Will mistake

Yorkshireman99

lukewarn wrote: »

My parent did a DIY will.

It went to probate - no problem.
It was contested by 2 siblings - no problem.
It involved 2 court hearings - no problem.

You were lucky. A one off success is not a basis for a wise decision to get a will done by a solicitor. Many more people have come unstuck in an expensive way by trying to save a few pounds.

SevenOfNine

lukewarn wrote: »

My parent did a DIY will.

It went to probate - no problem.
It was contested by 2 siblings - no problem.
It involved 2 court hearings - no problem.

Can you advise OP regarding the error on his?

Keep_pedalling

lukewarn wrote: »

My parent did a DIY will.

It went to probate - no problem.
It was contested by 2 siblings - no problem.
It involved 2 court hearings - no problem.

I would say most DIY wills work out OK but the risk of something going wrong are far higher, and the losing beneficiaries have no one to recover their losses from. If it does. Solicitors can still make errors but if they do then the wronged party will be able claim compensation.

Tom99

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I have a DIY will and so did my mother who's estate I administered. However I would fully support YM99 advice it would be so easy to get it wrong. If you are leaving your estate as would happen were you to die intestate then you may be far better off not having a will at all rather than a bodged DIY one.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]If you are determined not to pay to have a will professionally drafted and providing your wishes were very straightforward then I think you need to be far more specific than you appear to be doing. For example this sort of wording:[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]This is the last will of me Your full name of Your full address by which I revoke all my previous wills and testamentary dispositions.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I appoint my son Your son's full name of Your son's full address to be the Executor of this Will [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I give all of my estate (out of which shall be paid my funeral and testamentary expenses and my debts) to my son Your son's full name provided that should my son die before me I leave the whole of my estate in equal shares to Full names and addresses as to what you wish to happen.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]As witness my hand this ? day of ? 2018[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Signed by the said Your full Name in our joint presence and then by us in his/hers[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]..............................First Witness.................................. Second Witness[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Witness’ Signature[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Name in print[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Address[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Occupation[/FONT]

The above is only an example of the terminology not how you might actually want to leave your estate. If you wish to leave your estate differently to what would happen if you died without a will then you really do need to get it right.

To illustrate how easy it is to get it wrong you say you referred to son's, as in my son's car, whereas my sons might be Tom and Harry.

Robin9

Be careful not to include - " I leave my property, 55 Acacia Avenue to ...... " which may be where you live now but what happens when you have sold 55, Acacia Avenue and now live somewhere else.