wills - advertised £40, but it was £595!!!

spabbygirl

I contacted a will service to make a will for £40 it was advertised with the air ambulance - willslegalservices.co.uk I knew that there were 2 of us & we have 6 kids from 2 different partners so they weren't exactly mirror wills so I knew it would be a bit more money. There is no price list on their website and no email address, I didn't want to ring because I hate the heavy sell so I waited till the woman who was doing it got here and it was £595!! I thought I must have missed something in their advert so when she'd gone I checked, but I hadn't. I rang and complained. The person who answered the phone sounded very young and said she didn't think they would accept my cancellation over the phone, I had to write. That really annoyed me, I have weak hands (see my website Lynne Pardoe for details if you're interested) and it sounded like they're doing everything to squeeze money out of you & make it difficult to cancel. So I said ok then, I withdraw permission for you to have my personal details and said I'd ring trading standards, which I did. Within seconds I had the paralegal on the phone, then the managing director on the phone saying what a wonderful service they offer I said you are not clear about pricing. They didn't manage to persuade me otherwise & rang off. They do make donations to the air ambulance, but I would have been much better using a cheaper will service & making my own donation to the air ambulance. Does anyone else think this is an unethical way to behave? 

Mojisola

That that's how these firms make their money.

spabbygirl

Yes I suppose so, its awful practice though, and I had invited the woman into my home unnecessarily, had I known the real price I wouldn't have bothered. I did tell trading standards and left an enlightened review on trust pilot & google. 

garmeg

Looks like they are refunding you anyway. Not a good way to do business really, but this is how they make their money I suppose.

tacpot12

Given that there are two of you, your partner could have written to cancel, with you just signing the letter. I think it is reasonable for them to require that you cancel your contract with them formally. They will have people who are unclear as to what they want or mean when talking on the phone. A letter is unequivocal. 

dunstonh

The will writing is a loss leader to provide wider services.  It gets them in the door.    They then look to provide anxillery services which you can say no to or agree to.  

If you felt they were hard sold then that is fair enough and one fo the key reasons you can cancel within 14 days.  However, your thread title is misleading as the Will was £40.  It was the additional services you purchased that pushed the price up.

Keep_pedalling

Never use unregulated will writers to draw up one of the most important documents you are going to make in your life. There is no comeback for anyone if they make a mess of it. Your wills are not going to be simple ones so they are going to cost a darn site more than £40 but tell this lot to take a running jump and see a local solicitor to get a proper job done.  

Thrugelmir

If you go to their website seems apparently clear that prices are from. Wills can be extremely simple to very complex cases. Expecting the earth for very little outlay is pure optimism. 

Wills are extremely importantly. While sometimes costly.  They are essential to ensure that ones estate is distributed as one wishes. 

Pollycat

I think the company's response is fair.

Did you really expect to have trusts drawn up and conveyancing for £40?

Did it not occur to you to ask the price?

You don't go into a shop, pick up an item and pay for it without checking the price (unless you have £millions).

Albermarle

Probably if you go to a solicitor its going to cost around £600 I guess .

MEM62

OP You post is misleading and, I believe, unfair.  You claim that you were charged £595 for a will - which is clearly not true. You were also setting up trusts, which is both complicated and expensive - much more expensive than just a simple will.