Solicitors in Hampton-in-Arden and Barston

Hampton-in-Arden, Barston and Catherine-de-Barnes form the rural east of the Solihull Metropolitan Borough — a conservation-area village, a scattered parish of substantial detached and equestrian properties, and a small hamlet on the Grand Union Canal. Most of what we do for clients here is private-client work: wills, lasting powers of attorney, probate, trusts and inheritance-tax planning. We also handle conservation-area and rural conveyancing, higher-value matrimonial matters and property or estate disputes. The person you meet at your first appointment is the solicitor who runs your matter until the file closes.

Call 0121 270 2700, email info@pearcelegal.co.uk, or book a free initial consultation.

Where we are, and how village clients reach us

Our office is at 2 The Square, Solihull, B91 3RB, roughly ten to fifteen minutes' drive from most of the villages we serve in the east of the borough:

- From Hampton-in-Arden village: around 10 minutes by car via the A452 and A45.

- From Barston: around 12 minutes via Barston Lane and the A452.

- From Catherine-de-Barnes: around 8 minutes via Solihull Road.

- By train: Hampton-in-Arden station is one stop from Birmingham International, with regular services to Birmingham New Street; Solihull station is a short taxi from there.

- Home visits: for clients who are elderly, unwell, or where it is more practical, we offer home visits by prior arrangement across the villages of eastern Solihull.

- Video or telephone: most private-client and conveyancing work can be completed without you attending in person if that suits you better.

The nearest public car parks to our office are Mell Square and Touchwood, both under five minutes' walk from The Square.

For a broader view of the firm and our full contact details, see the Solihull office page.

Why village and rural clients instruct Pearce Legal

The villages of eastern Solihull have a different pattern of legal need from the town centre or the suburbs. What we hear from clients in Hampton-in-Arden and Barston is a mix of the following:

- Estate and inheritance-tax planning that reflects the value of the estate. Substantial detached houses, second homes, business interests, pensions and investment portfolios all interact with the residence nil-rate band, business relief and gifting rules. We advise on structures that fit the family, not off-the-peg templates.

- Wills and lasting powers of attorney that anticipate later life. Older established residents often want a will and LPAs reviewed together, with clear succession planning for family members who may be scattered across the country or overseas. We keep the file, review on triggering life events, and act promptly when a matter moves from planning to administration.

- Conveyancing that respects listed and conservation-area property. The Hampton-in-Arden conservation area, listed buildings along the High Street, Meriden Road and Diddington Lane, and equestrian and paddock title around Barston all need a solicitor who has done the work before. Restrictive covenants from historic estate breakups are common and we know what to look for.

- Higher-value matrimonial work handled discreetly. Financial remedy involving pensions, business interests, agricultural or equestrian assets and second homes, and Schedule 1 Children Act applications, all handled by a named partner-level solicitor.

- Home visits and continuity of relationship. For older clients or where mobility is a factor, we come to you. And you deal with the same solicitor from first meeting to final file — no rotating case-handlers.

We are a licensed body (ABS) authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, SRA number 423097, and we carry professional indemnity insurance in excess of the SRA minimum.

Services we provide to clients in Hampton-in-Arden, Barston and Catherine-de-Barnes

Wills, lasting powers of attorney and estate planning

Single and mirror wills, more complex wills involving business or agricultural interests, lasting powers of attorney for property and financial affairs and for health and welfare, and coordinated review of wills and LPAs together. We keep the file and review on triggering life events — marriage, separation, a new grandchild, a business sale, a change in the residence nil-rate band position. Fixed fees for standard wills and LPAs; a written estimate for more complex work.
→ Wills, trusts and probate · Making or amending a will · Lasting powers of attorney

Trusts and inheritance tax planning

Lifetime and testamentary trusts, discretionary trusts for adult children or vulnerable beneficiaries, and coordinated planning across the nil-rate band, residence nil-rate band, business relief, agricultural relief and gifting rules. We work with your accountant and financial adviser where appropriate — trusts and tax planning is rarely the work of a solicitor alone.
→ Trusts · Tax planning

Probate and estate administration

Full-service estate administration, grant-only work where the family wants to handle most of the administration themselves, and contested-probate advice where a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 or a challenge to the will is in prospect. Where there is a substantial estate, we work through the Inheritance Tax account (IHT400) in detail and advise on the interaction with any lifetime gifts and reliefs.
→ Probate · Contesting a will · Court of Protection

Rural and conservation-area conveyancing

Sales and purchases of substantial detached and equestrian properties, listed buildings and conservation-area homes, and rural title including paddocks, outbuildings and land with access or covenant complications. We handle the specific title, planning-history, listed-building-consent and restrictive-covenant issues these properties throw up rather than treating them as ordinary residential transactions. Where a property has an agricultural or equestrian element, we advise on the correct SDLT position.
→ Conveyancing in Solihull · Conveyancing in Warwick · Conveyancing in Coventry

Family law

Divorce, financial remedy, child arrangements, cohabitation, civil partnership matters and pre- and post-nuptial agreements. In this catchment, family-law matters more often involve pensions, business interests, agricultural or equestrian assets, second homes and international elements. Wherever appropriate we start with non-court dispute resolution: mediation, collaborative law, arbitration. Hearings, where required, are usually listed at the Birmingham Civil and Family Justice Centre, 33 Bull Street, B4 6DS.
→ Family law · Divorce · Separation agreements · Financial agreements · Child law · Civil partnerships · Cohabitation rights and agreements · Pre- and post-nuptial agreements

