can create a will on your own, and can seek government advice to get started, but have you ever considered what will happen if you make a mistake in your will? This could destroy the validity of your writing altogether. It will not hold up and instead will force the UK court system to try and divide your assets up equally to your family. If that is not what you wanted then this could spell disaster for you!

Specialist will writers, like Gowing Law’s team of experienced will solicitors in Manchester, will ensure that no mistakes are made before, during and after the will writing process is complete. Here are a few examples of some benefits that may convince you further:

The Perks of having a Will Solicitor

You can avoid common mistakes that may invalidate your will.
Your solicitor will understand the formal requirements of making a legal will.
Your lawyer will take into account all of your money, property and assets available before making the will.
A solicitor will understand how to make quick changes to the will should your beneficiary die before the will-maker.
A lawyer will know how to simplify a complicated will and ensure that your wishes are carried out efficiently.
A specialist will be able to advice you and your executor how to hand out the assets of your will, even if there are assets or a business that are overseas.
You will have full control over the will, but your lawyer will be able to draft it in a way that is logical, understandable and valid. You can suggest any additional changes that you need.

Remember, you can hire multiple people to help you with your will. For instance, you can seek the advice of a solicitor, but if you are part of a trade union, they may offer a free will writing service. However, make sure that if you use their services, make sure that it belongs to The Institute of Professional Will writers. That way you can ensure that the will created will be completely valid.

How much does it cost to create a will?

Now, this depends on the solicitor that you decide to use and the complexity of your will. However, if you tend to use Gowing Law Solicitors, here are the following prices:

How long does it take for writing wills?

Again, this depends on how complicated your will is and how many assets you have. Gowing Law’s trained will solicitors aim to get you a draft of your will as quickly as possible after your initial consultation. Whether it takes a few weeks or a few months depends on your redrafts and how many financial obligations you have. Make sure to contact Gowing Law Solicitors to discuss your own situation and your will.

Ready to learn more about the law from our blog?

As we are all currently in lock down, Gowing Law Solicitors wants to entertain and inform our clients with large law blogs about a range of topics. This includes the basics of PPI tax, miscalculated mortgage claims and even UK immigration during Brexit. Feel free to look at our blog page if you want to know more. We are confident you will like what you find. Happy reading!

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors for help!

Here at Gowing Law, we will prioritize your will to ensure that it is quickly validated. We understand that as we are all working remotely, this may make things quite difficult. However, we will work around your schedule and maintain social distancing. This way we can keep on track without any danger to you or your family. We will work with you to ensure that writing your will has your own personal touch. Our specialist will solicitors in Manchester are extremely sensitive and will treat your case with care. Make sure to provide them with as much information as possible. That way we can construct your will in a way that counts.

You can also contact Gowing Law Solicitors through our contact number (0800 041 8350) or through our email (info@gowinglaw.co.uk.). We would be happy to discuss any additional queries you may have about our will-writing series.

Keep safe, secure and stay at home!

Covid-19: Legal Advice for all Employees

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, Covid-19, Employment, Uncategorised

No one can deny that Covid-19 has changed the face of employment and the world of work forever. So many people have become the unfortunate victims of unfair dismissal due to the fact that their business has been locked down, or they have been unable to leave the house. That’s why it’s extremely important that you understand your rights. Whether you are still employed, have been furloughed, or have lost your job, it’s time for you to understand how you can take your fate into your own hands and figure out how to protect yourself and your family from any financial threats.

Overview: Covid-19 & Employment

As lock down hit the UK, it brought with it a feeling of uncertainty. Not everyone had been able to predict that they would lose their jobs, but as a result it had a knock-on effect that left them without an opportunity to go out and look for more work without putting their families at risk. The situation is in flux. What occurred last week may become obsolete by the time the next week occurs. That is how fast the situation is changing.

Now, smaller businesses and have been offered a life line called the bounce back loan. Within the first minute, Barclays received around 200 applications and Lloyds gained 5,000 applications within 3 hours. These loans go up to around £50,000, so hopefully this will protect employees that are currently on furlough and those that are working from home. Make sure to check out the government’s website for more information.

With the lock down still going strong, the basic gist of the situation is that the world of work is going to be changed forever. As an employee, you will need to get used to a new work environment, as well as figure out how you will undertake tasks whilst respecting the new social distancing regulations.

What has happened to your job?

No matter what type of career you have chosen for yourself, you will have to accept that you will have to make some changes to your daily life. Unfortunately, according to Citizens Advice, there are no policies in place yet to protect you from being dismissed by your employer. If they have been shut down then that is it. You cannot keep your job. Here are some examples of what you could be experiencing:

If you are an essential worker then you may find that you are made a priority when it comes to the work force. Your job may become busier or new health policies may be put in place. This includes social distancing, hand washing and face mask policies. Remote workers will still be paid their wage but will be have a VPN or method of communication to ensure that work will continue to be done. This will be suitable for office workers and, potentially, teaching staff.

However, things may be a bit more difficult if you are experiencing furlough or have lost your job completely.

Self-Employed Workers

Naturally, if you are a self-employed worker, you may also be starting to struggle with payments, customers or even wages owed to freelancers that you currently employ. But don’t worry! During this troubling time you are not alone. Instead, you could be eligible for a range of loans and grants from different financial service providers and the government. Some of these grants can go up to 80% of your profits up to £2,500 if you sign up to the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. Check your options out now on the UK government’s website!

Furlough: Emergency Aid

If you have been furloughed then that means you are still being employed by a company, however it is not safe to go to work. You may be feeling a little frightened by this situation. On the 20th April 2020, it was confirmed that over 1 million people had been furloughed by their company and even now it’s predicted that around 9 million people will be furloughed in the future. That’s why it’s more important than ever to know what you, as an employee, are legally entitled to.

As you can see, if you have been furloughed you will still receive most of your pay to support yourself and your household. You also have the opportunity to go out and find an additional job if you are not making enough money. Remember, if you do find additional work, to inform your current employer. That way, when they rehire you then you can know when to keep your notice in.

If you are currently working for more than one employer, each of the employers can furlough you up to £2,500. That does mean you have the potential to earn higher than this allowance. However, keep in mind this depends on how much of a wage you were earning in the first place with all of your employers.

Are you not being paid through the Job Retention Scheme?

Before we start this section, make sure your employer knows about this video and knows about the Job Retention Scheme:

The Job Retention Scheme is designed to support businesses and keep their employees working, even if they have been furloughed or cannot travel to their place of work. That way they will be able to keep up their standard of living and support their families.

Not everyone can feel confident that their employer will actually pay them throughout the pandemic. Your employer may not have realized they could have used the scheme, or perhaps just told you not to work. Whether or not you can continue to be paid depends on what your employer has told you. Read this carefully:

“You are being made redundant”: This means that there is no work for you and you are no longer employed.
“Just go home”: There is no work or pay for you.
“You are being laid off”: This can mean that you are a still employed but you are not going to be paid, namely because there is no work to be done.

Make sure to check with your employer exactly what they mean by their phrasing. In some cases, they may have simply said the same thing. That means you can still have the chance to be paid through furlough and even have a second job. You can then remind your employer that they can backdate your pay to the 1st March. If they refuse you, make sure to ask them for a reason why and to give you it in writing .From there you can contact the Citizens Advice Bureau for help.

Employment Status Wording

It is the worst thing in the world to know that you have been laid off from your job. One minute you felt secure and that you had control over your life. Now, you may not know how you are going to afford groceries or support your family. It is a truly scary time. Some people are handling it better than others, but every person has their own personal story and situation.

If you have been made redundant or have lost your job, there are three things you need to check for before you do anything:

Has your employer had a group consultation if they have made more than 20 people redundant?
Have you been chosen for a fair reason?
Has your employer discriminated against you?

If you feel like you have been let go for an unfair reason, and have worked at the company for at least 2 years, there is a chance that you could file for unfair dismissal compensation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Tribunal claims for unfair dismissal can be filed before 3 months have passed since you had been out of work.

Looking for a New Job

One of the main things that we need to stress about being made unemployed is that you need to find a new job fast! Yes, you can apply for benefits. But the Corona Virus has affected a lot of different people and has put them in the same situation as you. That means the waiting times for benefits are longer. The best thing you can do is try to find remote work that can pay you enough to get through the next few months. Start looking on Indeed, TotalJobs, LinkedIn and many other job websites to get started.

