The Final Rip Off

10th August 2010

Most people who have come into contact with a will writing company will not have been surprised by the Panorama programme which went out on the 9^th August.

The BBC programme exposed the ‘industry’ of the unregulated will writing companies, in some cases highlighting instances of fraud and theft. Where an organisation is unregulated, there is then usually no recourse to compensation for loss.

Here at Thatcher & Hallam we watched the programme with interest. Over the last few years, we have had an increasing number of distraught families coming to see us, in order to get help to clean up the mess left behind by the will writing companies. It is only when the person making the will actually dies that all of the hidden costs and mistakes come to light. By then, of course, it is too late.

One of the solicitors in our Wills, Trusts and Estates department is George Persson. He explains his real worries and concerns regarding will writing companies.

‘They are unregulated, untrained and uninsured. It takes up to 7 years for someone like myself to qualify as a solicitor,’says George. ‘It takes this long because the training is tough and complex, having to deal with issues as diverse as tax planning and succession. Yet, the law as it now stands means that anyone can set up their own will writing business with no training, unregulated so that they have no supervisory body and can trade without insurance. It is hardly a surprise that sometimes things can go disastrously wrong with will writers and when they do, there is no regulatory authority to look after your interest or indeed anyone to pay compensation.’

We advise all of our clients to make a will. It will help protect your family and your hard-earned cash.

Call us now on 01761 414646 and ask for our wills team. We will talk the process through with you and then give you a fixed price cost for the making of your will. You can do this with the assurance that there are no hidden costs. And unlike most will writing companies, we will store your will at absolutely no cost.