Will Registration

After you have made your Will it is vital that you take steps to let your family know that you have done so, and where the original document is located.

A recent survey undertaken in this country revealed that as many as two-thirds of people would not know where to locate their parents' Wills! Of course, if a Will is never found, in effect it will be deemed not to exist and the estate will then be distributed according to the intestacy laws - the intentions of the deceased will not be carried out.

We shall, of course, keep your Will here under safe and secure storage but we can only react to your death by being contacted by your family or other beneficiaries.

The Certainty National Will Register

Certainty, with Law Society endorsement and support, have established a national register of Wills which enables bereaved people to search for the whereabouts of a Will, and thus thereafter to find it and act on it as the deceased would have wished.

The Register will inform enquirers where (i.e. with which firm of solicitors) the Will is held. In dealing with requests to access the Will we (as will other firms of solicitors) shall carry out the due diligence in checking the legitimacy of the enquirer as we always do in such circumstances. Thus, any Will which has been registered can be located.

Note: Only a record of the location of the Will is stored on the register. The Register do not hold a copy and will be totally unaware of the contents of the Will or any other details.

How can I register my Will?

If your Will is with us, or if you would like to deposit it with us for safe keeping you can simply request that we register it with the National Register. There may be a small one-off charge.

Just contact Margaret Marshall or Roderick McCulloch.