Remember to also look after your mental health. Losing your job can make you feel like the world has crashed around you. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Think of this experience like the tide. It has just gone out and taken everything with it, but soon it will come in and refill the dry sand with water. Use the time to think of your mental health and to make yourself feel better with apps like Headspace and Calm. You may also want to start looking into free online courses that can be used to fill out your CV. Turn this loss into an opportunity.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your unfair dismissal tribunal!

Gowing Law has a number of unfair dismissal solicitors in Manchester that are ready to help you with your claim. Our staff members are currently working remotely, but we can still contact you in order to work through your case.

Make sure to provide our experienced unfair dismissal lawyers with as much information as you can about your case. You may also want to send your previous employer a letter of complaint. That way you can let them know that you intend to pursue legal action.

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors now to set up an initial consultation. We can do it over the phone or set up a call to help you. We offer free advice to our clients and work on a “no win-no fee basis.” That way you will always come out on top. Message info@gowinglaw.co.uk or call 0800 041 8350 now to talk to our specialists about what you could earn now in compensation.

Check out our older blogs for more information

We want to make sure that you are kept updated about the most useful law information during this difficult time. This includes information on the basics of PPI tax claims and mis-sold mortgages. If you can think of a topic, we will make sure to write about it. That way, you will never be in the dark about what sort of compensation you could be owed. Make sure to take a look at our blogging page to read more.

Keep safe and secure. Stay at home and save lives.

Good luck!

I’ve been mis-sold a mortgage! What can I do?

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, Mis-Sold Mortgage Claims, Uncategorised

Mis-sold Mortgages are never fun to deal with. Over the last couple of weeks, UK citizens everywhere have experienced the effects of the corona virus and how it has made their mortgages even more difficult to pay back. It was only on the 23rd of April that the “partial lockdown” on mortgages was lifted, however it does not change the fact that many citizens still have to pay the money back thanks to their “mortgage payment holiday.” This is only made worse if you are paying back more than you have to!

So, how do you even know if you have been mis-sold a mortgage? Better yet, how do you actually get mortgage mis-selling compensation? Gowing Law Solicitors, the top Manchester mortgage lawyers, are here to put you on the right track and help you reclaim all of the money that you have lost. Here’s what you need to know!

What is mortgage mis-selling?

Mortgage mis-selling can happen to anyone who has been over-paying their mortgage. Loaners (such as banks and brokers) may advise you to take a certain loan without fully considering your situation and how much you can actually afford. Your mortgage will need to be paid back through small payments that you can afford. However, if you are been mis-informed about what would best suit your budget, it is obvious that you have a mis-sold mortgage claim on your hands.

Like Donald, being mis-sold a mortgage can differ from person to person. However, the main gist of a mis-sold mortgage is that you were not given proper advice on what mortgage you should take. It is not even really about the money, instead it is the fact that you took a risk with your mortgage that turned out to be more riskier than you originally intended it to be. As the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) puts it. Any financial advice sold to you much be:

“fair, clear and not misleading”

This is what you can claim compensation for.

How is being mis-sold a mortgage different to a miscalculated mortgage?

The main difference between the two problematic mortgage claims is due to the lender’s “intent”. Although both of them mean that you are paying more than you have to, a miscalculated mortgage may have been due to an error in the calculation. A mis-sold mortgage implies that the lender did not check their facts and gave you a mortgage that did not suit your situation. Sometimes this may have been on purpose to make you pay more. With either of these claims, you will be able to claim a substantial amount of compensation.

For more information on miscalculated mortgages, please check out our blog! There you will find all the basics of miscalculated mortgage claims and more.

Can I have some examples of financial mis-selling?

There are so many ways that you have received a mis-sold mortgage. Some are more complicated than others. So, to make things a little more simpler, let’s divide them into two categories depending on their difficulty :

Simpler Cases of Mis-sold Mortgages

A few cases of mis-sold mortgages are pretty clear on why the claimant may be owed compensation. This may be because:

The claimant already retired after the mortgage end date
You were told to self-certify (aka. Borrow more money without having to prove your income) by your lender
A lender told you to overstate your earnings/income in order to borrow more money
You were not told that your lender would be owed a “commission” for selling you the mortgage
You were recommended switch lenders but were not told about any “switching” fees
Your lender had you on a fixed rate mortgage, but were advised to switch without being told of any fees for leaving the scheme.

As you can see from any of these examples, the financial mis-selling came as a result of bad advice. Sometimes there may not have ever even been advice in the first place! You may have simply been told to take out a mortgage and then were told to do something different. You mortgage should reflect your situation and should be based on your own personal finances.

Complicated Cases of Mis-Sold Mortgages

Keep in mind that if everything was simple then we would all be top mis-sold mortgages lawers in Manchester. Unfortunately, there are cases where it may get a little more complicated. If you have any of the following you may also be entitled to a mis-sold mortgage claim:

Endowment Policies
Interest- Only Mortgage
Self-Certification
Retirement Lending
Subprime Mortgages

Whilst these category names may seem a little intimidating, if you have a genuine reason to believe that you fall under them, you could be owed a lot in compensation! Let’s learn a little more about them:

As you can see, the policies are a little more complicated, but if you have the right documentation then you should be able to get compensation.

What do I do now? I have mis-sold mortgage claim!

Now that you are confident that you have a mis-sold mortgage claim, it is time for you to get a trained mortgage solicitor in Manchester on the case. No matter what your claim is, if you find yourself still repaying your loan even if your mortgage ends, Gowing Law Solicitors wants to help you!

You can file a complaint with your mortgage provider or ask them for specific documents to prove your case. Remember to file these documents in an orderly fashion. The more informed you are about your case, the more likely that you are going to get a good pay out. You may have even found that PPI was placed on top of your mortgage. If you have claimed for that back then don’t forget about the tax. We are more than happy to offer advice on the basics of PPI tax reclaims.

Here is what you need to do if you have a genuine mis-sold mortgage claim:

Having a trained mortgage mis-selling lawyer on your side will give you an extra boost of confidence. It can be difficult going against your lender in court. That’s why having a law expert will keep all of your information in order. They will present a strong case that will ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve. However, there is no harm in also involving the help of the Financial Ombudsman bureau.

How much could I earn in compensation?

Now, this depends on the type of claim you have and how much money you put into your mortgage payments. Every case will come out with a different financial outcome if it is won. However, if you have put a lot in then there is a chance you will get a lot out. Speak to our Gowing Law Mortgage specialists to get an estimate of how much you could earn. That way, we can learn about your case and how much we can help you with it.

How long do I have to claim my mis-sold mortgage?

Like other PPI tax reclaims, there is a deadline on when you can actually claim for a mis-sold mortgage. You must lodge your complain in 6 years from when you took the mortgage out. However, in certain circumstances this time may be extended, such as 3 years on from when you found out you were mis-sold the mortgage.

What if I am no longer the owner of the property that was mortgaged?

If you have been paying too much for the interest on your mortgage, you can still make a claim on it, even if you do not own the house anymore. What matters is that money was taken from you, and you were given bad advice. If you were forced to downsize or your house was re-possessed, this will give you more evidence that you can make a claim!

You can also still make a claim if you had a shared mortgage, recently divorced or had a joint account. Your partner may also be entitled to compensation.

Want to learn more information about the law?

Don’t forget to check out our additional blog topics! We go into the basics so that they are understandable, and will help you get started on your journey into the world of law. For instance, if you’re interested in immigration, and potentially getting a visa, you may want to check out our blog on the basics of immigration and UK visa categories.

Do you have a topic you want us to cover in our blogs? Let us know and we can write about it ASAP!

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors for help!

If you want more information about how our mis-sold mortgages solicitors can help you, make sure to visit our information page! Our experts can make sure to take your case and help you get the compensation you deserve.

To find out more, please call Gowing Law Solicitors now at 0800 041 8350 or use our email info@gowinglaw.co.uk. You can also contact us through direct message.

We look forward to hearing from you soon and wish you the best of luck with your mis-sold mortgage claim!

Miscalculated Mortgage Claims: What you need to know!

