We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Free Wills rip off?
Options

ObiOneTwo
Posts: 3 Newbie

My father-in-law passed away recently and left a will which was drawn up under the Free Will scheme through Age UK.
He was receiving help and advice from Age UK and they suggested he complete a will. Good advice.
Age UK put him in contact with a mainstream UK solicitor's rather than a local solicitor and the will was completed.
My concern stems from the fact that the solicitor has themselves as the only executor which gives me serious misgivings about this entire process.
His estate is I believe a simple one. His current account; 50% owns his house with housing agency; one pension and the classic over 50’s life insurance 🙈 policy. He has a funeral plan and his only debt is one month care home fees. There is one beneficiary. My wife was in the process of selling his home to pay for his care home fees when he passed, so estate agents had been appointed ands TICS valuation had been completed. All in it is about £100k.
The solicitors have given us a minimum service fee of £3000 plus VAT and an additional charge of £1500 plus VAT as the estate is below £250,000. We think that seems excessive. Maybe we are being naive 🤷🏻♂️
So finally to my point. My father-in-law was by necessity a frugal man. I am concerned that he has essentially- as I see it - been mis-sold a service here. There is no way he appoints the solicitors had he been made aware of how much they would take from his estate to finalise it.
So finally to my point. My father-in-law was by necessity a frugal man. I am concerned that he has essentially- as I see it - been mis-sold a service here. There is no way he appoints the solicitors had he been made aware of how much they would take from his estate to finalise it.
This really does feel like a scam. Poor people taking advantage of a “free” will, only to be ripped off later after they pass.
I’m off to check my own will to see who the appointed executor’s are, and suggest others are mindful and fully aware when getting any will drawn ip by solicitors.
0
Comments
-
Whoever makes the will nominates the executors!
Your FIL must have agreed to them doing the job.4 -
We "bought the solicitor out" and did it ourselves. They have to agree of course1
-
Bettie said:We "bought the solicitor out" and did it ourselves. They have to agree of course"You've been reading SOS when it's just your clock reading 5:05 "1
-
"You've been reading SOS when it's just your clock reading 5:05 "2
-
There's absolutely no scam and nothing to do with the will being free or paid for. Your FIL made the solicitor executor, if he didn't ask what that would cost then that's down to him. He may have done it to save any of his family having to do the job and thought it worth the cost to remove any responsibility and hassle from you have you thought of that possibility?3
-
FlorayG said:There's absolutely no scam and nothing to do with the will being free or paid for. Your FIL made the solicitor executor, if he didn't ask what that would cost then that's down to him. He may have done it to save any of his family having to do the job and thought it worth the cost to remove any responsibility and hassle from you have you thought of that possibility?My point was this is something that is open to abuse. Like most things, there should be safeguards in place when people providing the service to vulnerable people are clearly benefiting considerably further down the line. This could be something as simple as having to put a second executor.1
-
My dad has just redone his will and the exact same thing happened. I asked him why have solicitor as executives, his reply was they said it would be easier when he died but didn’t discuss fees at all and he didn’t ask, prob assumed it was free as he paid them for his willObiOneTwo said:My point was this is something that is open to abuse. Like most things, there should be safeguards in place when people providing the service to vulnerable people are clearly benefiting considerably further down the line. This could be something as simple as having to put a second executor.
LBM.....sometime in 2013 £27,056. 10 creditors
June 20.....£7,587.....3 creditors left 72% paid
£26,200 on interest only part of mortgage (July 16)...will chip away £17,103
£49,200 repayment mortgage ( July 16) £37,7641 -
sammyjammy said:Link removed.
this should help0 -
Nothing is free. The solicitor will make a tidy sum being executor. I should know!!!!!0
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.5K Spending & Discounts
- 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
- 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 176.9K Life & Family
- 257.2K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards