is this an ok way to do a will?

loates123

strange question to ask but it is playing on the back on my mind.

hi my mum pasted away over 10 years ago
i was the only child and only have my step dad left( my surname is not the same as i never got it changed when young)

my step dad has no family left

we were talking about wills a few months ago and he told me he has done one and told me where it was in incase bad every happened.
he said he just wrote it out him self and put it there.

i was just wondering if he would of been better of paying for the service rather than just writing one out him self.

Mojisola

It might be alright - but the chances are it isn't. Did he get his signature witnessed by two people? That's just one possible problem.

As he is your step dad if his will is not okay then none of his money will come to you. If he has no living relatives then his money will go to the Treasury.

I think you need to ask if you can see it as a first step. It would be worth getting it done professionally. As it sounds like a simple will, it wouldn't cost too much. Cheaper than losing an inheritance, anyway.

loates123

thanks
spoke to him about it said it not signed by anyone else but says that 2 people he lives with ( 2 work mates)( all 3 have a flat they share that they brough between them) will beable to sign it
would this be acceptable?

robnye

it might be worth buying one of those DIY will kits from wshsmiths......
to make it more formal.... as for the signatures by his work mates.. should be ok

izoomzoom

My advise would be to have a look at the will and see if it looks legal, and if you are in any doubt, take it to a solicitor to look at.

My mum's husband apparently promised his step daughters his house on their mothers deathbed thirty years ago, and they recently came back to remind him of this., as he is gravely ill as well now.

loates123

ok thanks
would somethink like this be ok my dad does not have or use computers.
http://www.tescolegalstore.com/last_will_and_testament_kit.asp

says he will get his workmates who he lives with to sign it ( i guess all the forms will be in the pack for this)

margaretclare

It's not generally realised, but if a will isn't drawn up legally and properly signed and witnessed then the rules of intestacy may apply i.e. blood relatives, not step relatives.

Even in a properly-drawn up will i.e. one done by a solicitor, if there are step-relatives involved then they have to be named.

For example: DH and I have back-to-back wills leaving everything to each other, but with the wording 'if he (or she) pre-deceases me...' it's all split between 5 grandchildren. Now, as these are 3 of mine and 2 of his, they've all had to be named. If I was the last survivor and I'd simply written 'my grandchildren' then it would have gone to mine but not his. Vice versa, if he's the last survivor then his 2 would inherit and not mine.

For a step-relative you MUST name them.

Margaret