Will Writing Services Ltd - Good VFM or a Con?

Coopdivi

For those people who come across this thread on internet searches, don't waste your money on expensive rip-off companies like WSL and certainly don't be taken in by spammers like thestatusquo.

If you want to utilise a cheap or even free will writing service, please read this Money Saving Expert guide:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/free-cheap-wills

thestatusquo

I presume that you have had your will done by WSL and experienced their service to know they are an expensive rip-off company???? Either that or perhaps you are a disgruntled ex-employee as you seem to have a grievance against this company.

I hope they see your thread and sue you for defamation as your claim has no substance, certainly not from reviews that I have seen so far, and our personal experience.

Our mirror wills cost us £115 compared to solicitors quotes of which the cheapest was £240. The representative came to our house for an evening appointment (we both work full time mon-fri). He was professional, and gave good sound advice and as far as we are concerned offered exceptional value for money. Which part of that is a rip-off exactly???

The added service for probate support was purely optional of which we had already seen the value of and didn't hesitate to take it up, and it is a simply take it or leave it service.

We had looked at the options of free wills on offer but for us they were either too limiting (we are complex both with children from previous relationships) or appointments day time only!

I believe that "freedom of choice" is appropriate regarding getting a will done, and you should get it done wherever you feel comfortable getting it done, at a price that you are happy to pay, whether through solicitors, willwriting companies, charities or otherwise.

MrB_2

The proof is in the pudding, so they say and a service is only any good or bad as when you actually need it. WSL London are in plain words, THEIVES! 30/08/13 they charged my 70 year old Mother £995 for the Lifetime Classic, now considering that this particular 70 year old woman had been chronically ill for over 20 years, they sold her a LIFETIME service. Sadly, Mom died earlier this month. I, as her executor have contacted WSL regarding the will and have been told that Mom left a 'substantial' estate of approximately £160,000 and they would be willing to do probate for a flat fee of £2600, which they thought would be around 1.5% of the estate value. A second call a few days later the figures had changed to £154,000 and 1.75% and (of course) £2600 would be plus VAT and then there would be solicitors fees, etc and the figure would be around £4000. I can add up. I'm not stupid either. I have valued the property and various policies and savings, and unless I have missed something (I haven't, I assure you) Mom's estate is no more than £120, 000. I will now go through the grant of Probate alone as any trust with these conmen or any other Probate specialists is gone.

stevepett

I do not believe the Society offers such a guarantee on behalf of its members.

You should contact them on 01522 687 888 to check.

My understanding is that the Society will ensure any current work where a member has been paid but has not completed the work before going bankrupt or dying is carried out, but this does not extend to future work. But ask the Society of Will Writers!

Paying in advance for lifetime service (which this sounds like) is generally frowned up in the industry, and I thought had been banned by both the SWW and the IPW.

Nile

Hi, we move threads if we think they’ll get more help elsewhere (please read the forum rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com"]forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].


I’ll move your thread from the ‘I wanna’ board to the ‘Deaths, Funerals & Probate’ board, where it is better suited.


Regards


Nile

madbadrob

Will writing companies are at best money grabbing at worst fraudulent. Their costs are cheaper than solicitors but when someone dies and the wills are found invalid (more complex ones) you will regret using them. Well you would if you was still alive. I would have liked to see this industry centrally regulated and not left to self regulation. Solicitors wanted this but it was rejected by the government. There are some good will writers out there but they are few and far between

Rob

stevepett

I have spoken to the Director General of the Society of Will Writers, and he has confirmed that the society do NOT underwrite any future transactions.

Where a member dies or perhaps becomes ill and goes bankrupt, the Society aims to protect the public, and will normally undertake to finish off any transactions in the pipeline, but this does not extend to future work.

As I understand it the Society does not allow members to take advance fees for work to be carried out other than immediately, so anyone who has been told to the contrary should take this up with the Society or Trading Standards.

29Joanne

I was interested in this company as my husband and I have just signed up with them. I decided to check on them as they claimed to be members of the Society of Will Writers and they are NOT members . I have contacted the society and am waiting for their reply.

Errata

I don't think the Society is anything more than a Trade Association anyway.

CarterW

It's not very nice hearing all these stories about people getting ripped off, but i hear them all the time. I have personally been writing Wills for 8 years and come across so many cases of people receiving bad advice or their wills not being written correctly in the past, and shockingly as many from solicitors as from independant will writers, but thats probably because a lot of solicitors don't specialise in Will writing. Too many fields in the industry just like the medical industry, where you get referred to a specialist because your GP is not an expert even though they are a doctor.

I wish the industry was officially regulated as i don't like it that there are so many cowboys out there. I have professional qualifications in Will Writing & Estate Planning and I am a member of the society of will writers as there is no official regulatory body as the moment, however the code of practice from either the SOWW or Institute of professional will writers is very good and members are required to have Insurance to protect the Will they write just as solicitors do under the Law society.

Just a bit of advice for anyone looking at doing a Will, beware of free wills through banks, trade unions, solicitors or will writers that require you to use named probate services ( this is often why they are free )

Wills are more complicated than you would think, an online or DIY will is only useful if you have no assets/children.

Make sure the person writing your will has qualifications and is insured.

Hope this helps