Advice re: wills & executors please.

True_Star

monkey_spank wrote: »

As far as I know they are all currently self regulating, but from my own experiences and what I've learnt, the Institute of professional will writers have very high standards of ethics and professionalism. The only trouble is no-one is obliged to join a professional body so they can operate with impunity. Also with all these different professional organisations how on earth can the consumer differentiate?

From what I can recall, on the Trust Inheritance thread that you and I have posted on, the SWW briefly appeared and were invited to comment on the ethics of one its members but chose not to do so. Doesn't really inspire confidence does it?

Then of course we have solicitors. And by your own admission unless the punter pays top dollar to a specialist niche firm, they are generally not much better. We all know that most solicitors who write wills are motivated by the earnings potential of being an executor. If it's any consolation at least they are insured and they can be disqualified. But really the trusting public deserve better.

I really hope that regulation clears up a really unsatisfactory profession - but I really fear nothing much will change. The unscrupulous and incompetent will probably remain in one way or another.

Perhaps in the first instance you could visit the IPW's website and have a read up and read a few threads on here as part of your research.

In Response to your post I cant believe that somebody coming on this site for constructive advice that you see me as a threat to you I really am only looking for answers and what I am begining to see quite clearly that you must be in the employ of the IPW as every other organisation seems to be incompitent onther than them.
I note the solicitor RobS77 genuinly coming on this site to find more information out has had the same response that I have that its the IPW or nobody, I tend to lean towards The Society of Willwriters and or The Fellowship as they do not run the IPW down at all and if your a true professional you would know that slagging your competitors off is totally unprofessional. I would kindly ask that if you you are going to use this site that you would do so constructivly and matters can be debated professionally as schoolboy antics are totally unprofessional. I do think the IPW have achieved an awful lot and have done very well, however all they seem to want to do like you is discredit other bodies.

sloughflint

True_Star wrote: »

In Response to your post I cant believe that somebody coming on this site for constructive advice that you see me as a threat to you I really am only looking for answers and what I am begining to see quite clearly that you must be in the employ of the IPW as every other organisation seems to be incompitent onther than them.
I note the solicitor RobS77 genuinly coming on this site to find more information out has had the same response that I have that its the IPW or nobody, I tend to lean towards The Society of Willwriters and or The Fellowship as they do not run the IPW down at all and if your a true professional you would know that slagging your competitors off is totally unprofessional. I would kindly ask that if you you are going to use this site that you would do so constructivly and matters can be debated professionally as schoolboy antics are totally unprofessional. I do think the IPW have achieved an awful lot and have done very well, however all they seem to want to do like you is discredit other bodies.

You sure have some front. I thought we'd seen the last of you.

You need to give the MSE population a little more credit.

True_Star

sloughflint wrote: »

You sure have some front. I thought we'd seen the last of you.

You need to give the MSE population a little more credit.

Front you have seen nothing yet, I have asked for help on this site and who do you think you are on thsi site trying to dominate it??? you obviously cannot answer my question sloughflint are there any professionals on this site who can help me?

Or is Sloghflint AKA (IPW) dominating everybody?. Somebody please help!!

sloughflint

True_Star wrote: »

Somebody please help!!

Nobody come to your rescue?
Funny that. People on MSE are usually ever so helpful.

As you seem keen to keep this thread alive, do you care to fill the gaps here?

Birmingham and Midlands newspaper the Sunday Mercury alleged in August 2008 that an SPS consultant quoted an undercover reporter £2,100 for the firm to be named as executor of a will, despite the existence of the probate ban.

Justice Patten, presiding, said in his judgment that ‘the business of SPS is simply a moneymaking exercise in which the clients’ interests are regarded as anything but paramount’, and that ‘the sales methods [of SPS] are calculated to prey on their [clients’] fears’.

EPS did not provide a comment on Justice Patten’s remarks or the reports in the Sunday Mercury.

http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/aspiring-will-writing-regulator039s-colourful-past-revealed

True_Star

sloughflint wrote: »

Nobody come to your rescue?
Funny that. People on MSE are usually ever so helpful.

