Solicitor completely effed up!

[JessicaRabbit23]

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 This has resulted in the previous beneficiary being aware of their inclusion in a superseded will, creating significant concern.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]

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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,

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

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.

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?

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

Just follow the complaints procedure in your engagement letter.

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?

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,

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

Sorry revoked one in 2016

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

Current solicitors told me they don’t deal with contested wills. To be fair the solicitor did explain to her what had happened. But then she messaged me it doesn’t make sense why was she cut out but I honestly don’t know.

OP, you say, “I’m shocked she thought somebody would actually get away with withholding funds from her.”. Sadly, this does happen. My stepson and daughter were left money by an uncle, which my DH (his brother and their father) only discovered a couple of years later when he happened to look up the will. The money was eventually paid - but only after an exchange of letters and pointing out that it was a legal duty of the executor to ensure that legacies were distributed in accordance with the deceased’s wishes.

Ok thank you. I just have these weird play outs in my head and can’t stop and then I worry.

Ahh ok. I’m shocked that this can happen. It’s awful.

She likes to think she’s his daughter. But no I’m an only child.

I don't understand this at all.

You sent two wills for no reason. You should've only sent them the current one. You've caused unnecessary confusion.

They made an error, but they've rectified it.

Presumably you were charged fixed fee?

If somebody challenges the will, that's between that person and you. Your solicitors have nothing to do with it. That person coud challenge in any event, it's a completely separate matter.

What are you trying to achieve?

Ok great. Thanks for your help. Sorry for being so confusing. 🫶

I’m worrying that the will is going to be contested. Not trying to achieve anything. I’m not clued up so really was asking for advice.