Smith and Co Solicitors

16/06/2026

It is our pleasure to announce that Pauline Hodgson has been promoted to Head of Residential Property at Smith & Co Solicitors.

With 16 years' experience in property law, Pauline is a highly respected Consultant Solicitor who specialises in residential property matters, including more complex transactions. She is known for her technical expertise, exceptional client care and unwavering commitment to achieving the best outcomes for her clients.

Pauline's promotion has been met with an overwhelmingly positive response across the firm, reflecting the high regard in which she is held by colleagues. As well as her extensive knowledge and experience, she is recognised for the guidance and support she provides to those around her.

Her dedication to client service is also mirrored in her outstanding client feedback, with consistent five-star reviews praising her professionalism, communication and attention to detail.

Speaking about her new role, Pauline said: "I am excited to be heading up such a strong and dedicated team. My focus will be on developing the department further, building on our existing strengths, and ensuring that we continue to provide excellent client care, robust compliance, and first-class property law expertise."

Congratulations to Pauline on this well-deserved promotion! We look forward to seeing the department continue to thrive under her leadership.

11/06/2026

We are pleased to share that Smith & Co Solicitors has been awarded an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) from Benenden Health and Benenden Charitable Trust, in partnership with St John Ambulance.

Having access to life-saving equipment like this can make a real difference in an emergency, and we are proud to play a small part in helping to improve access to AEDs within our local community.

The AED is located outside our Ipswich office and is available for public use. In the event of an emergency, members of the public should call 999, where the ambulance service will provide the access code if the device is required.

Thank you to our neighbours at The Green Room Café and Ipswich Tuition Centre for joining us as we marked the installation of the AED.

📍 AED Location:
21 St Margaret's Green
Ipswich
IP4 2BN

09/06/2026

Our People & Culture Lead, Abbie Cole, recently attended The Essentials workshop delivered by The Mental Health Toolkit by Suffolk Mind, exploring practical ways to better understand mental health, emotional wellbeing and how to support people in the workplace.

The session provided valuable insight into the importance of recognising individual needs, encouraging healthy workplace conversations and helping create an environment where people feel listened to both personally and professionally.

🫶 Investing in opportunities like this is an important part of how we continue to prioritise and strengthen wellbeing across the four Smith & Co Solicitors locations.

04/06/2026

Behind every successful property transaction is a team working closely together to support clients at every stage.

🌟 We’re pleased to share a recent five-star review for Jade Shelton and Jake Brace, whose teamwork and support helped guide clients through the emotional sale of a family property.

Selling a loved one’s home can be a particularly difficult process, so being just a phone call away to provide reassurance throughout is incredibly important.

By combining expertise with a personal approach, our property teams work hard to ensure clients feel informed, supported and in safe hands from start to finish.

💚 A fantastic piece of feedback for Jade and Jake!

ReviewSolicitors

03/06/2026

We'd like to wish Alex Leader and the entire Rose Builders team the very best of luck for Saturday's Brave Futures Dragon Boat Race!

Brave Futures carries out incredibly important work supporting young survivors of sexual abuse across Suffolk and Norfolk, and it's fantastic to see local businesses coming together to raise funds and awareness for such a worthwhile cause.

If you'd like to join us in supporting their fundraising efforts, you can donate at the link in the post below or in the comments.

Good luck to everyone taking part – we hope the Rose, Rose, Rose Your Boat team have a brilliant day on the water and enjoy the atmosphere down at the Waterfront! 💚

The Oar-some Roses are ready to race! 🌹🚣‍♀️

On the 6th of June, the Rose team will be taking part in the Brave Futures Dragon Boat Race at the Ipswich Waterfront, raising money for an incredible charity doing truly life-changing work.

Brave Futures provides specialist support to young survivors of sexual abuse across Suffolk and Norfolk. Sadly, demand for their services continues to grow, meaning every donation will help support children and young people in rebuilding their futures.

If you’re able to support us, we’d be hugely grateful for any contribution to our JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/rose-builders-3?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

And if you fancy a great day out, come along and cheer us on! The event takes place at the Ipswich Waterfront from 10:00am, with plenty of entertainment, stalls, food, and fantastic atmosphere throughout the day.
Wish The Oar-some Roses luck! 🌊🚣‍♂️🌹

02/06/2026

🤩 We are incredibly proud of our Graduate Solicitor Apprentice, Kitty Paul, who recently attended Buckingham Palace in recognition of achieving her Gold The Duke of Edinburgh's Award!

The Gold Award is the highest level of the DofE programme and is widely recognised for helping young people develop resilience, leadership, teamwork and confidence.

These are qualities that Kitty demonstrates every day as an important member of our team, so it's wonderful to see her hard work and dedication recognised at such a prestigious event.

Congratulations, Kitty – a truly well-deserved achievement!

28/05/2026

🏠 Buying or selling a property is often a good time to think about putting your affairs in order – including making sure you have a valid, up-to-date Will in place.

To support our clients with this, Smith & Co is now offering 10% off Wills for all property clients.

Property ownership can have a significant impact on how your estate is managed in the future, and having the right Will in place can help ensure your wishes are clearly set out and your loved ones are protected.

📃 Our experienced Private Client team can provide clear, practical advice tailored to your circumstances, whether you are making a Will for the first time or updating an existing one following a move or change in circumstances.

To find out more, please get in touch with our team via [email protected] or 01473 226231.

26/05/2026

This Friday 29th May, Amber Rainford will be hosting a free legal advice clinic at Felixstowe Conservative Club from 11am–1pm.

Amber is a Felixstowe native who brings years of experience in a wide range of areas, including property and conveyancing, landlord and tenant issues, family matters, Wills & Lasting Power of Attorney.

💚 Whether you need guidance on a specific issue or simply want to understand your options, we’re here to help.

To book your slot:
📧 [email protected]
📞 01394 242805

22/05/2026

📣 Landlords should be aware of further important changes introduced under the Renters’ Rights Act.

The notice requirements for Section 8 rent arrears cases have now changed. To obtain a mandatory eviction order, landlords must now show a minimum of three months’ rent arrears rather than two, and the notice period has increased from two weeks to four weeks.

These changes may affect how landlords manage arrears cases and the timescales involved, making it increasingly important to understand your responsibilities and options under the new legislation.

As a reminder, landlords who are required to provide the new Renters’ Rights Information Sheet to tenants must do so by 31 May 2026.

If you would like advice on how the Renters’ Rights Act affects you or your property, Keith Holland and his team are here to help.

📧 [email protected]
📞 01473 226231

20/05/2026

🏠 Last week, members of our Haverhill conveyancing team spent time with local estate agents across the area, continuing to build the strong professional relationships that help support a smooth experience for clients.

🍓 Carrie-Ann, Karen and Megan brought afternoon tea to Bychoice Haverhill, Shires Residential and Cheffins Haverhill in Haverhill, Hockeys in Linton and David Burr in Clare.

The visits were a great opportunity to discuss ways of working more closely together, strengthen our local connections and ensure clients benefit from clear communication and a seamless service throughout the conveyancing process.

💚 It was a pleasure to spend time with so many local property professionals and we look forward to continuing to work together across the Haverhill area.