Property, boundary and inheritance disputes

Boundary disputes between neighbouring properties (common on older village plots where deeds and physical boundaries drifted apart over decades), rights-of-way and easement disputes, restrictive-covenant disputes, and inheritance and 1975 Act claims where an estate distribution is challenged. We advise on litigation risk before proceedings, use pre-action correspondence and mediation to resolve matters early where sensible.
→ Dispute resolution · Contesting a will · Debt recovery

Employment law and settlement agreements

Fixed-fee settlement agreement advice for senior employees exiting a role, and executive-level advice on restrictive covenants, bonus and equity disputes, discrimination and constructive dismissal. Where we act for family-owned businesses in the villages, we also advise on employment matters for those businesses.
→ Employment law for employees · Settlement agreements · Employment law for businesses

Personal injury

Road-traffic accidents on the A45 and M42 corridors, riding and equestrian accidents where a claim against a third party arises, and workplace accidents. Most personal-injury work is conducted on a no-win, no-fee basis; we explain the funding arrangement, the recoverable and non-recoverable costs and the likely time frame at the outset.
→ Personal injury

For businesses in Hampton-in-Arden, Barston and Catherine-de-Barnes

Our commercial team advises rural and small-business clients in the eastern villages — including family-owned businesses, farm and equestrian businesses, professional practices and small commercial landlords — on:

- Commercial leases (grant, assignment, renewal, contracting out under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, dilapidations and break clauses)

- Commercial property purchases, sales and small-scale development

- Company formation, shareholders' agreements, family-business succession and franchising

- Commercial contracts, terms and conditions, and debt recovery

- Commercial dispute resolution and employment matters for employers

The area we cover

From our office on The Square, we act for clients across the eastern villages of the Solihull Metropolitan Borough:

- Hampton-in-Arden (village core, High Street, Meriden Road, Diddington Lane, the conservation area, Old Rectory Lane surrounds)

- Barston (village, Barston Lane, Farm Road, Walsh Lane and the scattered rural properties along Barston Park)

- Catherine-de-Barnes ("Catney") — Grand Union Canal frontage, Solihull Road and Hampton Lane

- Bickenhill (parts, where B92 meets the NEC and airport boundary)

- Fen End and Cornets End on the CV7 fringe, where our catchment meets the Berkswell area

Hampton-in-Arden and Barston are administered by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council from Manor Square in Solihull; the parish of Hampton-in-Arden has its own parish council for local matters. That mix of borough and parish administration is worth knowing about for anything touching planning, footpaths, licensing or conservation-area consent.

What happens when a village client contacts us

Initial call. A member of our team will take a short summary of the matter and, where appropriate, offer a free 15-minute consultation with the relevant solicitor.

Conflict check and client care. We run standard SRA conflict and ID checks and issue a client-care letter setting out scope, fees, funding options and complaints procedure before any chargeable work begins.

Choice of meeting format. In person at 2 The Square, at your home in the villages by prior arrangement, by video, or by telephone. Home visits are common for older clients or where mobility is a factor.

A named solicitor throughout. One point of contact, a direct dial and email, and written updates at agreed intervals.

If at any point you are unhappy with our service, our internal complaints procedure is set out in the client-care letter. You may also, in defined circumstances, complain to the Legal Ombudsman and, on regulatory matters, to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Frequently asked questions

Do you handle listed buildings and conservation-area property in Hampton-in-Arden?
Yes. The Hampton-in-Arden conservation area and the listed properties along the village core need a conveyancer who understands listed-building consent, conservation-area constraints, restrictive covenants from historic estate breakups and the specific title issues that older village property throws up. We treat these as specialist transactions, not standard residential ones.

Do you offer home visits in Barston and the surrounding villages?
Yes. For clients who are elderly, unwell, or where a home visit is simply more practical, we arrange home visits across Hampton-in-Arden, Barston and Catherine-de-Barnes by prior appointment. Will-signing and LPA-signing appointments in particular are often best done at home.

Do you advise on equestrian and rural property?
Yes. Paddock title, outbuilding consents, riding and stabling arrangements, access rights across neighbouring land and the correct SDLT treatment where a property has a mixed residential and agricultural element are all part of the rural conveyancing work we do around Barston in particular.

Do you handle probate for substantial estates, including inheritance tax accounts?
Yes. We handle full-service estate administration including preparation of the IHT400 and supporting schedules, coordination with HMRC and the Probate Registry, and work with the family's accountant and financial adviser where the estate involves business or agricultural relief, lifetime gifts or trust interests.

Are you accepting new private-client instructions?
Yes. We are actively taking on wills, LPAs, probate and estate-planning work from clients across Hampton-in-Arden, Barston and Catherine-de-Barnes. Most matters begin with a short free initial call to confirm scope and fees before any chargeable work starts.

Speak to a solicitor about a matter in Hampton-in-Arden or Barston

Telephone: 0121 270 2700
Email: info@pearcelegal.co.uk
Visit: 2 The Square, Solihull, B91 3RB (Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:15)
Or: book a free consultation.

For our full firm overview and other Solihull-borough location pages, see Solicitors in Solihull, Solicitors in Knowle and Dorridge and Solicitors in Olton.