Member News

Monday, 30 March 2020

Some of you may be wondering how the current crisis is affecting Probate.   

Here’s what we know: 

• Our People section of the MHA Larking Gowen website 

  Cindy Chaplin 

During the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis it is important apprentices are kept informed and not kept in the dark. Apprentices are part of our future, bringing fresh innovative ideas to businesses across the UK and beyond. 

To ensure this does not happen the Government is providing a package of support. This will help employers retain and support their staff including apprentices.

Please visit our website to find out how you can support apprentices during the COVID-19 crisis.

How we are supporting you and your apprentices

Learning and enrolments are now being undertaken remotely in order to support our wonderful apprentices, learners and employers. We will also be conducting face-to-face online appointments and online training and support We are open and available and will remain in continuous discussions with employers, who are fully supportive of our response and want to keep business as usual for our learners as far as possible. We thank our employers for their support at this time. Our aim remains to deliver high-quality training and to ensure that our learners are not disadvantaged and are able to continue their studies in these challenging times. 

You can contact Steadfast Training Ltd on [email protected] for any further information, or contact your Trainer or Account Manager directly  

Keep Kind and Keep Safe

Remember all the Government advice during the current situation.

As with many other transactions, the current coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact within the residential property sector. Many house sale and purchase transactions have been stalled, with individuals left unsure where they stand or what to do next.

Our residential conveyancing team are monitoring the situation closely, and experienced Conveyancing Executive Rachael Hughes provides answers to our most frequently asked questions here. Please note that we would treat every transaction based on our individual client’s needs and circumstances, and the situation is moving rapidly, so please do contact us directly if you have any specific queries at all. Call 10603 660 811 or email [email protected]

Am I allowed to move house?

The Government issued guidance on Friday 27 March which advised people in the process of moving to delay where possible. Both buyers and sellers are being urged to approach timelines with practicality and flexibility to extend moving dates until the current social distancing, hygiene and lockdown measures have been eased. There may be exceptions in specific circumstances where the parties cannot agree to an extension, or the move is classed as ‘critical’ – it is best to explore this directly with your conveyancing lawyers.

I am due to move into a house which is currently empty. Can I still go ahead?

Yes, in these specific circumstances, the Government have indicated that moving may still be possible, if everyone concerned adheres to the relevant social distancing and coronavirus spread prevention guidelines.

I have coronavirus symptoms. Should I pull out of our house move?

Yes, absolutely delay, although this may not mean that you have to pull out completely. Anyone with symptoms, self-isolating or shielding from the virus, should follow medical advice and not move house for the time being. Once the isolation period has passed, there is no reason that you cannot work with your conveyancing solicitors and estate agent to agree delayed dates for your house move.

Our contracts have already exchanged. Are they still valid?

Yes. Conveyancing bodies including the Law Society, the Society of Licensed Conveyancers, the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, Bold Legal Group, the Conveyancing Association, and HM Land Registry have come together to agree a draft clause to amend any existing contracts when varying a completion date. This collaborative working is very encouraging and we expect to see more of this as the pandemic’s effects continue. We would exchange a written agreement to alter the existing contract, and either ask you to sign electronically, or for you to authorise us to sign on your behalf, to formally exchange documents.

If my completion date is extended, does it mean my mortgage offer will become invalid?

The majority of banks and building societies have announced an extension in mortgage offers to respond to the lengthening in overall conveyancing timelines – particularly where contracts have already been exchanged and completion dates agreed, where current mortgage extensions of up to three months apply. Depending on the specific lender, this could allow for a delay to the start date of the mortgage deal, or an extension of the mortgage deal at the end of its term.

What about my survey?

Again, the official advice is to delay any survey where possible to adhere to the latest coronavirus guidelines. We would help our clients and everyone in the transaction chain to understand the implications of the delay on the next steps towards exchange and completion.

I want to put my house on the market. What has changed? Can I still go ahead?

