In the past, people either wrote their own Wills, or
traditionally, if they wanted professional help they had to go to a
solicitor. But solicitors are governed by law;
will-writing companies are not.
It is no surprise that The Legal Services Board are now stepping
in to try and regulate the private Will writing companies around
the country. Consumers have recently complained about cheap scams
with hidden costs associated with unregulated Will writing, leaving
beneficiaries out of pocket.
There have been horror stories in the news of beneficiaries that
have been scammed out of fortunes left by loved ones in their
Wills. Most of these cases, the beneficiaries were unaware of the
legacy that was left to them. It is indeed scary to think that you
would write a Will leaving gifts to loved ones with the possibility
of them not receiving it.
If you are a potential customer looking into writing your Will
through a private Will writing company, you need to be aware of the
regulatory bodies that are associated with Will writers. The
Society of Will Writers is a very common regulatory body to be a
member of so look out for their seal. Private will-writing
companies now claim to write about 10% of all new Wills. Therefore
it is very important that one knows they are dealing with a
trustworthy company.
Anyone who is charging a fee for writing a Will should be
regulated some way or another. They should have the appropriate the
qualifications and should have proper indemnity in place. Obtaining
professional indemnity insurance covers not only the company
against claims but protects you as a consumer, with the knowledge
that the company is properly protected.
Comments (0)