Get proper legal advice about Wills to avoid being ripped off

No doubt you will have heard this week about the dangers of not getting proper legal advice when it comes to writing Wills.

Winters Legal Solicitors based in St Ives, Cambridgeshire is raising its concerns about the issue and the need to use someone who is trained, insured and regulated. It comes following the recent Panorama programme (broadcast on BBC1) which highlights the risks associated with using Will writing services and the Gerry Robinson series about wills.

Michelle Seddon, Head of Wills and Probate at Winters Legal said "The fear of Solicitors’ costs prompts some people to use Will writers. Many are under the false impression that a ‘Will writer’ is a Solicitor, but unlike a Solicitor they don’t have to undergo any training or have insurance. They’re not regulated by any organisation which ensures they conduct their activities in the interests of the consumer and provide some form of redress, if things go wrong."

She added, "Solicitors are required to set out in writing the basis of their charges and in many cases Wills are undertaken for a fixed fee with free storage of Wills and other documents."

The case of Suzanne Poole is shown in the BBC programme – she used a Will writer, but the Will failed to include any provision for her husband Andrew, leaving the entire estate in trust for his stepdaughters.

Caroline Bielanska, Chief Executive of Solicitors for the Elderly is also featured. She said, "A specialist Solicitor would have asked why a spouse was left out, kept a detailed record of those reasons and advised of the high risk that the Will would be challenged. Solicitors are in the business of giving legal advice and taking into account the client’s domestic and financial circumstances - it does not appear that Suzanne Poole received any such advice."

Michelle commented, "This programme highlights the potential for getting it wrong without full legal advice and the need for proper regulation of Will writers. It can be very costly to undo after you’ve passed away and can leave your family in disarray when they have to pick up the pieces, as problems generally only come to light when you’ve died."

Sarah Jane Featherstone is a Partner at Winters Legal Solicitors in St Ives, Cambridgeshire www.winterslegal.co.uk  She can be contacted on 01480 377377 or by email at SJ.Featherstone@winterslegal.co.uk