Whilst you can still put your house up for sale, you will not be allowed to let people into your house to view it. As seen across the industry, many estate agents are looking at innovative methods to operate and work from their homes given social distancing. We are able to recommend several trusted Estate Agent contacts who can talk you through your options.

Read more: Why choose us for your conveyancing?

Hatch Brenner Solicitors in Norwich has signed up to the Association of British Insurers (‘ABI’) COVID-19: Personal Injury Protocol (‘the protocol’).

The ABI has developed the protocol in response to the unprecedented challenge which firms across the personal injury sector are facing as a result of the spread of COVID-19. The protocol recognises that the pandemic provides opportunities for both claimants and defendants in personal injury cases to opportunistically gain an unfair advantage by, for example, taking advantage of missed deadlines.

The protocol includes:

1. An agreement that all limitation dates in all personal injury cases are frozen and claimants undertake to respond constructively to defendant requests for extension of time to serve a Defence;
2. An escalation process whereby any issue arising by a party’s failure to act in accordance with the agreement in 1. above and which cannot immediately be resolved between the parties is referred to an email and/or telephone ‘hotline’ specifically established for this situation; and
3. A commitment that the email and telephone hotline will be monitored regularly and referred to senior people within the respective organisations who will be able to make a swift decision as to whether the stance being taken should be adjusted in light of prevailing circumstances.

The immediate extension to the personal injury protocol took effect from 24 March 2020, for a minimum of four weeks, with a review to take place the week commencing 13 April 2020.

Colin Cook, Hatch Brenner Head of Dispute Resolution and Norwich Personal Injury Solicitor commented: “We fully pledge our support the ABI in their swift development of this protocol, providing a practical framework aimed at mitigating the impact of disruption to ongoing cases, and preventing opportunistic tactics by either claimants or defendants in personal injury cases during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Innovation and collaboration are key, and it is very encouraging to see so many insurers and law firms sign up so far. We must work together to continue to give our clients the help and support they need during these challenging and uncertain times.

“We expect to see continued temporary amendments to the overall litigation process to adapt to this unprecedented global challenge; particularly more general extensions to time periods, and other process suspensions to ensure ongoing access to justice for all.”

Colin Cook, Personal Injury specialist, is fully accessible during this time via phone and email via 01603 660 811 or [email protected]. View his profile on our website here.

Leading regional accountancy and business advisory firm MHA Larking Gowen is to welcome two new partners who will be based at its Norwich and Colchester offices.

John Atkins currently works in the Norwich office as part of the Corporate, Audit and Advisory Team.

He qualified as a member of the ACCA in 2014. He moved to BDO specialising in audits of UK and overseas groups, and owner managed businesses. He joined MHA Larking Gowen in August 2016 from Grant Thornton where he had worked as an Audit Manager. 

 “It was an honour and privilege to be invited to join the partner group at MHA Larking Gowen, and I am thoroughly looking forward to starting in my new role on 1 April,” he said.

“When I joined the firm, the key values of Passion for Our People and Client Service shone through. This was recognised when the firm won the Best Employer Award in the Norfolk Business Awards in 2019.”

“The partners knew from the outset my overall ambition, as such I sat down with my partner mentor and together, we created a development plan to make sure that my ambitions matched the firm’s. There is always an open and honest relationship in a very supportive environment,” he said.

“I have been fortunate to work with some brilliant clients across East Anglia and look forward to working with many more in the years to come. I have been supported by a great team throughout, and I look forward to continuing to train and develop our people to help them achieve their career aspirations, while also developing the firm for future generations.”  

John has significant experience in accounting and financial reporting, audit and advisory services, and has mainly focused mainly on the firm’s corporate business.

Louise Dean, who has been working as a Senior Manager in the firm’s specialist medical team in Colchester, is to oversee expansion of its work in Suffolk and Essex in her new role as a partner.

Louise became ACCA qualified in 2007 and became part of MHA Larking Gowen when the business merged with Hubbard Lloyd in 2014. She has helped look after the finances of the firm’s client list of 600 GP partners and 130 practices, and has built up strong relationships with practice managers and GP partners.

“This is something I have aspired to throughout my career. I had previously worked with Hubbard Lloyd, and their merger with MHA Larking Gowen opened a lot of doors with more opportunities for me to progress. I was able to get advice from senior staff and there was a lot of support to develop,” she said.

“With maternity leave and two young children to look after, I did work part time for a while but none of that stood in the way. I currently have flexible time, with one day off in the week, and I am able to make up the hours in the evenings and at weekends. It’s a perfect balance of being a mum and focusing on my career at the same time,” she said.

As well as looking after her client portfolio, Louise spends time talking to trainee GPs in hospitals, and running training courses for practice managers.

“A lot of our business is word of mouth, so I see my part of my role as helping to build up our reputation. We have some challenging growth targets for the Colchester and Ipswich teams, and I will be spending my time between the two sites,” she said.

MHA Larking Gowen provides a full healthcare accounting service for all medical consultants, locums, salaried GPs, other medical professionals and private health companies.

Services include help with annual accounts and tax returns, personal taxation, pension contributions, partnership changes, capital tax planning, benchmarking, profitability monitoring and administration.

The Government has confirmed that, where people are unable to work from home, including many in the construction sector, they should still go to work, where this can be done in accordance with guidance published by Public Health England (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others). Therefore, construction contractors, subcontractors or workers delivering construction projects, those involved in the manufacturing, supply and distribution of construction products, builders merchants and logistics, or the provision of relevant professional services, should be viewed as falling within the scope of this guidance. So on this basis at Rhino Building & DIY Supplies  we have tried to continue with a selective delivery service as we are operating on minimal staff, on top of which we are struggling to obtain more goods in which to sell as many suppliers have closed down. We gave priority to those who are deemed as essential workers and have done all we can to assist the local community. We have provided goods to doctors surgery who have been told they are able to coronavirus test and also now issue prescriptions in light of the pandemic. Of course the health and safety elements do not go away so alterations need to be made in order to make that happen. We also have assisted local doctors surgery with PPE including overalls and masks. I am uncertain how much longer we will be able to sustain this and we are very fortunate to have such a great committed team assisting us in keeping the wheels moving.  

A simple parking permit will be available from today to ease the way for health workers, and community volunteers, who are helping people across Norfolk.

County, city, borough and district councils have all come together to create the new permits which will allow free parking on-street and in council run car parks for key workers and community volunteers helping people across Norfolk. Outside of Norwich people can apply online for the new COVID-19 Response Permit by providing a photo of their work id badge or proof they are registered with the NHS scheme if they are a community volunteer. In Norwich, organisations can apply to the city council for a key worker permit that is emailed to them for eligible users to print off at home or work.

Cllr Martin Wilby, chairman of the Norfolk Parking Partnership, said: “The way people have risen to the challenges of the pandemic is truly remarkable and we want to do all we can to support those who are out there looking after communities across Norfolk. NHS, social care staff and community volunteers can all get the new permit.

“I also want to thank, and urge others to support, all the parking enforcement officers who are still working to make sure our streets stay clear and accessible for our colleagues in the police, ambulance and fire services.”   

Even though roads are quieter at the moment authorities are running a reduced level of parking enforcement to make sure blue light services, as well as bin collections and food delivery trucks, are still able to access people’s homes.

The new permit will allow free parking in all council run car parks, in on-street pay and display bays, permit parking and time limited waiting bays. However to ensure vital spaces will still remain available, and roads accessible for emergency services, the new rules will not apply to disabled parking bays, loading bays, car club spaces and double yellow lines. Initially permits will be valid for three months however this will be extended if necessary.

To find out more, and to apply for a permit, visit: https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/care-support-and-health/health-and-wellbeing/adults-health/coronavirus/free-parking-for-health-workers-and-community-volunteers

TaxAssist Accountants continues its impressive rate of growth.

