Contesting A Will – Number of contentious probate firms ‘doubled since 2018’

Cutting corners can be a costly mistake.

The number of firms offering services surrounding contentious Wills, probate and trusts has doubled since 2018, according to a recent study on the Wills and probate market (and the UK Wills, Probate & Trusts Market Report 2022 by IRN Research) which highlighted the rising figure of private client litigation firms to 646.

But why the sudden increase?

A report conducted by IRN last year showed that only just over half of those with a Will had it written by a solicitor, with over 1 in 10 choosing to draft their own.

Perhaps it’s too easy to draw a conclusion but these findings generally tie in with our own: DIY  or cheap Will services frequently lead to disputes, and those can involves years of costly legal battles.

You may save a bit of money now, but the fallout comes much later and costs much more to rectify – when you use a solicitor to draft our Will you’re not just buying a Will, you’re buying years of training and experience from a regulated practice.

Not all Will writers are the same.

Solicitors have to be “indemnified” which simply put means if there’s a mistake not of your doing, you’re likely to be covered. The same cannot be said of some other sources of Wills. Being regulated, a Solicitor is required to adhere to the highest standards and to keep their knowledge up to date.