Wills accreditation

An independent review of legal services carried out by Professor Stephen Mayson has recommended that all Will writers (including solicitors) should be accredited by a professional body as a minimum standard of compliance. This recommendation is welcomed and would go some way to ensuring that people making a Will receive the service that they need

The reasoning behind this is due to the invalidity and sometimes poor quality of Wills drafted.  Unfortunately by the time the errors are noticed, it is often too late to do anything about it or there are significant costs involved.  The Will may not reflect the deceased’s wishes or even does not reflect the needs of beneficiaries.  Family relationships are now complex with second, even third marriages, children from previous relationships and couples who have not married and have children.  There are also issues around an ageing population and capacity to make a Will.  One size does not fit all.  There can be conflicting instructions in the Will and this could mean a costly application to Court to rectify (if that is possible).  The issues prevail across both the regulated (solicitors) and unregulated (will writers) sectors.

The Report encourages both newly registered and existing practitioners whose practice includes the preparation of wills, powers of attorney and estate administration to join one of the voluntary specialist accreditation schemes, such as the Law Society’s Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme or the STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) scheme.

All of the private client team at IBB Law are regulated and accredited.  We are accredited through the Law Society Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme (WIQS)  and  some of our team are members of STEP. In addition to the Law society accreditation they are bound by the STEP rules of practice.

A Will is a very important document and the law surrounding Wills is complex.  Putting in place such an important document should not be left to chance.  Good advice is key.  A well drafted Will should stand the test of time and in many cases may be a once in a lifetime investment.  Of course if your circumstances change, then your Will may need to change also.  It is important to keep your Will under review.

At IBB we offer a fixed fee service for most Wills. We will spend time initially getting to know you and your circumstances, what you are trying to achieve and we will advise you fully on the options before preparing a Will which reflects your needs and circumstances.

Contacts our Wills experts today.

If you would like to know more about our Will service or you would like to make an appointment with one of our team then please contact us on wills@ibblaw.co.uk or call 03456 381381 or complete the Contact us form.