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Hannah Fletcher - Blog, Miscalculated Mortgage Claims, Uncategorised

Miscalculated mortgage claims are a bit of a headache for clients to deal with. No one likes being told that they are paying more for their home than they need to. After all, you could have been using that money for bigger and better things, plus it’s quite disheartening knowing that banks and brokers (who are meant to have years and years of experience in the industry) aren’t as perfect as you think they are. But don’t worry! Whilst your bank/broker may have mis-sold you a mortgage that didn’t suit your needs or your home’s condition, Gowing Law Solicitors is here to help you learn why you may be entitled to a claim.

Before we dive into the world of mortgages and their miscalculations, our specialist mortgage solicitors in Manchester are here to assist you in your claim. They are trained to take on the most challenging of claims and make sure that you get the pay-outs that you deserve. With their help, you will be supported throughout your legal journey to ensure you fully understand how your claim is being processed. That being said, the best way to understand whether or not you have a miscalculated mortgage claim is to learn about mortgages in general. In this guide, you are going to be informed about how you can tell if you have a claim, what you need to know about mortgages and how the miscalculations happened in the first place, additional mortgage issues and what you need to do claim back your money.

Of course, if you have any additional questions then feel free to contact our miscalculated mortgage claim experts in Manchester. They would be more than happy to offer you their specialist advice about miscalculated mortgage claims free of charge!

What is a Mortgage?

Okay, so we are starting off with a pretty obvious point. But sometimes it’s essential to list the basics so we can round off some of the more complicated points. According to The Money Advice Service mortgages are loans “taken out to buy property or land.” The majority are secured against your home and can last for around 25 years (however this is flexible, depending on the type of mortgage you take out). The value of said loan is made secure against the value of your home until it is paid off. To understand a little more about mortgages, take a look at this video made by Wall Street Survivor. It is full of useful tips to help you get to grips with the topic:

It’s important to only make reasonable payments to ensure you can keep paying back small amounts of your home. However, your broker/bank may not always be able to help you get the perfect payment plan for you. This is where mistakes are made, and why you are paying more than you should be.

What is a Mortgage Miscalculation?

To put it simply, when someone decides to take out a mortgage to afford a house, business residence or land, they will go to a bank or a broker. From there, a set amount of interest is decided on, depending on how big the loan is and the amount the house/land is worth. This is agreed between the bank/broker and the client. However, when a bank/broker overcharges their client for their loan, rather than stick to the intended agreement, this is when you have a miscalculated mortgage claim on your hands. Our specialists in financial property claims can then step in to get your money back.

Are there any other reasons why I could make a miscalculated mortgage claim?

Of course, things are never simple, so some mis-sold mortgages can be difficult to spot. You may be wondering to yourself, ”Can’t I just look at my mortgage statements and compare them to how much I’ve been paying?” Well, yes you can, but a miscalculation can also be due to the fact that your bank/broker gave you bad advice in the first place.

Back in the olden days (aka. Before 2004), there weren’t any regulations that had been put in place to supervise and regulate mortgages in the UK. Instead, lenders tended to follow a voluntary code, known as the “Mortgage Code Compliance Board”, also known as MMCB. However, after the 31st October 2004, now known as M Day, the FSA (predecessor to the FCA) decided to regulate each mortgage and make sure that all advisors were qualified.

Unregulated Rules

As the rules were not previously regulated, if your mortgage was not fully agreed on under the new rules, that means that you could have a miscalculated mortgage case on your hands. You may also have a mortgage claim if you have been affected by the following:

Your mortgages end date commences after you have retired.
Advisors told you to that it would be wise to overstate your earned income so that you could borrow more.
Advisors told you that you should self-certify, aka. Borrow money without proving that you earn a specific income.
Your advisors told you that you should switch lenders but did not tell you about any potential fees or penalties
Your bank/ broker gave you a fixed-rate mortgage but then told you to re-mortgage later on when a better deal with offered. That meant you incurred penalties for leaving your fixed rate earlier than what was agreed.

As you can see, there are a lot of reasons why you may have had a mortgage miscalculation claim. That’s why before you move forward to making a claim, make sure to look through all of the documents you received about your mortgage. If you read them carefully, this should give you an impression about whether or not you were treated fairly. Additional feedback and assistance can be given if you show your mortgage claim specialist in Manchester this information. They can help you understand if you are owed anything from your lender.