Sunny Srai (Hampton), Sanjay Parekh (Wood Green) Gary Bugdale (Managing Director of TaxAssist Direct London Ltd), Jay Gosal (Coventry East) and Adnan Tahir (Glasgow) have all recently graduated from TaxAssist Accountants’ first Initial Training Course of 2020.

Having amassed nearly 20 years’ experience within Corporate Finance across various sectors, Sanjay Parekh realised he was confident in his abilities to generate financial success by running his own business. Having worked successfully as a financial consultant for the last five years, Sanjay was keen to change tack and use his wealth of experience to help small businesses. This triggered him to consider running his own accountancy practice via the franchising route.

“My ex-manager (now a franchisee) introduced me to TaxAssist. I did some research, signed up for the Discovery Day and my experience has been positive from that moment on,” explained Sanjay.

“I have found the network very transparent, truthful, supportive and nurturing. Having completed the training during the COVID-19 outbreak would have been even more daunting if I was not part of a reputable brand such as TaxAssist, which boasts a knowledgeable and diligent back-office support function – which is the backbone of franchisees’ success.

“I am excited to start trading, and I am confident I will ride the current wave and come out successful on the other side due to the brand backing me.”

Karl Sandall, Group Chief Executive Director, said: “It was a pleasure to train and socialise with our new fantastic group of franchisees and the team at our Support Centre are looking forward to helping them grow their practices.

“These are unprecedented times, but franchisees know they have the back-up and support of a dedicated team of over 60 staff at the Support Centre on hand to help, guide and advise them and their clients. They also know that their services are very much in demand, as small businesses look to their accountant as never before for help and guidance through the uncertain months ahead.”

If you are interested in joining the TaxAssist Accountants network, there are Discovery Days via video planned in the coming weeks. If you’d like to book onto a Discovery Day, please submit your CV and a completed application form which can be found here to [email protected]

On 30 March 2020, Microsoft announced a change to Office 365 subscriptions for SME’s, as well as to Office 365 ProPlus. These products will soon sit under the Microsoft 365 brand.

The change in name will automatically go into effect on 21 April 2020. There are no changes to the pricing or products at this time. You do not need to take any action in relation to this change. It is worth noting your subscription name will update automatically in the admin center and your monthly billing statements. Here are the name changes to look out for:

• Office 365 Business Essentials will become Microsoft 365 Business Basic.
• Office 365 Business Premium will become Microsoft 365 Business Standard.
• Microsoft 365 Business will become Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
• Office 365 Business and Office 365 ProPlus will both become Microsoft 365 Apps. Where necessary we will use the “for business” and “for enterprise” labels to distinguish between the two.

Microsoft have said: “Today, we’re simply announcing name changes. But these changes represent our ambition to continue to drive innovation in Microsoft 365 that goes well beyond what customers traditionally think of as Office. The Office you know and love will still be there, but we’re excited about the new apps and services we’ve added to our subscriptions over the last few years and about the new innovations we’ll be adding in the coming months.” For detailed information and the Microsoft FAQs relating to this change, please visit their website.

Are you a ‘baby-Zoomer’?

Are you a new user of online meetings and events using Zoom video?

If you are, then you might be interested in a free live online training event to help you get started. Zoom is a great tool for online meetings, lessons and ‘get-togethers’ with lots of very useful features.

Getting started

For a novice at a video or online communication it can all seem a little tricky at first. And then once the tech is sorted, how do you talk to people are not even listening or looking at you!   The good news, following a few simple tips can make all the difference.

Here at Brilliant Customer Service, we have recently transferred all our classroom training into ‘live online learning’. And, in the process, discovered lots of tricks and techniques that we would be pleased to share.  For example, here are a few simple points can make a big difference.

Technology

The starting point is making friends with the technology. Getting the setting’s right, positioning your computer and camera correctly can make all the difference.

Structure and slides

With limited attention span and lack of immediate body language, your voice and words will carry much of your message. With practice, you can make your communication clear, concise, and engaging. Most importantly, a good structure and visuals can help you make your meeting, lesson, or event interactive, engaging, and enjoyable.

