The 12 point plan for making a quality will

  1. Check whether the law firm or will-writing company has sufficient experience in writing Wills, by asking how many they write each year. Specialists write many thousands each year, but if the company you’re speaking to has written less than 100 it may be lack up-to-date legal knowledge, or charge you a premium price;
  2. Expect your instruction meeting to last at least 60 minutes, and probably more like 90 minutes – if it is any less, it may not be detailed enough to cover everything properly
  3. Make sure you are given an original copy of the instruction notes after this first meeting: you will need it to check against the draft Will, to make sure what you asked for is reflected properly
  4. Check who will actually draft the Will, what qualifications they have, and when they actually last trained: relevant accreditations include ILEX and STEP.
  5. Ask if the company has professional indemnity insurance in case anything goes wrong later on, and up to what limit. This should be at least £2million, and ideally £5million or more.
  6. Ask what internal checks will be made on the draft Will before it is returned to you. Many Wills are based on templates and written by junior staff - but the drafts must be checked by someone senior and more experienced.
  7. Ask if, once you have signed the final Will, the company or solicitor will give your completed Will a final check: they should be prepared to do this for no charge (in effect they are checking you have signed the Will properly, in the right place, and have the right witness’s signatures).
  8. If you decide to appoint a professional as an executor (something we wouldn’t advise but is sometimes necessary) ensure they are willing to renounce it without cost at any point in the future if asked.
  9. If you are purchasing a long term service, such as Will storage, ask what happens if the firm ceases to trade.
  10. If you need to complain, ask how?
  11. Ask if they are a member of any trade body/organisation and what protection this offers
  12. If you change your mind and don’t want to go ahead with writing a will after an initial consultation, ensure you won’t be charged.


More about Trust Inheritance Services: Will Writing