We are all masters of the art of putting things off in one way or another. Dealing with our own demise is not something that tends to sit easily with most people and could well be the reason why so many of us either do not have a Will, or have not updated our Will for many years.

Our lives do not stand still so why should a Will? Like any document a Will is made at one point in time, but things change. The nature of our relationships changes. Perhaps you have new friends in your life who you wish to leave a token, or new grandchildren born since your Will was made. Moreover, our assets change, for example, a property bought 25 years ago may now be worth considerably more. This, together with constantly changing taxes, may mean you want to think about planning through your Will to mitigate any tax implications. As a rule of thumb we would recommend that you review your Wills every 3-5 years and upon certain milestones occurring.

Co-habiting couples should consider what provision to make for each other and the tax implications for their respective estates. The risk could be, in the absence of a Will, your partner may be left with no provision.

Do not be frightened about the prospect of making a Will and become the architect of what should happen after your death. The implications of leaving things to chance are too great when it comes to your loved ones. If you would like to discuss your Will please contact our Private Client team on 01548 857000 or email us here

Our current cost of living crisis has created a level of hardship unseen in this country for decades. This is having a huge impact on millions of people but particularly those who are retired and no longer taking home a salary

If you are a home owner over the age of 55, releasing equity from your property could be a way of helping with rising costs.

However money raised can be used for any purpose, including:-

Repaying an existing mortgage or loan

Home Improvements

Holidays

Providing an early inheritance for family

Do not be taken in by the bad press this type of mortgage has had. Modern schemes are fully regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and flexible and safe.

However, it is important to receive professional advice when considering this type of arrangement. Lee Stone is Charles Royle and Company’s equity release adviser. He is also a member of the Equity Release Council (www.equityreleasecouncil.com) whose members adhere to a strict code of conduct.

For an informal chat and further information, please contact Lee on 01626 332083 or email him here

At Cavendish not only do we have a great range of quality adjustable beds which feature an elevating backrest and footrest, we also stock the latest Hi – Lo beds on the market. In addition to the profiling action of a conventional adjustable bed, the whole bed rises and falls which enhances enormously the bed’s function.

The user can now lower and raise the bed to make getting in and out easier as well as enabling the less able user to easily lift their legs on without difficulty. Until recently the only alternative was an unsightly care type bed which as well as being unattractive also had the disadvantage of a high footboard.

The new and very functional Opera Signature range of beds are both high quality and attractive. They are available in several sizes up to super king-size and also come in a range of styles and fabrics.

Choose between premium gel, memory foam or traditional mattresses and a host of other options. Why not visit our extensive Torquay showrooms which have ample parking and facilities or we can arrange a home visit to go through the options. Cavendish Health Care, Babbacombe Road, Torquay, TQ1 3UP. Tel: 01803 220378 or click here

ANDREW Ward is managing and sales director of Ability Bathe, a family-run, independent bathroom installation company, founded by Andrew and his wife in 2012.

However, Andrew has owned and run a complete bathroom supply and installation company for 15 years, fitting all types of bathrooms and wet room in the north of England.

Since expanding into the south west, Andrew, together with a small team of staff, has specialised in installing and fitting not just bathrooms, but walk-in showers and wet rooms. The company is small enough to be personal and approachable, but large enough to possess the experience to complete a range of bathroom installations to a very high standard.

Andrew goes out to the initial consultation, paying great attention to detail and customer requirements. On commencement, he again attends and sets up the installation, running through all the points raised with staff who will do the installation.

Then he spends the final finishing hours at the customer’s home to make sure the standards are high and the customer is happy with the installation quality and service. Ability Bathe’s motto is a “bath to a shower in 48 hours”.

Andrew says: “We have achieved this on every installation completed in the past nine years. “This has meant staying with the job until 8pm on many occasions to make sure we’re on target to complete.

“We make the promise that we don’t come to you until our previous job is complete and we will not leave you until yours is complete”.

Ability Bathe can offer home appointments up to 8pm, during which the company will provide a free, no-obligation quotation. Call 07711 184309.

THE decision to install a stairlift is sometimes a difficult one to take, but when compared with the alternative of moving, or living on only one level of their home, many people have found a stairlift to be their preferred solution.

Suttons Stairlifts is a family-run business dedicated to providing a fair, ethical service, with a no-pressure selling policy, offering a range of new or refurbished Handicare stairlifts, in the South Devon and Somerset area.

We also offer a rental option for straight stairlifts, servicing and safety checks, repairs and removals. You are choosing an ISO Quality-approved product that conforms to the ethical business practices required by the British Healthcare Trades Association. Most lifts will only take between two and four hours to install. All Handicare stairlifts have safety sensors on the power pack and footplate; designed to stop the lift if it meets any obstruction. If there is a power cut your stairlift will continue to operate for about 10 trips using the internal batteries.

Handicare stairlifts offer features such as a powered swivel seat and powered folding footplate; these can make using a stairlift even easier by allowing you to operate these functions at the touch of a button. We will visit you to survey the staircase and conduct a user assessment, leaving you the leaflets and prices so that you can make the decision in your own time.

Stairlifts are simple to use but we do advise an annual service and safety check in order to keep it in perfect working condition With our inclusive and comprehensive 12 or 24 month warranty and 365 day coverage, you can be assured of a first-class and personal service.

We would like to reassure all of our customers that, during the current situation we are taking great care to protect to you, our customers and also ourselves. Our engineers will be wearing face masks, gloves and observing social distancing rules. Stay safe.