Solicitor holding original will has closed down

zaksmum

We made a will just over ten years ago and I have it's copy, along with a letter from the solicitor saying they would retain the original for safe keeping.

I discovered last week that they had closed down in 2018 and they had not informed me of this.

I rang one of their offices in a different area and was given an email address to contact them. I have not yet had a response 5 days later.

How can I find out what has happened to my original will? I know that copies will not be acceptable for probate.

Keep_pedalling

Two of those days would have been the weekend, so It would not be unusually to not have heard anything yet (solicitors are notoriously slow). Your wills will still be held by the firm, but after 10 years this may be a good time to review them and make new ones if appropriate. 

sheramber

The staff may be   working from home so there may  be a delay in it being dealt with.

TBagpuss

If it is only a branch which has closed then the wills and other documents will still be held by the firm, just may be in a different physical location. 


They will probably need you to provide them with proof of your ID before you can retrieve your will or they can give you any information.

Since you aren't contacting a specific individual and don't have a current open matter with them, your enquiry will no doubt have to be allocated to someone for action.

zaksmum

TBagpuss said:

If it is only a branch which has closed then the wills and other documents will still be held by the firm, just may be in a different physical location. 


They will probably need you to provide them with proof of your ID before you can retrieve your will or they can give you any information.

Since you aren't contacting a specific individual and don't have a current open matter with them, your enquiry will no doubt have to be allocated to someone for action.

TBagpuss said:

If it is only a branch which has closed then the wills and other documents will still be held by the firm, just may be in a different physical location. 


They will probably need you to provide them with proof of your ID before you can retrieve your will or they can give you any information.

Since you aren't contacting a specific individual and don't have a current open matter with them, your enquiry will no doubt have to be allocated to someone for action.

I did provide them with the reference number on the letter they sent me with the copy of the original will, but told them in my email that I will provide any ID they request. I will give them a few more days to respond before I try to contact them again