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Original poster

Solicitor completely effed up!

167 replies

JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 14:24

Can anybody let me know if this is ok to send to a solicitor for a complaint? Am I being unreasonable?
thanks

Dear [Solicitor’s Name or Firm],

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding serious errors during the probate process of [Deceased’s Name]. Two wills were provided to your firm: a revoked will and the most recent valid will. Despite clear communication, the revoked will was initially sent to probate, delaying the process by several months. While I was understanding, the situation escalated when HMRC granted probate, but then uploaded the revoked will to the public registry. This has resulted in the previous beneficiary being aware of their inclusion in a superseded will, creating significant concern.

Although I contacted your office immediately upon discovering this error, and you acted swiftly to correct it, the fact remains that this mistake has jeopardized the integrity of the probate process and caused undue stress. Given these circumstances, I request that your firm cover any legal costs I now incur due to potential contestation of the will. I would also like a written clarification confirming whether this incident constitutes legal malpractice or gross misconduct. Should I not receive satisfactory resolution, I will have no choice but to escalate this matter.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]

OP posts:
MissMoneyFairy · 21/02/2026 15:50

JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:49

Hi.
The deceaseds ex partners daughter. Split 2012. The ex partner died a couple of years ago (I was not included in her will and would have never expected to have been) She still kept in contact. I never understood it and don’t want to speculate but the amount of hounding I have had from her since the deceased died it’s apparent she asked about the will a lot of times days after his death. I told her she wasn’t in the will from the get go so I understand her anger when she sees the revoked will uploaded with her name on because it looks like I have lied. I have no idea why she was removed. Deceased did it a month after I got married in 2017 only made the revoked one in 2017

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Block her, don't discuss it any further, if she wants to waste money revoking a valid will that's her choice.

Original poster
JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:49

JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:49

Hi.
The deceaseds ex partners daughter. Split 2012. The ex partner died a couple of years ago (I was not included in her will and would have never expected to have been) She still kept in contact. I never understood it and don’t want to speculate but the amount of hounding I have had from her since the deceased died it’s apparent she asked about the will a lot of times days after his death. I told her she wasn’t in the will from the get go so I understand her anger when she sees the revoked will uploaded with her name on because it looks like I have lied. I have no idea why she was removed. Deceased did it a month after I got married in 2017 only made the revoked one in 2017

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Sorry revoked one in 2016

OP posts:
Original poster
JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:49

LittleBearPad · 21/02/2026 15:41

It is a terrible letter.

No professional is going to reply and yes, you’re right we committed gross misconduct. They didn’t by the way.

A mistake was made and has been rectified.

If the other person thought they’d be a beneficiary but aren’t, it’s quite likely they’d challenge the will regardless.

Who are they and do you know why they were removed?

Hi.
The deceaseds ex partners daughter. Split 2012. The ex partner died a couple of years ago (I was not included in her will and would have never expected to have been) She still kept in contact. I never understood it and don’t want to speculate but the amount of hounding I have had from her since the deceased died it’s apparent she asked about the will a lot of times days after his death. I told her she wasn’t in the will from the get go so I understand her anger when she sees the revoked will uploaded with her name on because it looks like I have lied. I have no idea why she was removed. Deceased did it a month after I got married in 2017 only made the revoked one in 2017

OP posts:
MissMoneyFairy · 21/02/2026 15:48

She's a chancer unless it turns out she's his daughter, don't engage any further, don't write to your solicitor, there's no need for you to get involved,

Lmnop22 · 21/02/2026 15:45

This whole thing is very premature. Yes the solicitors made a mistake and it’s been rectified. Asking them to cover the possible future costs of possible contested probate is unreasonable until you’ve actually incurred any or a contest has been formally made.

This relative may well just accept she’s only related to the deceased though him previously being in a relationship with their parent and just shrug it off! You could surely show them the most recent superseding will (and it will be public record if not already) and they have no legal leg to stand on contesting it….

Why waste time and energy on something that may not even be a thing?

DeftGoldHedgehog · 21/02/2026 15:41

Just follow the complaints procedure in your engagement letter.

Heronwatcher · 21/02/2026 15:41

JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:39

I’m a worrier.
this person is a daughter of an ex partner he had YEARS ago. I always thought it was strange she leached on. She called him dad. Which gave me some real childhood trauma. Not adopted none of my family understood it, nor was she part of the extended family but there must of been a reason that he changed the will and I just don’t have answers for her it could be a lot of things. But I’m shocked she thought somebody would actually get away with withholding funds from her.

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Oh god this person is a chancer. Just refer them to the current solicitors and ignore them.

LittleBearPad · 21/02/2026 15:41

It is a terrible letter.

No professional is going to reply and yes, you’re right we committed gross misconduct. They didn’t by the way.

A mistake was made and has been rectified.

If the other person thought they’d be a beneficiary but aren’t, it’s quite likely they’d challenge the will regardless.

Who are they and do you know why they were removed?

Original poster
JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:39

MissMoneyFairy · 21/02/2026 15:35

So, am I right in thinking that all that's happened is you were the only beneficiary and the other person isn't happy, that's not your concern if the second will is valid there's nothing they can do unless they prove they are entitled to something, thats up to them not you. I'm no expert so might be wrong but I don't understand what you're worried about.

I’m a worrier.
this person is a daughter of an ex partner he had YEARS ago. I always thought it was strange she leached on. She called him dad. Which gave me some real childhood trauma. Not adopted none of my family understood it, nor was she part of the extended family but there must of been a reason that he changed the will and I just don’t have answers for her it could be a lot of things. But I’m shocked she thought somebody would actually get away with withholding funds from her.

OP posts:
Alpacajigsaw · 21/02/2026 15:39

Even if the wrong will wasn’t uploaded, the apparent beneficiary may well have had a feeling they’d get something and therefore contest anyway if they didn’t. So the mistake may not make any difference. Send your complaint but don’t be surprised if it doesn’t get much response other than a sorry

MissMoneyFairy · 21/02/2026 15:39

Just ignore the other person, who were they to the deceased? Let them instruct a solicitor, keep,out of it and see how it plays out, don't offer them any money,there may be a very good reason they were not named in the second will,

singthing · 21/02/2026 15:38

It does sound quite AI-pompous and that reduces the clarity.
It's the sort of letter where I'd fully expect to see "yourself" and "myself" in, as a way to make the author sound sophisticated.

Write it how you actually speak. Be clear, direct and factual. Tale out all the fluffy prose. They are solictors, not the court of Queen Mary in Bridgerton.

singthing · 21/02/2026 15:38

It does sound quite AI-pompous and that reduces the clarity.
It's the sort of letter where I'd fully expect to see "yourself" and "myself" in, as a way to make the author sound sophisticated.

Write it how you actually speak. Be clear, direct and factual. Tale out all the fluffy prose. They are solictors, not the court of Queen Mary in Bridgerton.

SlatternIsMyMiddleName · 21/02/2026 15:36

Really? A mistake was made, it was rectified. They won’t charge you for any extra costs involved in the rectification. Yes, it’s annoying but I don’t think it warrants quite the drama.

Heronwatcher · 21/02/2026 15:35

JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:30

Yes I’m the executor. I had no idea not to send the revoked will I thought I was doing the right thing. Solicitor told me it would be destroyed. It wasn’t. But the previous beneficiary on the revoked will searched up the deceased and saw the old will and demanded money. Solicitor got this rectified very quickly and spoke to beneficiary on revoked will and apologised. But told me she’s instructing solicitors.

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Just ignore for the time being- it’s likely that the old beneficiary is bluffing to try to get you to pay them something voluntarily. Unless there was something very wrong with the new will, if they do consult a solicitor they’ll probably be told that they don’t have a claim anyway. Just wait and see what happens.

Original poster
JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:35

SconehengeRevenge · 21/02/2026 15:33

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5493900-aibu-to-feel-insulted

No I don’t have a sister I’m an only child.

