High fee to update my will?

jfdi_uk

Hi, I (arguably naively) went through a solicitor to create a will about 6 years ago. I've got a wife and 2 children. It's a very simple will, basically everything goes to my wife, then my kids and if it goes to my kids then it's held in a trust until they're 24 years old, looked after by our siblings.

I emailed the firm to make 2 very simple changes - change who the kids go to if we die, and change who our estate goes to if everyone in my family dies. that's it! 

The firm says they will charge #200 (changing my will and my wife's will in the same way)!

This seems really excessive to me, any advice on what options I have, or whether this is actually a fair and necessary fee?

It just seems ridiculous to charge that much to modify a couple of sentences, in what is quite a basic will!

Thanks

[Deleted User]

Hi,

does seem a lot when you think all they have to do is edit the copy file of your original wills.

Some charities offer a will service for a donation, check out your preferred charity.

tacpot12

I don't think it is too high a charge for changing two wills. Bear in mind that any plumber will charge £60 to come to your home, even if they do nothing, and main dealers charge £50/hr+ to work on your car, and solicitors can and do charge £150-200/hr for this sort of work. 

MikeJXE

Shop around, I changed my will 10 years ago and again 4 years ago with the original solicitor. First change was £80 next was free 

[Deleted User]

Hi,

think some might do it free if you appoint then as executor, they then know they will get a % when time comes.

london21

They have to charge something, can shop around if you find a better deal. 

Keep_pedalling

jfdi_uk said:

Hi, I (arguably naively) went through a solicitor to create a will about 6 years ago. I've got a wife and 2 children. It's a very simple will, basically everything goes to my wife, then my kids and if it goes to my kids then it's held in a trust until they're 24 years old, looked after by our siblingso.

I emailed the firm to make 2 very simple changes - change who the kids go to if we die, and change who our estate goes to if everyone in my family dies. that's it! 

The firm says they will charge #200 (changing my will and my wife's will in the same way)!

This seems really excessive to me, any advice on what options I have, or whether this is actually a fair and necessary fee?

It just seems ridiculous to charge that much to modify a couple of sentences, in what is quite a basic will!

Thanks

When you say trust do you mean a discretionary trust, or do the inherit absolutely with a clause that they should not receive their inheritance until they reach that age? Simple wills usually say the latter even though the clause is not enforceable and your children can claim it if they are over 18 (16 in Scotland).

TBagpuss

The thing is that to update the will they will need to open a file, comply with all the regualrtory requirements (e.g. ID verification)  and also review the will, armake the changes and update it. - there is going to be a certainamount of time and admin needed to do that, it's not just a cae of changing a couple of lines in a will.  

It actually sounds pretty cheap to me 
 Of course, you are free to make a fresh will and revokethe old one if you want but that's likely to cost more. 

Grumpy_chap

jfdi_uk said:

The firm says they will charge #200 (changing my will and my wife's will in the same way)!

This seems really excessive to me, any advice on what options I have, or whether this is actually a fair and necessary fee?

It just seems ridiculous to charge that much to modify a couple of sentences, in what is quite a basic will!

Sounds like an absolute bargain to me.
Professionally qualified individuals with all the business overhead of the office and the liabilities.
The firm will almost certainly make a loss on this and are just charging as a notional amount on the basis of the existing Client relationship as they realise the full fees would make you wince.

Ayr_Rage

Bargain !!!

theoretica

I expect they won't just change the two sentences - but rather check through the whole will, for instance that the government hasn't changed any rules that mean wording ought to be updated.  Which may result in just changing the few words of course, but they will have checked on the whole thing.