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Paying for probate in advance

RichardPerkins
Posts: 1 Newbie
My other half arranged for us to have our wills written. A salesman from Trust Inheritance visited us on Monday. He put a fair bit of pressure on us to pay for probate in advance. So instead of paying £65 for a will we've paid £850 (on credit card). I feel uneasy about this. I've looked at older posts and am getting increasingly worried. Am I right to be? I feel pretty stupid paying for something probably very far in advance (I'm 40). Although the salesman didn't mention a cooling off period, do I have the right to cancel, either £850 or £65?
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Comments
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Would have thought so...specially as you paid by CC
FYI Probate down my way (Luton) is 180+vat an hour with no way of knowing how many hours would be required , for even a simple estate , yet only £105 to do it yourself , if simple....Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.0 -
Do Something Amazing- Give Blood0
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Who's to say they'll even be in business when Probate needs applying for?
Your executor has the option of employing a solicitor to do the whole job if it's very complicated or they don't have the time or inclination, or just parts of it if there are specific points that need clarifying, or none at all.
Personally I'd cancel.Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants - Michael Pollan
48 down, 22 to go
Low carb, low oxalate Primal + dairy
From size 24 to 16 and now stuck...0 -
You can deposit your wills with the probate office for safe keeping and it costs a mere £15.If you've have not made a mistake, you've made nothing0
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Paying by Credit Card gives you a lot of protection and under the distance selling act you have 7 days to cancel so I would cancel the contract you have with these people and go to a solicitor and have your wills drawn up there. That said if there are no further fees to be paid upon death and assuming that they are still in business by the time this comes to you £850 is not a large amount.
Having looked at their website and done some digging they do not appear to have as yet had a complaint made against them save for their use of dialers to cold call people. Their website shows them to be members of Step and PALS neither of which have any legal powers. In fact reading the constitution of PALS it would seem that they are in fact not going to be covered by PALS anyway. It would also seem that TI were the ones to set up PALS.
One question though the cost you have mentioned is that for them to carry out probate or to aid the executors? All other forums where this company is mentioned say it is for help to be given to the executors and therefore it is in my opinion excessive
Rob0 -
I would agree with Madbadrob - cancel these wills and get a solicitor to draft a will for you - then get it checked by someone independent to ensure it does what you want it to do and not something else as well.
Insist on 'plain english' instead of complicated 'legalise' so your wishes are clearly understood by you and a court.
Sounds expensive, but it much more expensive trying to pursue it through the courts.
We 'trust' solicitors and 'will writers' with our last wishes and if they are not followed we have little, to no, protection.
It's too late to check when you are dead, and your 'consumer rights' don't pass on...
I have had dealing with a will writer - and their 'society' which is supposed to protect consumers is not as 'independent' as you would think or as 'ethical'.
The will writer made lots of errors and the 'society' supported the will writer.
This area of law is Civil so unless you / or whoever you wish to benefit, has a lot of money to pursue any 'errors' made in a civil court after your death, your wishes may not be followed and you will be unable to rectify a 'shoddy' will.
The Police will not become involved as it is not 'criminal' in law.0 -
Agree with most of the above.
I'd cancel this and get a Law Society recommended solicitor to draw up your wills and forget about Probate for now.
Several years, before my Dad died in 2011, I found out he didn't have a Will and also realised his estate may be well over the Inheritance Tax threshold. I looked up a few local companies who provide Will-writing services and they also advertised financial advice for IHT matters.
From my contacts with a few of these, I found them mostly very irritating and decided I wouldn't trust them.
I got a reputable solicitor to Dad's Will for £150.
And did probate myself after he died. Was easy enough in the end.
Hope that helps.0
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