Proposals to Regulate Will Writing

The Legal Services Board following an extensive investigation is proposing that the writing of Wills and the Administration of Estates become regulated services offered only by properly qualified and properly regulated professionals. 

The Legal Services Board is an independent watchdog that oversees all areas of legal work whoever undertake such work.

The investigations have concluded that the different types of provider with different levels of regulation and different levels of competence means that the consumer, the client, can easily imagine that he or she has the protection of both training and professional insurance when having services provided in these areas and often this is not the case.

In general terms, the Legal Services Board concluded that about 1 in 5 Wills contained errors, some of them serious.   Whilst they concluded that the percentage did not change whether it was a Will drafted by a solicitor or a non qualified Will Writer, the perception among consumers was that all such people making Wills would have the necessary insurance protection to give security to the person making a Will so that if anything went wrong in the future, they or their family would have some recourse.  When a solicitor drafts a Will the client always has this protection but it is sadly lacking when an unqualified will – writer does the drafting.

For more information see the Law Society’s website: www.lawsocietymedia.org.uk and the Legal Services Board’s website: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk .

If you have concerns about your current Will, if you have no Will or if you want any advice on succession, tax planning, probate or administration of estates, please contact Charles Neal on
0114 2202160 or c.neal@bellbuxton.co.uk
 

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Bell & Buxton, Solicitors
Telegraph House, High Street, Sheffield, S1 2GA

Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Bell & Buxton is the trading name of Bell & Buxton LLP, a limited liability partnership, registered number OC322707, registered in England. A list of members is open to inspection at the above address.