Will Week

pinksleepybear

I used the Will Aid website to locate a solicitor (Rothera Dowson) and checked they are taking part in Will Aid Month.

I booked my appointment but the solicitor was very keen to emphasize that it cost £65 + VAT

I went along with it, but I do not intend to pay that much. I have recently paid £40 for an online will, which I am not satisfied with, so this is my chance to get a decent one cheap.

I will still donate some money to charity, so the charities are better off than if I do not participate at all.

I am just concerned they are going to force me to pay £65 + VAT... they can't force me, can they? :-/

From the Will Aid website:
"You can either make your donation through the solicitor who draws up your Will, or you can make your donation now directly to Will Aid using the online donation form below.

If you make your donation direct to Will Aid, we will send you a receipt which you can take to your solicitor when keeping your appointment so that he/she knows that you have already contributed. We will also send you a Will Planner and further information about the Will Aid charities."

So you should be able to donate whatever amount you chose online and then take the receipt to the solicitor to say you've paid. Don't know though if the receipt would say how much you had donated, so solicitor might still be a bit funny about the amount.

How did you get on on Monday, Smitty?

klondyke

Made an appointment with a solicitor found on Will-Aid site. Unintrusive questioning to establish a ball park figure to see if we might need a discretionary trust. No further pressure (tho I wouldn't blame 'em if they tried us later) when I told the truth- ie we've been dithering round wondering whether to do that, but as long as we dither there is no will at all in place.

Person we saw was a trainee (tho she didn't know we knew that!) - excellent idea from their point of view as she gained experience in talking to clients, wasn't taking time out for higher fee earners. She took notes and promised a draft within a few days - no doubt looked at by her seniors before sending. This has now arrived; couple of errors, which should be easily sorted out over phone for amended version. Once we are all satisfied, she will prepare for engrossment and we make another appointment for signature etc. We talked about suggested donation to Will Aid and said we would pay by CAF voucher. Interestingly, she had never come across CAF, so I hope she is now converted - and for those of you asking about Gift Aid, the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) has an excellent scheme whereby you give them the dosh; they collect more from Mr Taxman; then total dollop is put in your 'Charity Account' for dishing out by vouchers/CAF card/online to any charity.
Been with 'em for years.

http://www.cafonline.org

But I digress - the covering letter with the draft will, expressly stated that donation was not obligatory, but reiterated the suggested amount £65 for single will and £95 for mirror wills.

Looks like others in this thread are having different experiences re payment, which is sad as it's not in the spirit of Will Aid Week for solicitors claiming to be part of it to insist on the payment - especially the one asking for VAT - on a donation???????. Equally, it's not in the spirit of Will Aid Week, not to pay the donation if you can afford it.

N9eav

Great idea, thanks

vikkic

I went and made my will yesterday, I didn't intend paying the £65 so made my donation via the website before I went and took my receipt with me to give to the solicitor. Actually when you make your donation via the website, three amounts come up £35 (me!), £65, £95 or you can write in your own amount. The solicitor didn't know that you could donate online and wasn't sure what to do with the receipt, but that's her problem not mine!

Paced_Out

VikkiC, did the receipt show the amount that you had donated?

I phoned a local solicitor listed on the WillAid site, but they state that I have to pay a minimum of £65. Not only that but when I mentioned my spouse they said we will have to pay a minimum of £135 as we have to have a will each and Joint wills are no longer available.

I don't understand the £135 figure, it would be cheaper to both make independant appointments? That way we save a fiver??

This seemed like it went against what the willaid site states.

Anyone have any views on this?

pinksleepybear

The receipt DOES have the donation amount on it. I've paid £35, can't really afford more this month as I've already donated £100 to Darfur appeal a couple of weeks ago.

I've got my meeting with the solicitor this lunchtime, so I'll see what he's got to say about it. He seemed friendly enough on the phone.

summerday

Hi all,

Me, my partner and my Mum all went to make our wills today. We donated online and took the receipts with us which the solicitor photocopied. Mum paid £65 for her single one and partner and I paid £95 for mirror wills.

First I looked on the website and when I looked at the bit for the solicitors it went into the suggested payments and the £35 didn't seem to be for a proper will, it was for a word beginning with c that I've forgotten but when I looked it up it seemed to be for an instruction to be added to an existing will. But I did a bit of research and what we paid still seemed to be good value for a will and more importantly all the money goes to charity rather than lining solicitors pockets!

So if anyone is thining about booking an appointment in the last few days of November I say go for it!

N9eav

Martin describes this as a 'free' will on his e-mail post. It may be, but the suggested donation is £65. Not free and I would feel bad not to donate... Most unions offer free will services, it may pay to give your union a ring. I know the police fed has a free one all done by e-mail

ellajak

Hi everyone

I have just phoned and made an appointment to see the solicitor tomorrow and they have quoted 95.00 to have two wills done, when I said I would leave a donation they said that 95.00 is the recommended amount for two wills. has anyone else had this problem!

Bossyboots

Just for the sake of completeness, the word sarahturner9 was looking for is codicil.