March 2017

Drawing up a will is an essential way of ensuring that your savings and assets are distributed according to your final wishes, yet many people fail to make one for fear of the cost.

DIY Wills that you can buy in stationery shops or online offer a far cheaper alternative. However whilst an off-the-shelf will may seem attractive due to its price, it can be a risky strategy to take as if errors are made in the drawing up of the will, or the strict signing and witnessing rules are not followed correctly, then this could make your Will invalid.

The implications from this can be serious as not only do you risk leaving your family with a very complicated situation to sort out at what will already be a very emotive and distressing time, but also your assets could end up being significantly reduced by legal bills or tax, as your estate will be treated as if you had not made a will at all.

Problems can also arise if your circumstances change as many DIY wills cannot accommodate this. For example, if you get married, any will you have previously written will be automatically revoked, unless you have expressly stipulated in the will that it has been written in contemplation of marriage. Ensuring children from previous relationships are looked after as you would wish is also another concern that needs to be addressed correctly.

We offer competitive fixed fees for making a will. All our Fee Earners are qualified Solicitors who specialise in this potentially very complex area and they will provide you with a written record of your discussions and a written explanation of your Will provisions. We are also accredited with the Law Society’s Wills and Inheritance Quality Mark and are the only Solicitors in Carmarthen to have gained this distinction.

We also offer free Will registration with Certainty which is the UK national Will Register.

If you would like to speak to one of our Solicitors about making a will. then please telephone us on (01267) 237441 or e-mail us at mail@utk.co.uk

Buying a home or making a Will are important steps in our lives, so it is therefore important that you choose the correct Solicitor to help you in any legal processes.

1. Who are you instructing?
The way in which we purchase legal services has changed. Whereas ten years ago we would have gone to see a Solicitor on our local high street, with the ever increasing use of technology, we can now access legal services online or through a call centre.

Whilst these may appear attractive from a cost element, these might be based at the other end of the country. Also don’t assume that it will be a fully qualified Solicitor that has conduct of your case. Many legal service providers employ non qualified Fee Earning staff who do not have the same qualifications, experience or local knowledge as your high street local Solicitor and you may find that you end up speaking to a different person every time you phone up.

2. Cheapest doesn’t always mean best value
Whilst it is sensible to shop around to get quotes before deciding on a Solicitor, do not become fixated in having to get the cheapest quote. Buying a house is probably the biggest financial outlay you will make in your life and when you are spending hundreds of thousands on a property, you need to ensure that you have instructed a reputable, experienced Solicitor to act for you.

3. Be wary of hidden costs
You should make sure that any quotes you receive are like for like and that any quotes include the firm’s fees, VAT and all disbursements.

Disbursements are costs such as Land Registry search and registration fees and stamp duty and you should ensure that these have all been included in any quote.

Additionally some firms add on extra fees once you have instructed them, so whilst at first glance their initial quote is cheaper, by the time they have added on these additional costs, you could well find yourself paying a lot more than you originally thought.

Beware of quotes that look cheaper than others – as the saying goes ‘If it looks too good to be true, then it probably is.’

4. Personal Recommendation
If you are unsure who to instruct as your Solicitor, it is often better to ask family and friends who they use and would recommend.

At Ungoed-Thomas and King we offer competitive fixed fees for some services that we offer. We also offer a 30 minute free consultation to initially discuss your matter. All our Fee Earners are qualified Solicitors who are specialists in their chosen practice areas.

We understand that our clients like to be able to speak to the same person throughout the course of their case and we pride ourselves on being approachable, professional local Solicitors who have over 100 years of experience in providing legal services in West Wales.

If you would like to speak to one of our Solicitors about acting for you. then please telephone us on (01267) 237441 or e-mail us at mail@utk.co.uk

The Dangers of DIY Wills

What should you consider when buying legal services?

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