Sponsored by
New Leeds law firm Heslop and Platt will specialise in French property law
A NEW firm of solicitors specialising in French property law is opening in Leeds.
Half a million Britons have homes in France. Graham Platt, who has been a solicitor in Leeds for 42 years, believes many of them who are permanent residents in France will be facing difficulties because of the credit crunch - especially those who have seen the value of their pensions tumble by 30 per cent as the pound has lost value against the euro.
He and law partner Barbara Heslop have launched their new venture to cater specially for Britons with investments in France.
Both are fluent French speakers, and Mr Platt, a former Labour councillor in Leeds, is also a qualified avocat in France.
"I appreciate the economy is in bad shape and a downturn is not best moment to start a new business," he said.
"However there are half a million English speaking owners of French property and they will also be facing the crunch - especially those dependant on UK pensions which when turned into euros have been reduced by at about 30 per cent over the last year, and could go down even more.
"Such people seek advice from bi-lingual lawyers and in our experience they like to confide in a UK based solicitor."
The new firm, Heslop and Platt, starts up this month and will be based in offices in Mabgate, close to Leeds city centre.
"It will be everything French and nothing else," said Mr Platt. "We are taking on two employees, one English and one French."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leeds
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