Who can be affected by a mortgage miscalculation claim?

Honestly, anyone can be affected by a mortgage miscalculation claim. Whilst it may be easier to make a claim if you have had a mortgage for a longer period of time, if you have taken out a mortgage recently, you may already been the victim of financial miscalculation. This isn’t because the policy itself is bad, it’s just because it isn’t a policy that will suit you. To put it more simply, have a look at this example of mis-selling:

As you can see, it’s not as complicated as you think. The mortgage policy simply did not fit you and now you need to claim compensation. Whether you have had it for several years or have recently taken out a loan on your home, it’s better to check whether or not it is the right fit for you. That way you can make sure that you are not paying more than you need to.

What could happen if your mortgage has been miscalculated?

Naturally, if you are dealing with a mortgage miscalculation claim, your trust in your bank/broker may be a little shaken. You have expected that your bank/broker is acting in your best interest, yet here you are having been forced to pay far more than you originally expected.

Your miscalculated mortgage may have also caused you to endure the following outcomes:

An inability to pay your mortgage
High fees
Negative Equity
Unsuitable interest rates

However, what you really can expect from an incorrect mortgage calculation is financial compensation. Whilst some people can expect a large remuneration, it’s important to understand that mortgage mis-calculation compensation’s main goal is to return you to the same position you would have been in if you had not been mis-sold your loan in the first place. Again, let’s put this in a simple way that should show you how the process works:

If you come to a mortgage mis-claim solicitor from Gowing Law, please bring as many details as you can about how much you have paid into your mortgage, as well as any information on whether anything has changed. The more you tell your mis-sold mortgage specialist, the better the outcome of your pay-out.

PPI claims and Miscalculated Mortgage Claims

According to the FCA, all financial services (including mortgages) must be sold to the client in a “fair, clear and not misleading” manner. So, to think that you may also have an additional potential payment on top of your mis-sold mortgage is disgraceful.

PPI (aka. Payment Protection Insurance) was an additional policy placed on top of loans or any sort of financial borrowing services. It was used as a safety blanket, so if you got sick or couldn’t repay the loan due to an emergency, this would cover the costs. However, a lot of these claims were mis-sold. For example, they were given to people who were self-employed, which didn’t make a lot of sense since they weren’t being employed by a firm or company. A lot of people tried to get their money back through a PPI claim, however they discovered that they were taxed on top of this.

There is a way to claim back this tax with the help of a specialist PPI solicitor from Gowing Law Solicitors. Check out our blog on the basics of PPI for more information! Better yet, if you think you have a claim, why not fill out our simple PPI form to help get you started. Our experts are here to offer you free advice on you PPI and miscalculated mortgage claims.

Deadlines for claims

According to the FCS, you have around 6 years to re-claim any sort of compensation from a mis-sold mortgage claim. So, if you want to claim a payment for a mortgage taken out in 2014, you are probably too late as the deadline for that would be at the start of April 2020. However, don’t panic if you have not managed to hit this time frame! A claim deadline can also be calculated 3 years from when you realised something was wrong with your policy. As long as you hit one of these deadlines then you should still be able to make a claim. Ask a Gowing Mortgage expert for their advice if you are unsure about whether or not you can make a miscalculated mortgage claims.

Corona Virus & Miscalculated Mortgage Claims

Now, this is a topic that may worry you about your claim. The corona virus (aka. Covid-19) has made it quite difficult for law firms to continue with regular claims thanks to social distancing and the imposed quarantine. However, the corona virus should not be a reason why you cannot make a mortgage miscalculation claim.

The first thing that you should have a look at is the FCA’s guidelines about mortgages and the corona virus, making sure that you check up on how payment holidays can help you to keep paying your mortgage, as well as information on what you can do if you are behind on your payments.

Don’t worry! If you still have a claim then Gowing Law Solicitors is here to help you get the money you deserve. We completely understand that you cannot come in to see us right now, however we can process your claim remotely. All you need to do is let us know your situation. You can then fill out our compensation form and then let us take care of the rest. It is that simple!

How do you make a Mortgage Miscalculation Claim?