As you seem keen to keep this thread alive, do you care to fill the gaps here?

I reittarate my last post somebody please help me, as this reply has confused me even further what the above willwriting companies have done I am not interested in what they have done other than to say this is why I want to join a reputable regulator having come from the financial services sector.

You must be extreemley parranoid to send such drivvle to somebody who wants to move forward as a willwriter and not be associated with unprofessional people and businesses I am not surprised no one else reponds as they are probably totally brain dead from your somewhat confusing advice.

monkey_spank

True_Star wrote: »

In Response to your post I cant believe that somebody coming on this site for constructive advice that you see me as a threat to you I really am only looking for answers and what I am begining to see quite clearly that you must be in the employ of the IPW as every other organisation seems to be incompitent onther than them.

True_Star wrote: »

Or is Sloghflint AKA (IPW) dominating everybody?. Somebody please help!!

True_Star wrote: »

I reittarate my last post somebody please help me, as this reply has confused me even further what the above willwriting companies have done I am not interested in what they have done other than to say this is why I want to join a reputable regulator having come from the financial services sector.

You must be extreemley parranoid to send such drivvle to somebody who wants to move forward as a willwriter and not be associated with unprofessional people and businesses I am not surprised no one else reponds as they are probably totally brain dead from your somewhat confusing advice.

Talking of paranoia, neither myself nor sloughflint are in the employ of the IPW. I speak as a consumer whose family has been affected by the unscrupulous/incompetent and happen to agree with the stance the IPW has adopted.

So, Truestar what advice/help do you require exactly? If you are expecting the IPW to engage on a public forum in a slanging match with someone that can hardly spell, I think you are wasting your time.

True_Star wrote: »

I do think the IPW have achieved an awful lot and have done very well, however all they seem to want to do like you is discredit other bodies.

I've just had another look at the IPW's website and I can't see any evidence of that. Maybe you could enlighten us as it seems to me your's and devils haircut's main objective is to try and rubbish the reputation of the IPW and try and enhance your own organisation - and from where I'm sitting you're not doing a particularly good job of either.

sloughflint

True_Star wrote: »

having come from the financial services sector.

Goodness me. I hope you were better with numbers than you are with words.

thetruthseeker_2

The Truth about these rogue will writers and will writing companies will soon be out!!!:j

thetruthseeker_2

baggysdad wrote: »

an update on my post 41.

I have done another search at companies house.

Things have changed yet again in the ownership of these businesses.

The shareholders in estate protection services limited (eps) - previously called solicitors probate services limited (sps) are:
Anthony watson
emma hodges
ann adams
james ahern
jagtar singh mann
chris sealy

the partners in the fellowship of professional willwriters and probate practitioners are:
Anthony watson
emma hodges
ann adams
james ahern
jagtar singh mann
chris sealy

the sole shareholder in fellowship of professional willwriters training limited is sarah watson - who lives at the same address as anthony watson.

All very cosy.


Now i suppose devilshaircit007 might point to the fact that the fellowship of professional willwriters and probate practitioners has an independent regulatory board. But i have been doing a bit of googling and found that its chairman is paul broad - a solicitor who works at brownings solicitors in redditch. Brownings is the firm which represented sps when they crossed swords with the solicitors regulation authority. Another member of the regulatory board is an accountant, peter ormerod. I wonder if he has any link to the accountancy firm ormerod rutter, which prepares the accounts for estate protection services limited?

All very cosy.


The fellowship may have duped edexcel into awarding them training status - my wife is a teacher and she tells me edexcel are desperate for business and edexcel approval is no great shakes. Lets hope that those who appoint regulators don't fall for the same con.

a whole lot cossier than it seems!!!!!!!!!!!!

sloughflint

thetruthseeker wrote: »

a whole lot cossier than it seems!!!!!!!!!!!!

