Enduring Power of Attorney

JGB1955

You don't need a solicitor to make the certified copies of LPAs:
https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney/certify
A laborious process, but definitely doable....
Except that's for a LPA, not EPA

tyllwyd

I agree that it is very sensible to get a solicitor to provide some certified copies (they will very probably charge, and be prepared to bring documents to prove your own identity eg passport). As someone else said, if you hand over the document to be photocopied, count all the pages when they hand them back and check they are all originals (ie that they don't give you the photocopy of a page and keep the original page).


I've been registering an LPA with various different banks etc and they all have their own processes - one was online and others asked me to come into a branch or send the LPA in by post. The best thing is to have a look online or talk to someone at each place to find out what they need you to do.

AnotherJoe

With an LPA its not too difficult to certify copies yourself, i bought a stamp that has teh right wording on it, was about £20 i think (and it would have been cheaper but the powers that be decided that LPAs had their own specific wording different to every other certified copy wording for which stamps are about a fiver or so.
Stamp and sign each page and handwrite the last page which AFAICR has its own wording.. Solicitor not necessary (and with a stamp it looks official anyway but the LPA wording makes it clear its not necessary to use a solicitor, its the wording thats key and no doubt a solicitor will just use the same stamp they wont be handwriting the words.)
Not help to OP but anyone else reading this it may be.

SouthCoastBoy

Thanks for all the replies. I was hoping to keep costs down and not go to a solictor. My expectation was that once registered with the Office of Public Guardian (OPG) if the original was lost I could get a certified copy from the OPG. However I cannot see that mentioned anywhere. I think I will give them a ring and try and get confirmation, my only problem with that is the correct info may not be given by customer service so still could not be 100% sure if lost I am covered.

xylophone

Relative had to register EPA with OPG - they wanted the original document.

Hargel112

Do not rely on being able to use certified copies by the donor. My parents did exactly that when we first registered their LPAs and not one company we have dealt with in the subsequent 6 years has been prepared to accept them.   One recently thought they might, but only if the document was certified now, which wasn't an option as my Mum no longer has capacity.   Anyone who requires sight of the full document will only accept the original or a copy certified by a solicitor.

Keep_pedalling

Hargel112 said:

Do not rely on being able to use certified copies by the donor. My parents did exactly that when we first registered their LPAs and not one company we have dealt with in the subsequent 6 years has been prepared to accept them.   One recently thought they might, but only if the document was certified now, which wasn't an option as my Mum no longer has capacity.   Anyone who requires sight of the full document will only accept the original or a copy certified by a solicitor.

Unfortunately there is a lot of ignorance and poor training of front line staff out there, this should not be the case and self certified copies should be accepted. I was told over the phone by someone in the DWP that they would not accept one, until I pointed her to the governments web site on how to make a SCC at which point she apologised and said it would be fine.

if the worst came to the worst and you lost the original the OoPG will issue a duplicate but it will cost you £26.