Leading Chester law firm, Hillyer McKeown, is supporting Solicitors
   for the Elderly in their urgent call for the regulation of unregulated
   Will writers.

   Solicitors for the Elderly fears thousands of people are putting
   themselves at risk of being cheated by unscrupulous salesmen who offer
   to write their wills but who are not adequately qualified, trained or
   insured.

   Last month the UK’s Legal Ombudsman highlighted dangers of using
   Will writing companies to make Wills and this week the BBC’s One
   Show called for Will writing to be regulated to protect the public. A
   recent survey showed that 67% of consumers wrongly believe that all
   Will writers are solicitors and 82% of the 1,000 people polled
   thoughts that training and qualifications are required before someone
   can become a Will writer. Sadly, anyone can write a Will for payment.

   Carl Marston Head of Wills, Trusts and Estates and Regional Chairman
   of Solicitors for the Elderly said, “Will writers need no
   training and they aren’t regulated or in many cases insured for
   professional negligence so if you choose a Will writing company to do
   your Will you are taking a huge risk. I have heard horror stories of
   clients who have used Will writers and then paid the price.”
   “It can be very costly to sort out after you have gone, leaving
   your family to pick up the pieces as problems generally only come to
   light when you have died”.

   Many people make Wills when they enter their senior years and are
   targeted by Will writing companies who often apply high-pressure
   selling techniques, offering wills for a low or discounted fee, then
   recommend themselves to be appointed as executors, selling other
   services without full advice, such as transferring the home into a
   trust in an attempt to avoid care fees. Terms and conditions can be
   poorly worded and difficult to understand. In most cases the advice
   that is given is incorrect

   Will writers often claim they are significantly cheaper than
   solicitors but recent research carried out by Which? Magazine found on
   average the price of a Will from a Solicitor is £130 and from a
   Will writer is £107. Professionals, such as solicitors and legal
   executives are regulated, have relevant qualifications, undergo
   continual training, must be insured and provide redress if things were
   to go wrong. Given the protection you get by making a Will with a
   regulated professional the small difference in price is well worth it.

   Carl Marston went on to say “I believe that the Will writing
   industry has to be cleaned up, there are many horror stories told to
   me by clients and colleagues where the problem lies with these
   untrained and uninsured Will writers.”

   David Sinclair, a Director of Solicitors for the Elderly went on to
   say, “We need new regulations to help protect the consumer,
   particularly older and vulnerable people. I recommend using a local
   member of Solicitors for the Elderly which you can find by calling
   0844 567 6173 or via www.solicitorsfortheelderly.com