Already seems pretty cosy to me.

Thanks for reviving this thread from 2008. I'll also include a couple of posts from a thread started this month concerning EPS formerly SPS:

StiffeeSpamhead wrote: »

Evening all.. long time reader etc..

..ok.. I'm writing this while a bit narked.. so apologies if it's a bit ranty!!

Me and the wife have just had some company round to write a will for £50 each.. pretty cheap.. .. it's straightforward.. everything goes to the other on death or to the kids if we both cop it..

..anyway.. I wasn't massively impressed with the bloke (made a joke about my wife's recent car accident for example!).. I wasn't sure with some of the things he said (executors cannot be family or someone who would benefit from the will? executors liable for all the costs even if the will didn't cover it? we can share our inheritance tax limit so our threshold is £650k- I'm sure that's not right! told us if we stored the will and it was marked with a paperclip it would be invalid.. said we'd be looking at approx. 5% of our estate being taken up with paying to execute the will etc..).. but I'm no legal expert and confess my mind has been elsewhere with work and stuff..

BUT.. £50 each didn't seem too bad..

until he got to the hard sell.. when he turned into a flippin' doorstep salesman who just kept on prodding until we gave in..

basically they have a protection plan (is this normal?!) which I felt he pushed us into signing @ a pretty big cost! we have the right to cancel and will be refunded the monies.. which we intent to do (he said it covered storage of the will and other vital documents, annual contact from company to see if will needs updating,updates to will, help/advice to us and family on death etc..).. but..

they also made us pay for the will up front - which I found unusual..

I'm unhappy with the service I received and would now like to cancel the whole thing.. the small print says they undertake to refund the money paid if we change our mind but that they reserve the right to charge for the advice given.. not that I was given the chance to read through this as he kept on pushing asking me what the problem was with me signing..

I have the guys mobile number - do I contact him directly and advise him that I intend to cancel the whole thing and complain about the treatment I received or do I wait until Monday morning and ring the central company? This company was recommended by a family member who when I spoke to them received a similar deal but without the hard-sell that we got!

If I have to go ahead with the wills only (because they want to hit us with big cancellation fees).. can this will be 'transferred' to any solicitor of our choice should we have to have a codicil written for the will?

I've also just found that I can store the bleeding thing with the HMCS when written as well rather than the £50 approx. per year he told us it was as well!!

I accept I was poorly prepared for this guys visit (compounded by heavily pregnant wife and me having a stressful job!).. but can't help think he was a bit economical with the truth in order to get a sale.. I'm an adult and he didn't physically force us to sign but I do feel we were pressured into signing and he did not explain the charges we may incur if we cancel the whole thing..

Am I alone in the experience and where do I stand in terms of my grievance?

All help, advice, smacks round the head because I'm a plank who's just re-read his union membership and found he can get a free will gratefully received!!

StiffeeSpamhead wrote: »

well that's what this agreement covered.. it caps their fees @ 1% of the estate.. which seemed pretty good as he was quoting fees elsewhere of 3-5%... but I was unhappy on having to sign there and then and said so.. and he kept on pressuring until I gave in.. it's going to cost £3k in total for the agreement and then 1% of the estate upon death..

I can't work out if it's a good deal or if I've been mugged! The whole salesman routine has coloured my judgement plus I do feel he poured a bit of 'story-juice' on some of the figures and scenarios he quoted..

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=30795623

In addition to the heavy sales tactics there was a staggering lack of knowledge of the consultant. Despite:

All of our Consultants are highly trained and explain in plain English the process of creating your Will.

The managers of Estate Protection Services Limited have devoted a substantial amount of time, effort and money in forming the association. Estate Protection Services currently specialises in the provision of wills throughout England. It has seen that there is a real need for protection of the public and it passionately believes that both practitioners and the public will benefit strongly from the choice and protection which effective regulation will bring to the industry.

http://www.fpwpp.co.uk/aims.html
:rotfl: