Making a will

SamsReturn

Going online, diy wills are pretty easy to do, but for anything that isn't straight forward, you're best getting a professional. A simple will isn't going to cost a lot. The best advice i think is to go to your favourite charity and get one drawn up next time it's 'wills week'
Example only.
https://www.co-oplegalservices.co.uk/media-centre/articles-sep-dec-2017/remember-a-charity-week/

Keep_pedalling

Unless you have a very simple cash only estate, then get a local solicitor to do it. A Willis one of the most important thins you do in life and is not something you should penny pinch on.

Browntoa

Look at fees , some will writers (not a solicitor) charge extremely high fees to execute the estate after death , don't get pressured to sign up straight away but to go off and compare fees with a real local solicitor .

We charge a flat rate % fee sounds good but work out what that would actually cost from your estimated estate value .

Biggles

Browntoa wrote: »

Look at fees , some will writers (not a solicitor) charge extremely high fees to execute the estate after death , don't get pressured to sign up straight away but to go off and compare fees with a real local solicitor.

Nominating the executor(s) is a very important point, not always covered by impartial advice and rarely covered impartially by will writers or solicitors, who would like you to nominate them.

Safest way is to nominate family members or beneficiaries. If the estate is too complex, they can decide at that time whether to employ a professional executor (not necessarily a solicitor) or not.

Pollycat

A bit late but.....
https://freewillsmonth.org.uk/

no1catman

My understanding, is that where a property is held 'jointly' then the survivor can just have it reassigned to one sole name - whether named (for clarity) on a will, or no will!?

Mojisola

no1catman wrote: »

My understanding, is that where a property is held 'jointly' then the survivor can just have it reassigned to one sole name - whether named (for clarity) on a will, or no will!?

"Joint tenants" both own all the property - when one dies, the other still owns all the property. All that's needed is a name change on the deeds.

"Tenants in common" own separate percentages of the property and each can leave their share to someone other than the fellow owner (if that's what they want).

no1catman

Secondly, can a beneficiary e.g. Mother, as a result of 'no will' revoke it in favour, of someone more appropriate?

Mojisola

no1catman wrote: »

Secondly, can a beneficiary e.g. Mother, as a result of 'no will' revoke it in favour, of someone more appropriate?

Yes - whether there is a will or not, adult beneficiaries can make a deed of variation and pass their inheritance (or part of it) over to someone else.

no1catman

Interesting, but where can 'Deed of Variations' be obtained, and do they need to be witnessed?