Interaction

Most of us watch video, browse the internet, and use our computer in a mainly passive way.  This becomes very apparent when asking for comments and questions in an online meeting or class. Instead of contributions, you get a deafening silence with invisible tumble-weed blowing across the screen! Using better questions and other techniques can make all the difference.

Book Here: Live online training 45-minutes – free training on how to run brilliant online meetings

This runs every few days or on-demand and is completely free for anyone looking to get up to speed with online meetings and events.

It is ideal for managers, all staff, teachers, salespeople, customer service staff, trainers, and professionals of all types.

For more information: [email protected], visit www.busybeingbrilliant.com or call 07515 851 891

Launched just a week ago, the Foundation’s Covid-19 Community Response Fund has received over 60 applications from local charities and grassroots community projects who together are forming a network of committed, compassionate people providing practical help and care for their neighbours. At a time when we must protect and care for those most vulnerable, this community action is vital to keep everyone safe and well in our communities. From delivering food and prescriptions, to tackling loneliness and isolation, Norfolk’s charitable groups are working hard across our county. Vital initiatives funded during the first week include:

• suppporting volunteers to deliver food to people who are isolated and in the greatest need
• purchasing emergency food supplies
• protecting our most vulnerable children while schools are closed
• helping with the cost of providing protective kit and travel expenses for the army of local volunteers
• supporting charities and community groups who would typically deliver face-to-face services and are now needing to use IT or phones to maintain contact and support the people they help.

Find out more about how people are being supported

We need more funds to continue supporting people across Norfolk Thank you to everyone who has supported the appeal so far. However, we still need many more funds to ensure that we can support the most vulnerable during these unprecedented times. Donate today to help people in your local community. Anything that you can give will make a real difference. Supported by the National Emergencies Trust The National Emergencies Trust has also set up an emergency fund to help people in their communities through local Community Foundations, who are routing funds to where they are most needed. Patron HRH Prince William is urging individuals and businesses to donate, which will work alongside our local fundraising to meet the most pressing community needs. Find out more   Many thanks for your support.

Brilliant Lessons Online – free training

Free online webinar: “How to run online lessons using Zoom”

Whether you are teaching physics or yoga, cooking or karate, English or maths, you can use Zoom to run brilliant, engaging, interactive and enjoyable.

Are you a teacher, tutor, trainer, or instructor that wants to run online lessons and classes?

If you are, then you will be interested in this free live online training event to help you get started, quickly and easily. Whether you are looking to run classes from 1 to 100, you will gain lots of ideas and short-cuts in just 45 minutes – all completely free.

Why Zoom?

Zoom is a great tool for running classes, lessons, and courses with lots of really great features. Here are just a few functions that you can see in action on this free online course:

1. Making it easy and safe for your learners and students to register and login.
2. Using a whiteboard and annotate function to increase interaction and fun!
3. Screenshare to run videos (within the lesson), share slides and pictures.
4. Breakout rooms. This is a great way to mirror the dynamics of a live classroom. Pupils can work individually and in smaller groups, fully monitored by you as the teacher.
5. Run quizzes, tests, questionnaires, and polls.
6. Share and receive ‘coursework’ and files from students.
7. A ‘chat’ facility to message either the group or any one person.

Getting started – free online lessons training webinar – 45 minutes

Here at Brilliant Customer Service, we have recently transferred all our classroom training into ‘live online learning’. And, in the process, discovered lots of tricks and techniques that we would be pleased to share.  For example, here are a few simple points can make a big difference. As well as the points above we can save lots of time and effort in

• Getting the technology right and setup correctly
• Designing your class or lessons for maximum attention and engagement
• Using all the administration and setup functions correctly

Register and attend for free – online

Live online training 45-minutes – free training on how run brilliant online lessons

This runs every few days or on-demand and is completely free for anyone looking to get up to speed with online meetings and events. It is ideal for managers, all staff, teachers, sales, customer service, trainers, and professionals of all types.

For more information: [email protected], visit www.busybeingbrilliant.com or call 07515 851 891