Dangers of cheap online Wills needs exposing, claims leading law firm
One of the county’s most respected law practices has warned those thinking of making a cheap online Will that they do so at their peril.
QualitySolicitors Mander Cruickshank has called on those looking for cheap and convenient Wills to think again.
“It is a concern for us that there are Wills out there which will cause real problems for families in the future,” Peter Chadwick, a senior solicitor at the Coalville firm said.
“Wills are legal documents and it is vital they are drawn up in a way that meets the law’s requirements or there could be many years of trouble ahead,” he said.
“The public may find the law and lawyers a pain at times , but sometimes the wrong word or poorly expressed wishes can lead to confusion and legal battles begin,” he added.
Presently, unregulated Will-writing companies are providing about 10 per cent of Wills in the country.
“Solicitors are required to carry Professional Indemnity Insurance, and are also subject to a rigorous professional regulatory and disciplinary regime,” said Mr Chadwick. “Will-writers operate with no such safeguards.”
He said too that prices advertised can often be misleading.
“Evidence obtained by The Law Society suggests that many unregulated Will writers are bumping up their fees with additional costs, such as storage charges. In one example a client paid an additional storage fee charge of £149 per year on top of the initial £150 will writing fee,” he warned.
He added that unregulated Will-writing’s problems generally only comes to light when it’s too late.
“As many people make Wills quite some years before their death, issues often only come to light years later when the unregulated Will- writer may have long since ceased to trade leaving no chance of redress if things go wrong,” he said.
“For the good of consumer protection this means that helping the public realise who are Will experts is the wise choice, and the only sensible choice is to instruct a solicitor to prepare your will.”
“A face to face meeting taking detailed instructions and discussing your desired outcomes takes precious little time in the great scheme of things, even in this Internet age. This reassurance is incalculable for families.”
If anyone is thinking of writing a Will or have concerns about an existing Will they are urged to contact QualitySolicitors Mander Cruickshank on 01530 510666.
Any queries call Nolan PR on 01564 822861/ 07505 133302
