TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE SUPPLY OF ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PLANS AND ESTATE PLANNING SERVICES
We are TFA Planning Limited t/a Trust Family Associates a company registered in England and Wales. Our company registration number is 11749141 and our registered office is at Metropolitan House, Station Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, Cheshire, United Kingdom, SK8 7AZ.
If you wish to contact us please write to Customer Services, Metropolitan House, Station Rd, Cheadle Hulme, SK8 7AZ or email hello@trustfamilyassociates.co.uk.
These Terms and Conditions (the “Terms”) apply to the agreement between
You and Us for the provision of the Estate Administration Plan and the Estate Planning Services. By placing an order with Us, You are offering to buy the Estate Administration Plan and the Estate Planning Services subject to these Terms. Our acceptance of your order will take place on completion and signing of your consultation documentation, at which point a contract will come into existence between You and Us.
Please read these Terms carefully before you submit Your order to us. These terms tell You who We are, how We will provide the services to You, how You and We may change or end the contract, what to do if there is a problem and other important information. If you think that there is a mistake in these Terms, please contact Us to discuss.
Definitions
The following terms have the following meanings in these Terms:
“Brochure” means Our official brochure, which contains details of Our Estate Administration Plans, Estate Planning Services, and relevant prices and which confirms Your selected Estate Administration Plan or selected Estate Planning Services.
“Deposit” means the amount You are required to pay upon placing your order
“Designated Professional Regulated Advisors” means the professional advisors that will perform Your Estate Administration Plan or Your chosen Estate Planning Services. All services that are regulated (reserved activity) are delivered by solicitors who are regulated by the SRA.
“Estate Planning Services” means Your choice of estate planning services (such as preparation of wills, lasting powers of attorneys and trusts) set out in the Brochure and as confirmed in the Estate Planning Services Confirmation.
“Estate Planning Services Confirmation” means the confirmation pack We will send You containing the Brochure and other documents, and which will confirm Your chosen Estate Planning Services and the Estate Planning Services Price.
“Estate Planning Disbursements” means the third-party costs associated with the Estate Planning Services that the Designated Professional Advisors will be required to pay on Your behalf, e.g. HM Land Registry Fees, Office of the Public Guardian fees
“Estate Planning Services Price” means the price of Your chosen Estate Planning Services which includes VAT as set out in the Brochure and confirmed in the Estate Planning Services Confirmation.
“Instalment Term” means the period of time that You have chosen to pay Your Estate Administration Plans or Estate Planning Services monthly instalment payments over.
“Next of Kin” means the personal representatives of the Plan Holder’s estate.
“Plan Benefit” means the provision of the Estate Administration Plan. The Designated Professional Advisors will provide the Plan Benefit at the Time of Need provided that You have complied with all of these Terms, including all payments due under Your selected Payment Method. The Plan Benefit is set out in the Brochure and Plan Certificate.
“Plan Cancellation Fee” means the charge that applies if You cancel Your Estate Administration Plan or Estate Planning Services more than 14 days after the Start Date. This charge is £595. Where services have been delivered the full selling price will be pursued if not Paid In Full.
“Plan Certificate” means the certificate issued to You usually within 45 days of the Start Date.
“Plan Event of Default” means any of the following events:
- any of the Instalments for Your Estate Administration Plan remain unpaid more than 60 days after it is due;
- no request for the Estate Administration Plan to be provided has been received by Us by the expiry of the period ending 6 months from the death of a Plan Holder; or
- the Next of Kin’s persistent failure to cooperate with the Designated Professional Advisors or to provide the necessary information requested by the Designated Professional Advisors within a reasonable period of time.
“Plan Holder” means the person(s) that the Estate Administration Plan is for, and after their death their estate.
“Plan Payment Method” means the way that You have chosen to pay for Your Estate Administration Plan or estate planning services either:
- “Lump Sum” – means payment in full in one single payment at the time you take out Your Estate Administration Plan or estate planning services: or
- “Instalments” – means paying for Your Estate Administration Plan or estate planning services by a set number of monthly instalment payments over Your Instalment Term.
“Plan Price” means the price of the Estate Administration Plan which includes VAT and which may be increased as set out in clause 3.4.
“Professional Advisors’ Fees” means the fees charged by the Designated Professional Advisors for the relevant Professional Advisors’ Services.
“Professional Advisors’ Services” means the Estate Administration or estate planning services (as applicable) that are supplied directly by the Designated Professional Advisors. The Estate Administration Plan only includes the Professional Adviser’s Services that are set out in the Plan Certificate and the Brochure. The Estate Planning Services only include the Professional Advisor’s Services that are set out in the Estate Planning Services Confirmation and the Brochure.
