Co-op Will Writing Service - Up-selling or Good Advice?

MiddleEverything

It really might be worth seeing if you can get married before the baby arrives. As PPs have said, if you're not, then your partner does not automatically get legally recognized as the father until you have gone together to register the birth. Now, I know it's rare, thank goodness, but think about what the position would be if you died in childbirth (it does still happen) or had to stay in hospital - would your overwhelmed partner have to go to court to take baby home, to register himself as baby's father? 

Dox

If you're responsible enough to have a child together (and I'm sure you are and hope it will be truly joyous occasion), then take that sense of responsibility one step further and get a proper will drawn up by a professional, rather than faffing around saving a few pounds, so that guardianship arrangements are in place should the need ever arise - and I sincerely hope it won't. You do realise that if you and the baby's father get written off in the same car crash, and no valid will exists, the local authority will make the decisions about your beloved child? Do you really want that?

Finecitygirl

I decided to use the Co op Legal services will writing services after a lot of research into local solicitors and online costs and all of the various implications. I knew I just wanted the will done, as I can do the POA myself online. Firstly, I also got the ‘hard sell’ for lots of other services, which immediately made me feel they dont care about what I want...only how much money that can make out of me...and I told them this. It felt really offensive.  Their promotional material talks about ‘fast and efficient services’. Well, let me tell you this...its now over 7 weeks and I STILL haven't got my final will and mine is very straightforward.  I have had to call them repeatedly, at every stage. They will tell me I will have the paperwork, by the end of the week, but, days after that...Im still chasing them. I worked with Alex, who was wonderfully knowledgeable, helpful and explained things clearly and carefully. I think they're just too busy and cant process work quickly enough, as they don't have enough staff. My advise, if you want your will done in a timely manner, is insist on them giving you a clear timescale at the very beginning and if its longer than a couple of weeks...go elsewhere. 

BrassicWoman

Co op did exactly what I asked for, pretty efficiently at a bargain price. They did suggest other products, but they were just that;; suggestions.

BrainDrained

Just to put my tuppence worth in.

I think it would be a good idea to get married ASAP.  We did just this, and are coming up to our 40th anniversary.  You can always have a blessing or renew your vows at a later date if you ever feel you have lost out on a posh do.
I probably wanted to speed things up as I'd had an extremely unfortunate experience where I was living with someone who kept putting off making a Will: he died suddenly aged 31.  I was left with literally nothing other than an extremely vicious ex-wife who argued over the ownership of everything in the house, even presents he'd bought me.  (He had a son who was aged 6 at the time, she was acting for him of course).

If you want to make a commitment to someone then it's the ceremony that's important, not the trappings that go with it. 

As for making your own wills, I went with a local solicitor who was recommended to me, cost me £100 + VAT, and he was great about explaining the pros and cons of some of the things I suggested. And he says he will keep notes of our conversation to explain my reasons for one of the bequests, in the event of anyone wanting to challenge the Will.  All done and dusted inside a week, even with COVID.

getmore4less

Since this has been resurrected

One key thing to think about when looking long term is civil partner/married status.

If you pass everything to each other you lose the transferable nil rate bands if not.
When young IHT limits might seem a long way away but they can creep up on you.

LPA does not hand over control to the attorney, they can only act if asked or the diner has lost capacity.