01903 205771

The team at Miller Parris once again excelled themselves for ‘Red Nose Day’ 2019.  They collectively raised £ 227.00 through cake and baked goods sales, a quiz and a raffle with a mouthwatering pie kindly donated by Turners Pies of Broadwater.

Mike Metters, Partner, said “It’s fabulous to see our team supporting this great cause and we’re really proud of everything they have achieved year on year for Comic Relief.  We had a really good fun day and enjoyed delicious goodies all for a good cause!”

Miller Parris are pleased to welcome Trish Holland to the firm as a Chartered Legal Executive within the Wills and Trusts team.

Martin Troy, Partner, commented “Trish has extensive experience and I am sure that she will be a great asset to our growing team.  We are delighted that she has joined us and look forward to her working with us”.

Trish has four children which keep her busy, and has worked locally for over 20 years.  In her spare time Trish enjoys theme parks, eating out and going to the cinema.

(Photo: Mike Metters left with Bob Rogers, a former senior partner of  Miller Parris and President of Worthing Law Society 1990)

Miller Parris Solicitors are pleased to announce that one of their partners, Mike Metters, has taken on the role of President for Worthing Law Society for 2017/18.

Steeped in tradition, Worthing Law Society dates back to 1920 and is a professional organisation for Solicitors, Legal Executives, Licensed Conveyancers and professional lawyers.  The society provides general advice and support to its members, along with promoting professional practice, mediation services where required, and raising legal education.

Worthing Law Society also supports a charitable organisation every year, which each President elects, and this year for his term Mike has chosen MIND, the mental health charity.

MIND provide advice and encouragement to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding ensuring that everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect.

Mike says “I’m looking forward to the year ahead to representing and supporting Worthing Law Society.  I will also have the opportunity as President to raise important funds for MIND, a worthy local and national charity”.

The Miller Parris team once again joined in the fun for Comic Relief.

By organising a cake and savouries sale, a spot the Red Nose competition, guess the weight of the cake and guess the staff member from baby and toddler photos, the team managed to raise a wonderful £150 for the charity.

Well done to all involved!

Comic Relief is a major charity based in the UK, with a vision of a just world, free from poverty. For more information see www.comicrelief.com

Christina Rockwood, partner at Miller Parris Solicitors, is trained in the Collaborative process and together with a specialist group of lawyers and experts has formed The Worthing Pod, (www.worthingfamilylaw.com). 

These local experts are committed to assisting you manage your separation or family dispute in a way that best meets your needs.  The Worthing Pod advocates an alternative way to resolve your family disputes in a way that is led by you and the needs of your family and avoids unnecessary conflict and animosity.

Separation or divorce can be an extremely emotional and stressful time and very often the thought of having to go to Court to resolve financial issues or the arrangements for your children can cause added anxiety.

The Collaborative process offers an alternative as it encourages the parties to find a solution to any issues by agreement in a constructive and non-confrontational way.

If the collaborative route is chosen both parties and their lawyers sign an agreement preventing the lawyers from representing the parties in Court if the collaborative process breaks down.  This means that both the parties and their lawyers are committed to finding the best solutions by agreement, rather than through Court proceedings.  By having your lawyer by your side throughout the process ensures that you have their support and legal advice throughout the process.

If you feel that the collaborative process is for you or would like to find out more about The Worthing Pod, please contact Christina Rockwood on 01903 205771 or email at christinarockwood@millerparris.co.uk.

We are currently recruiting for a CONVEYANCING Legal Executive or Solicitor for our small but busy High Street firm in Worthing.

Part-Time considered. Competitive salary and good prospects.

Apply with CV to mikemetters@millerparris.co.uk.

No Agencies.

Separation or divorce can be an extremely emotional and stressful time and very often the thought of having to go to Court to resolve financial issues or the arrangements for your children can cause added anxiety.

The collaborative process is designed to reduce the stress and anxiety caused by separation by encouraging the parties to find a solution to any issues by agreement in a constructive and non-confrontational way

If both parties decide that the collaborative process is for them, each party will appoint their own collaboratively trained lawyer. The parties and their respective lawyers all then meet together to deal with both parties’ priorities and concerns. This may be how the finances will be shared or what arrangements need to be made for any children. Sometimes only a couple of meetings are needed, in other cases 4 or 5.

By having your lawyer by your side throughout the process ensures that you have their support and legal advice throughout the process.

Both parties and their lawyers sign an agreement preventing the lawyers from representing the parties in Court if the collaborative process breaks down.  This means that both the parties and their lawyers are committed to finding the best solutions by agreement, rather than through Court proceedings.

Sometimes, other professionals are involved, such as financial specialists, or people trained to assist children in understanding and coping with the changes that are happening.

Once an agreement is reached, documents detailing the agreements you have reached will be prepared and signed and your lawyers will explain anything else that needs to be done in order to implement those agreements.

Christina Rockwood, partner at Miller Parris is trained in the collaborative process.  Christina said “The process offers many benefits compared to a more formal legal route.  For example, it could enable both parties to have more control over their timetables to a certain extent and also potentially enable both parties to agree matters in a more constructive and non-confrontational way. This is particularly important in cases where there are children involved and both parties will accordingly need to have a continuing relationship”.

If you feel that the collaborative process is for you or would like to find out more, please contact Christina Rockwood on 01903 205771 or at christinarockwood@millerparris.co.uk.

Miller Parris are able to offer a free, initial half hour consultation if this is appropriate.

Stamp Duty is a Government Property Tax that becomes payable when a residential property is purchased. If you do not own any other property anywhere in the World, then your purchase will become subject to stamp duty payable within 30 days of completion of your purchase at the following rates:

£0 – £125,000 – nil rate
£125,001 – £250,000 – 2%
£250,001 – £ 925,000 – 5%
£925,000 – £1.5m – 10%
£1.5m + – 12%

From 1st April 2016, if you already own a property anywhere else in the World or you are purchasing a ‘buy to let’, property then higher rates of Stamp Duty will apply as follows:

£ 0 – £125,000 – 3%
£125,001 – £250,000 – 5%
£250,000 – £925, 000 – 8%
£925,000 – £1.5m – 13%
£1.5m + – 15%

There are some exemptions and these include purchases of a non-residential or mixed use property, transactions where the property price is less than £40,000 and the purchase of caravans, houseboat and mobile homes.

If you are simultaneously selling your main residence and buying a new main residence then even if you own another property the higher rate of stamp duty will not be applicable. If you do not complete the sale of your existing main residence and purchase of your new main residence at the same time, then you will have to pay the stamp duty at the higher rate on completion of your purchase and then provided you sell your old main residence within a 3 year period then you may be able to reclaim the difference between the lower and higher rates.

If you are purchasing jointly, even if one of you owns another property and the other purchaser does not, you will still qualify for payment of Stamp Duty at the higher rate. There are also certain considerations to be taken into account if you are a Partner holding property on behalf of a partnership or if you are a Trustee.

Further information can be provided from Miller Parris as to when the higher rates of Stamp Duty would be payable.