“Estate Administration Disbursements” means the third-party costs associated with the probate that the Designated Professional Advisors will be required to pay on the Plan Holder’s behalf, e.g. the costs for applying for a grant of probate with the court and conveyancing costs (sale of the property) as outlined in clauses 2.2.
“Estate Administration Plan(s)” means Your choice of Estate Administration plans set out in the Brochure as confirmed on the Brochure and Plan Certificate.
“Start Date” means the date that Your Estate Administration Plan or Your Estate Planning Services instruction was taken by us .
“Time of Need” means the time of the death of the Plan Holder.
“Us”, “We”, “Our” means TFA Planning Limited t/a Trust Family Associates.
“Welcome Pack” means the Brochure and other documents provided to you which will confirm your chosen Estate Administration Plan and Estate Planning Services Plan Price and Payment Method.
“You”, “Your” means the person or people applying for an Estate Administration Plan or Estate Planning Services.
1. Eligibility and Purpose of Your Estate Administration Plan and Your Estate Planning Services
1.1 The purpose of Your Estate Administration Plan is to give You and your loved one’s protection from the risk of rising costs of Estate Administration services and the worry of having to arrange and pay for your Estate Administration when the time comes. The Plan Price will cover the Professional Advisors’ Fees in relation to the Estate Administration services in full provided the Estate administration services are carried out by the Designated Professional Advisors. 1.2 You are eligible to apply for an Estate Administration Plan or Estate Planning Services if You are over 18 at the Start Date.
2. What Your Estate Administration Plan Includes
2.1 What your Estate Administration Plan includes will be detailed on your Estate Administration Plan certificate.
2.2 No refund is payable for Professional Advisors’ Services included in the Estate Administration Plan that your Next of Kin chooses not to receive at the Time of Need.
3. What Your Estate Administration Plan does not cover
3.1 Your Estate Administration Plan includes only those Plan Benefits detailed on your Plan Certificate. Examples of services that are not included in the Estate Administration Plan are: intangible assets, estate agent’s fees and conveyancing fees for the sale of property, property clearance and cleaning fees, fees for valuing assets, dealing with assets or liabilities outside of England and Wales, missing share certificate fees, asset tracing searches, dealing with disputes or claims against your estate, tracing missing or unknown beneficiaries, financial advice on disposal of assets.
3.2 The Estate Administration Plan does not cover the Plan Benefits in countries other than England and Wales [and is limited to dealing with one real estate property located in England and Wales].
3.3 The Estate Administration Plan does not include the costs of Estate Administration Disbursements. Estate Administration Disbursements are the third-party costs associated with the Estate Administration services that the Designated Professional Advisors will be required to pay on behalf of the Plan Holder, e.g. costs for applying for the grant of probate, required notices and services not included within your Plan Certificate. The Estate Administration Disbursements will be notified and charged to You (if You are not the Plan Holder) or the Next of Kin at the Time of Need.
3.4 The Plan Price is based on the estimated value of the Plan Holder’s estate and the number and types of assets held by the Plan Holder as at the Start Date (as set out in Your consultation document. If the value of the Plan Holder’s estate as at the Time of Need has increased by more than 25% over and above any increase in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), then We may increase the Plan Price by the same percentage. If the number and types of assets held by the Plan Holder as of the Time of Need have increased or changed substantially, then We may increase the Plan Price to reflect this. We will let Your Next of Kin know about any such increase to the Plan Price and will ask them to confirm whether they wish to pay the balance in full or cancel the Estate Administration Plan as set out in clause 12.5.
4. What Your Estate Planning Services Include
4.1 Your chosen Estate Planning Services include only those services specifically detailed on Your Estate Planning Services Confirmation and do not cover the provision of services in countries other than England and Wales nor any Estate Planning Disbursements.
4.2 The cost of Estate Planning Services is made up of the Professional Advisors’ Fees relating to Estate Planning Services. These charges cover all the elements of the estate planning services that are provided by the Designated Professional Advisors directly. They include the provision of the Professional Advisors’ Services in relation to Estate Planning Services based on Your chosen Estate Planning Services, e.g. drafting your will, lasting power of attorney or creating a trust.
4.3 We guarantee that the Professional Advisors’ Services in relation to the Estate Planning Services will be procured by Us on Your behalf at no extra cost to You, provided that the Estate Planning Services are carried out by the Designated Professional Advisors. Please see the Brochure and the Estate Planning Services Confirmation for the full details included in Your chosen Estate Planning Services option.
4.4 The cost of the Estate Planning Services does not include any Estate Planning Disbursements. Estate Planning Disbursements are the third-party costs associated with the Estate Planning Services that the Designated Professional Advisors will be required to pay on Your behalf, e.g. fees for registering a lasting power of attorneys, HM Land Registry charges etc We will notify and charge You of any Estate Planning Disbursements once Your Designated Professional Advisors are allocated to you as set out in clause 5.3.
5. Your Designated Professional Advisors
5.1 We work with contracted, reputable firms of professional regulated advisors to provide You with Estate Administration Plan Benefits and Estate Planning Services.
5.2 Where you have contracted an Estate Administration Plan, We will allocate a firm of professionally regulated advisors to You at the Time of Need.
5.3 Where you have instructed us, Upon receipt of all required information We will allocate a firm of professional regulated advisors to You..
5.4 If you have instructed Us and fail to either:
- attend two or more scheduled appointments with the Designated Professional regulated Advisors; or
- provide the necessary information requested by the Designated Professional regulated Advisors within a reasonable period of time,
We will have no further obligation to fulfil the Estate Planning Services and the relevant cancellation fee will apply.
6. The Plan Certificate and Your Details
6.1 We will send You the Plan Certificate within 45 days of receiving all required information appertaining to your plan You should keep this in a safe place and let the Plan Holder’s Next of Kin know where You keep it.
6.2 If You lose the Plan Certificate or move house, please contact Us and We will supply a suitable replacement.
6.3 If Your personal details (including name, home address, phone number and email address) change, please contact Us so that We can update Our records.
7. How to Pay for Your Estate Administration Plan or Your Estate Planning Services
7.1 You can choose to pay the Plan Price in one of the following Plan Payment Methods:
- Lump Sum, being payment in full by one single payment at the time You take out the Plan; or
- Instalments, being made by a set number of monthly instalment payments over Your Instalment Term. A minimum Deposit will be required before work will commence.
7.2. Where We have agreed to accept payment of the Estate Administration Plan or Estate Planning Services by Instalments, a charge of 4.7% per annum (or such instalment charge as is notified to you at the time of Your order) is charged on the balance of the Plan Price if the Instalments are agreed to be paid over a period greater than 12 months. The 4.7% charge does not form part of the Estate Administration Advisors’ Fees.
7.3. If, during the term of your Instalments, You wish to make Your Estate Administration Plan or Estate Planning Services fully paid you can do this by requesting from Us a statement of the balance outstanding under the Plan, and then paying that balance. If the outstanding balance on that statement is paid in full within 40 days of the Start Date all future instalment charges will be waived.
7.4. You may increase and/or decrease the amount of your Instalments at any time during the payment term by arrangement with Us. Increasing payments will reduce the Instalment Term initially agreed and will reduce the total amount to pay to make Your Estate Administration Plan or Estate Planning Services fully paid. Decreasing instalment payments will increase the Instalment Term and may increase the total amount to pay to make Your Estate Administration Plan or Estate Planning Services fully paid.
7.5 If, during the presentation of your Estate Administration Plan certificate or Estate Planning documentation you wish to amend Your instruction, given to Us through your consultation document or other documented media, we reserve the right to charge you additional fees to cover the additional works according to of fees at the time.
8. If Your Estate Administration Plan is Not Fully Paid at the Time of Need
8.1 The Estate Administration Plan will not provide the Plan Benefit until payment in full has been received. If You are paying by Instalments and the Estate Administration Plan has not been paid in full at the Time of Need, We will send You (if You are not the Plan Holder) or the Next of Kin details of the balance outstanding on the Estate Administration Plan to pay for the Estate Administration Plan in full.
8.2 You (if You are not the Plan Holder) or the Next of Kin will have the option to pay (or reach terms acceptable to Us for payment of) the outstanding balance in full before the Estate Administration services can be arranged.
8.3 We will notify You (if You are not the Plan Holder) or the Next of Kin at the Time of Need of the costs of the Estate Administration Disbursements that the Designated Professional Regulated Advisors will be required to pay on behalf of the Plan Holder. The costs of the Estate Administration Disbursements may need to be paid in full Or paid from the estate in order for the Designated Professional Regulated Advisors to carry out the Professional Advisors’ Services.
9. If You stop paying Estate Administration Plan Instalments part way through the Instalment Term
9.1 If You stop paying the Instalments part way through the Instalment Term, You have 60 days to reinstate the Estate Administration Plan by re-commencing payments.
9.2 If You do not re-commence payments within 60 days, the Estate Administration Plan will lapse Plan Holder’s estate subject to deduction of the following: (a) the Plan Cancellation Fee; and (b) any instalment charges paid under clause 7.3. If the payments made are less than the Plan Cancellation Fee, We may require You to pay the balance. We will have no further obligation to fulfil the Estate Administration Plan.
10. Estate Administration Plan Unclaimed Money
10.1 If the Estate Administration Plan has not been claimed by your 109th birthday, or if We are informed that You may have passed away, then We may write to You at the last address We have on record to ask whether You still plan to claim Your Estate Administration Plan. If We do not receive a response to the letter within a period of 28 days, We will consider that you have chosen not to claim Your Este Administration Plan and We may retain any payments You have made.
10.2 On a Plan Event of Default, We will be entitled to keep any payments made by You in respect of the Estate Administration Plan subject to these Terms.
11. Your Estate Administration Plan Money is Held in a Trust
11.1 The money paid by You is a pre-payment for the cost of the Estate Administration Plan. Your payment, less marketing and direct costs will be securely held in trust.
11.2 The funds in trust are held separately to Us and managed by independent trustees to ensure Your money is protected.
11.3 Neither You nor the Next of Kin or anyone claiming on your behalf or on behalf of the Plan Holder’s estate are entitled to any interest on or income from any of the money paid by You or on your behalf for the Estate Administration Plan.
12. Cancelling Your Estate Administration Plan or Your Estate Planning Services
12.1 You have the right to cancel Your Estate Administration Plan or Your Estate Planning Services within 14 days without giving any reason. The cancellation period will expire after 14 days from the Start Date.
12.2 To exercise the right to cancel, You must inform us of your decision to cancel this contract by a clear statement (e.g. a letter sent by post or email). You may use the model cancellation form available from Us upon request, but it is not obligatory. To meet the cancellation deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right to cancel before the cancellation period has expired.
12.3 If You decide to cancel the Estate Planning Services within 14 days after the Start Date all payments made to the date of cancellation will be repaid to you (without interest). In these circumstances, no cancellation fee will be payable. We will make the reimbursement to you without delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to cancel this contract.
12.4 If You decide to cancel the Estate Planning Services more than 14 days after the Start Date, please inform Us in writing at Our head office. Any payments made by You will be repaid to You subject to the deduction of the Cancellation Fee. If the payments made are less than the Cancellation Fee, We may require You to pay the balance.
12.5 If You decide to cancel the Estate Administration Plan more than 14 days after the Start Date, please inform Us in writing at Our head office. Any payments made by You will be refunded subject to the Plan Cancellation Fee. If the payments made are less than the Plan Cancellation Fee, We may require You to pay the balance.
12.6 If Your Estate Administration Plan is fully paid, Your Next of Kin shall not be entitled to cancel the Estate Administration Plan after the Time of Need subject to these Terms.
12.7 If You cancel the Estate Administration Plan or the Estate Planning Services, We will have no further obligation to fulfil the Estate Administration Plan or the Estate Planning Services.
13. Complaints
13.1 Complaints about Your Estate Administration Plan or Your Estate Planning Services should be made in writing to the Customer Services Department, Metropolitan House, Station Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, SK8 7AZ. We will acknowledge receipt of Your complaint within 14 days and will do Our utmost to ensure that any complaint is dealt with as quickly and efficiently as possible.
13.2 If We are unable to reach a mutually satisfactory outcome to Your complaint, We may refer your complaint to an independent mediator.
14. General
14.1 We may vary all or any of these Terms at any time upon giving You seven days prior written notice if and when it becomes necessary or appropriate to do so in order for Us to comply with legal, fiscal or regulatory requirements.
14.2 We will only use Your personal information as set out in Our privacy policy, which is displayed in Our website.
14.3 If We fail to comply with these Terms, We are responsible for loss or damage You suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breaking this contract or our failing to use reasonable care and skill, but we are not responsible for any loss or damage that is not foreseeable. Loss or damage is foreseeable if either it is obvious that it will happen or if, at the time the contract was made, both we and you knew it might happen.
14.4 We have no further obligation to You, the Plan Holder or the Next of Kin beyond the obligations set out in these Terms or otherwise agreed by Us in writing.
14.5 Any liability We may have to You or the Plan Holder under this contract is limited to £2,000,000. We do not exclude or limit in any way our liability to you where it would be unlawful to do so. This includes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or the negligence of our employees, agents or subcontractors; for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or failure to provide services with reasonable care and skill.
14.6 You cannot assign Your or the Plan Holder’s rights and obligations under the agreement, the Estate Planning Services or the Plan.
14.7 We may transfer our rights and obligations under these Terms to another organisation. We will always tell you in writing if this happens and we will ensure that the transfer will not affect your rights under this agreement.
14.8 This contract is between You and Us. No other person shall have any rights to enforce any of its terms.
14.9 Each of the paragraphs of these Terms operates separately. If any court or relevant authority decides that any of them are unlawful, the remaining paragraphs will remain in full force and effect.
14.10 If We do not insist immediately that you do anything you are required to do under these Terms, or if We delay in taking steps against You in respect of your breaking this contract, that will not mean that You do not have to do those things and it will not prevent Us taking steps against You at a later date.
14.11 These Terms are governed by English Law, and either party can bring legal proceedings in connection with these Terms in the English Courts.