OP posts:
MissMoneyFairy · 21/02/2026 15:35

So, am I right in thinking that all that's happened is you were the only beneficiary and the other person isn't happy, that's not your concern if the second will is valid there's nothing they can do unless they prove they are entitled to something, thats up to them not you. I'm no expert so might be wrong but I don't understand what you're worried about.

Original poster
JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:32

SconehengeRevenge · 21/02/2026 15:31

@JessicaRabbit23 you've either got a second thread running about this, but in reverse or your sister is on mn!

link x

OP posts:
SconehengeRevenge · 21/02/2026 15:31

@JessicaRabbit23 you've either got a second thread running about this, but in reverse or your sister is on mn!

Original poster
JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:30

poetryandwine · 21/02/2026 15:23

It was a minor tactical mistake to send the old will along to the solicitor, but not a serious one. The solicitor should have ignored it ir destroyed it.

OP hasn’t made a serious mistake, certainly nothing the court would care about.

Show quote history

Yes I’m the executor. I had no idea not to send the revoked will I thought I was doing the right thing. Solicitor told me it would be destroyed. It wasn’t. But the previous beneficiary on the revoked will searched up the deceased and saw the old will and demanded money. Solicitor got this rectified very quickly and spoke to beneficiary on revoked will and apologised. But told me she’s instructing solicitors.

OP posts:
MBDBBB · 21/02/2026 15:30

JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:26

I sent two wills
a revoked will (a copy not original)
a more recent copy (original)
I asked what happens to the revoked will and solicitor said ‘it will get destroyed’

•probate solicitor sent the revoked will to probate by accident/mistake
•4 months down the line this got questioned by probate examiner as the figures didn’t match with the forms as the revoked will they had, had two beneficiaries (myself and another) (this is what I was told)
•Correct will was sent and more waiting commenced.
• Probate granted with correct will. One beneficiary me. Funds distributed to me.
• Who ever uploads to the probate registry search uploaded the wrong will (the revoked will that was originally questioned by probate examiner) I thought this was HMRC sorry if I got this wrong I have no clue who uploads.

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Ok this is clearer. The mistake here is the probate registry’s in that case. If they proved the correct will but uploaded the wrong one, it’s unfortunate but not the solicitor’s fault. The probate registry knew which will was correct but they made the error. I think you’ll struggle to get any sort of compensation for this.

bunnypenny · 21/02/2026 15:29

JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:26

I sent two wills
a revoked will (a copy not original)
a more recent copy (original)
I asked what happens to the revoked will and solicitor said ‘it will get destroyed’

•probate solicitor sent the revoked will to probate by accident/mistake
•4 months down the line this got questioned by probate examiner as the figures didn’t match with the forms as the revoked will they had, had two beneficiaries (myself and another) (this is what I was told)
•Correct will was sent and more waiting commenced.
• Probate granted with correct will. One beneficiary me. Funds distributed to me.
• Who ever uploads to the probate registry search uploaded the wrong will (the revoked will that was originally questioned by probate examiner) I thought this was HMRC sorry if I got this wrong I have no clue who uploads.

Show quote history

If this is what happened, you have no claim against the solicitor. They made a mistake which was rectified.

any course of action would be against the probate office, but the reality is you’d need to prove this mistake caused you a loss and from you have said, it hasn’t. Causation will be hard to show.

Heronwatcher · 21/02/2026 15:28

JessicaRabbit23 · 21/02/2026 15:18

I mean the tone I’m receiving on here from being abit of a thicko why wouldn’t I use it. I literally have no idea what I’m doing but I’m worrying

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What are you worried about? What do you want to happen?

If it’s a claim from the previous beneficiary to contest the will, just wait and see if that happens and then raise this with the solicitors dealing with the estate. Otherwise just chalk it up to experience. The previous beneficiary may have known already that they were in an old will and probably could have found out from other people too. Plus challenging a will is difficult and costly.

Hablo · 21/02/2026 15:28

Because you’ve used AI to write it, it includes American spellings.