Advice re: wills & executors please.

kevin2134

I have just read your post. These guys are conmen! and have been struck off by the Law Society. Do not use them, as you do not need to pay upfront for probate services or so-called insurance which is what they are ripping you off for. Always use a Law Society recommended firm, it's worth having the reassurance that you are dealing with someone reputable and qualified and they need not be expensive. I used a firm called Premier Solicitors based in Bedford but who operate nationally who only charged me £25 + VAT for a Will, with free storage, and the service was exceptional. They were recommended to me by a neighbour who used their probate services and they charged only about 1% to administer a straightforward estate, and I would recommend them without hesitation.

waynehayes wrote: »

Hi.
I have tried a search on the forum, but can't quite find what I'm after.

Last night we (my partner and I) both had a will written for us by a company called Solicitors Probate Services (SPS) Ltd. They often advertise in our local Tesco, so we thought we'd take the plunge at £39 for each will.

The agent was very keen to push what he called their 'Estate Insurance'. He was quite convincing, and being totally clueless regarding wills, we took him up on the offer.

I'll outline the 'insurance':

- SPS will act as executors of both wllls, with a fee of no more than 1.75% (inc. vat and disbursments) of any assets. This fee will only kick in on the second death.
- Will storage.
- Free amendments to wills.

This so called insurance costs the best part of £1000 (for both of us), payable in installments of £10 per month.

Is this extra insurance worth the money? I have 7 days to cancel.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

monkey_spank

thetruthseeker wrote: »

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

thetruthseeker wrote: »

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

Spill the beans then thetruthseeker.

monkey_spank

kevin2134 wrote: »

I have just read your post. These guys are conmen! and have been struck off by the Law Society. Do not use them, as you do not need to pay upfront for probate services or so-called insurance which is what they are ripping you off for. Always use a Law Society recommended firm, it's worth having the reassurance that you are dealing with someone reputable and qualified and they need not be expensive. I used a firm called Premier Solicitors based in Bedford but who operate nationally who only charged me £25 + VAT for a Will, with free storage, and the service was exceptional. They were recommended to me by a neighbour who used their probate services and they charged only about 1% to administer a straightforward estate, and I would recommend them without hesitation.

You're seriously suggesting you had a face to face appointment with a qualified solicitor who drafted your will for £25 + VAT? I don't think so somehow.

Also if your neighbour's probate case was a straightforward estate, why didn't he/she do it themselves for nothing?

This law firm's website boasts a lot about its fixed fees - it's rather a pity they don't state what they are.

Frank_L_2

Take my advice and cancel this. Go and see a local soloicitor and have the will drawn up properly, These cheapo versions often look good but leave a lot untouched. Get someone you know to be your executor, son or daughter is perfect. These people will get access to all your estate. Don't be worried about probate either, its not too difficult I did it for my dad's estate and saved thousands on solicitors fees.
My wills cost me £250 each but the solicitor has written it exactly how we want it. There are no loopholes for anyone and the nursing homes and Gains Tax can't touch it.

swinkett

I have recently had to take issue with Estate Protection Services (formally SPS) and despite my efforts at being reasonable they had no intention of being likewise. Thankfully the article in the Sunday Mercury Aug 17 2008 led me to a Govmnt body that are looking into EPS. The number if anyone wants it is 01217048684. Good luck!

Thincat

A long dead thread, I know, but if anyone is interested these people are still trading, and are based (at least in part) in an anonymous-looking office here in Malvern. They changed their name, to Estate Protection Services, and they still have a website under that name. They are also almost certainly closely associated with another trading style, "Wills and Legal Services", with an address which appears to be located at the private residence of the majority shareholder of EPS. If customers of SPS/EPS are interested in more information about the company, please message me via this site.

YesWillMan

I worked for SPS so I was interested to see this thread come back to life.
I was aware thst EPS was SPS now with no doubt that struck off Solicitor Steve Smith? probably behind it all.

This is from their website

At our head office we have an established Legal Department, with many years of experience within Wills and Probate. This is supported by a panel of independent third party solicitors with extensive expertise in estate matters. This experience, along with our unique Estate Protection Service makes us one of the country’s leading Willwriting organisations.

:laugh:

They are advertising for Job opportunities in the Midlands area with OTE of £1000 pw with confirmed appointments. So beware people in the Midlands that this probably means that they will be ringing to set up such appointments. The only way of earning the £1000 pw is that they sell the Probate Service by putting the fright into people that their estate will have such high Probate charges to find on their deaths that EPS will be there to help on death when they will probably not be and their relatives will find that such money paid has been wasted.

Thincat

YesWillMan - interested to hear that you used to work for SPS/EPS. The solicitor was Stephen Share, but I don't believe that he has had anything to do with SPS since the middle of 2008 after he and the company were taken to court by the Law Society. Once he had left, then EPS were no longer regulated by any outside organisation, unless you count The Fellowship of Professional Willwriters and Probate Practitioners, which was a regulatory body which was set up EPS themselves (and which now has ceased to operate, even though the website still exists). Nevertheless, I have known EPS to blame their method of operation on Mr Share, even though I am not aware that that method has changed since Mr Share's departure. I did specifically press FPWPP to ensure that EPS contacted all their customers to whom probate "packages" had been sold, to review those transactions, but it was quite clear that EPS had no interest or intention of doing so; and FPWPP clearly did not have the will to compel that, because it was little more than a creature that EPS had themselves created.
Yes, the "OTE" of £1,000 per week has long been a feature of their website, and I agree that it is difficult to see how such commission can be earned while also being fair to customers.
YesWillMan, I would be interested to know when it was that you worked for EPS/SPS - let me know if you are interested in e-mailing off-forum

YesWillMan

I worked for SPS in 2007 But you could NOT make a living just by doing wills by themselves.

What is your connection with EPS/SPS? I notice you live in Malvern. Is their office still there then?

If you want to PM me then feel free to do so.

Thincat

Thanks - how do I PM you, actually? Never done that before