Q:    My father has dementia and has gone into care. My sister and I have joint power of attorney. We believed he kept his original Will at home, but we cannot find it and he does not understand when we ask him about it, and the family solicitor has long since retired. We have a copy of what we believe was the last Will he made, but what happens if he dies and the original has not been found?

Q:    My sister says my wife has controlled my life for years. I used to defend my wife but since the COVID-19 pandemic I have realised my sister is right and things are getting worse. My wife has destroyed my confidence and says I am incapable of making decisions for myself. Back in February I supposedly collapsed in the street after leaving the pub. Someone called an ambulance and also my wife. When my wife came, she refused to let me go to hospital. It turned out I had been mugged and had a head injury. Now she says we cannot have the COVID vaccine because it will poison us. She says we will stay home until the pandemic has ended. She took my phone and credit card and changed the bank passwords. I have nowhere to go. What can I do?

One of the region’s largest and most highly respected family law teams has announced the appointment of an additional solicitor with a special interest in domestic abuse cases at its Wrexham head office.

GHP Legal, which also has offices in Oswestry, Llangollen and Chirk, says the appointment of Sean Rolinson reflects an increase in the number of enquiries relating to family matters, and in particular domestic abuse cases, since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Q:    In November 2019 we engaged a builder to construct an extension and do a loft conversion on our bungalow. He was to start work in Spring 2020. We paid up front for some materials but then the coronavirus pandemic started and the job was delayed. He did some of the groundworks after first lockdown and then wanted more money for steelwork that had not been budgeted for. We paid that but there was a further delay due to manufacturing problems. To date we have paid over £45,000 but the job is nowhere near complete and since January this year we have been unable to contact the builder, despite having a contract for the work. What should we do?

Q:    I arranged for my house to be completely decorated inside and out whilst I stayed with my daughter who is in my COVID bubble. I listed everything I wanted doing and all the paint colours before the decorator quoted. On my return home, I found his workmanship poor, he had painted the ceilings white instead of doing them the same colour as the walls, and he had used gloss on the woodwork when I had specified eggshell.

Q:    I am claiming compensation for injuries sustained in a car accident that was not my fault. My injuries are not being disputed but the insurance company has instructed a solicitor who is based miles away to handle my claim. With the COVID restrictions this means there is no chance of him or her ever seeing me and my injuries. I find this extremely worrying as the appointed solicitor will not have a first-hand opportunity to see how bad I am and may therefore not get me the best deal. So, my question is: do I have to go with that solicitor, or can I request to have a solicitor to handle my case who is based nearer to where I live?

Q:    My partner was crossing a road at a set of traffic lights on her way to work when she was clipped by a delivery lorry trying to beat the lights. She sustained bruising, a dislocated shoulder and also a badly broken leg. The lorry driver admitted liability and my partner subsequently put in a claim for injury compensation. She has now received a ‘Part 36 Offer’ which we do not really understand. Please can you explain what a Part6 36 Offer is, and whether or not she should accept it?

A Wrexham woman who joined one of the region’s largest independent law firms as a conveyancing clerk at their Chirk office and was subsequently offered a training contract with the firm has qualified as a solicitor.

Q:    My wife has several life-limiting health conditions. I have been her main carer for three years, along with support provided on a rota basis. I also look after our two children. Following a stroke my wife became violent and abusive and the situation is now untenable. I have dangerously high blood pressure, psoriasis and have recently contemplated suicide. Harsh as it may seem, I cannot go on and have taken the heartbreaking decision to leave her. Our marriage is over. The big question is should I start divorce proceedings. I need the best outcome for us all.

Q:    When the COVID pandemic hit we never thought it would turn into a year-long crisis. We understood that some of our regular customers might have a cash flow problem, and as we were in a healthy financial position at the start of it, we were happy to give them credit. Now the situation is different, and we are experiencing a cashflow problem ourselves. Time to call in the debts we are owed but, so far, our ‘nice’ letters are producing few results. We have two clients who owe substantial amounts and who we fear may go under. What is the best way to deal with these debts?