Now, the first thing you need to do is figure out whether or not you have a claim. Of course, you can put in a claim on your own. After all, according to the FCA over 75,000 individuals have managed to do the same. The Times have eveen stated that these claims could total up to £150 million! However, the best advice can come from the top specialists for miscalculated mortgages. This includes the experts from Gowing Law Solicitors.

We have created a special mortgage claim contact form that will simplify the claims process. All you have to do is let us know your name and contact details. From there, we will contact you and ask for specific information about your case. Our specialists will use their expertise to let you know whether you have a claim. You don’t have to go through this claim on your own. We are ready to work with you and help you receive any owed payments.

Ready to learn more about the law?

We are dedicated to informing our clients about a variety of law topics in simple terms. So, if you have finished looking at our latest mortgage miscalculation topic, why not check out a different topic? We have information on the basics of UK immigration visas and PPI tax reclaims. These blogs are a great place to get started!

Ready to contact us about your miscalculated mortgage claims?

Remember, no matter what sort of mortgage you have, Gowing Law Solicitors is ready to assist you with any claim. You can seek our advice for free and we work under a No win- No Fee basis. That means that there will be no hidden fees!

If you want to contact us about your claim, please call 0800 041 8350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk. or use our contact form.

Let us know if you have any questions!

Fill out the form to start your claim today!

Why would I suffer from mental health problems after a public accident?

What are the symptoms of mental health trauma?

The impact of mental health and public accident injuries

Mental health and the workplace

Will I need evidence for my mental health claim?

How can Gowing Law Solicitors help with your recovery?

Will my mental health affect my claims case?

What should I do if the other party refuses to work with me on a settlement agreement

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors today for help with Public Accident Injuries!

Learn more about compensation claims for public accident injuries

What exactly is a “loss of earnings” claim?

How would a solicitor be able figure out my special damages from my payslip?

What else could a pay-slip prove?

Should I expect sick pay to help me with my loss of earnings?

Loss of future earnings

Important things to think about with a loss of earnings claim

How can a solicitor help you with your loss of earnings?

How much compensation am I owed due to my loss of earnings claim?

Contact Gowing Law for help

Do you want to learn more about claims?

What is happening in the UK?

Safety in a retail: Covid-19 Edition

Public Accidents in a Retail Store: Health and Safety

Who was to blame for the accident?

Customers: What to do if you have suffered an accident in a public space?

Employees: Health & Safety in retail stores

How much could I earn from an accident at work compensation claim?

How to handle a breach of health & safety or a work accident?

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your work accident claim!

Want to learn more?

The Three Types of Pension Schemes

Automatic Pension Enrollment

Pension Investment Schemes

SIPPs (Self- Invested Personal Pensions)

GSIPPS (Group Self-Invested Personal Pensions)

SSASs (Small Self-Administered Pension Schemes)

Private Sector Investments

Defined Benefit Transfers

The Signs of a Mis-Sold Pension

Was it sold to you due to bad financial advice?

Don’t forget about mis-sold SIPP schemes!

Gowing Law & Successful SIPP Claims

What do I do now?

The documents you have need to:

How long will it take to make a case?

How much could I claim?

What do you want to read about next?

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors today to learn more about mis-sold pension schemes

Your Vulnerability to Covid-19

Why is it so important to have a valid will?

The Basics of Will Creation: Corona Virus Edition

The Call for a Laxing of the Law

The Use of a Trained Will Solicitor

The Perks of having a Will Solicitor

How much does it cost to create a will?

How long does it take for writing wills?

Ready to learn more about the law from our blog?

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors for help!

Overview: Covid-19 & Employment

What has happened to your job?

Self-Employed Workers

Furlough: Emergency Aid

Are you not being paid through the Job Retention Scheme?

Employment Status Wording

Looking for a New Job

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your unfair dismissal tribunal!

Check out our older blogs for more information

What is mortgage mis-selling?

How is being mis-sold a mortgage different to a miscalculated mortgage?

Can I have some examples of financial mis-selling?

Simpler Cases of Mis-sold Mortgages

Complicated Cases of Mis-Sold Mortgages

What do I do now? I have mis-sold mortgage claim!

How much could I earn in compensation?

How long do I have to claim my mis-sold mortgage?

What if I am no longer the owner of the property that was mortgaged?

Want to learn more information about the law?

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors for help!

What is a Mortgage?