Wills have gone missing

[Fairyfellowsmasterstroke]

Several years ago my Parents in Law had their wills drawn up by a company "Willmakers of Distinction".

After the wills were drawn up, signed and witnessed the company kept the master copies and my PIL were given a copy of their wills. These copies are clearly marked "Copy Will" and were not signed and witnessed.

The Will making company has subsequently been through the courts with the owners/directors imprisoned for fraud and the company "wound up". We only discovered this in recent months despite the events happening 5 years ago.

We are in the process of trying to track down the original wills but, until we do, can PIL each sign their copy wills, have them witnessed and, by doing so, make the copy wills as valid as the (missing) originals?

The fact the copy wills are clearly marked "Copy Will" is causing some concern for my elderly PIL.

How are they marked? You could photocopy them while covering the mark or just type them up again.

Just go to a reputable local solicitor and get a new will/s drawn up. It can say exactly what these wills say if needed.
Make sure it says this will revokes all previous wills in it.
Job done and probably will not cost a lot and be quicker and less stressful than chasing down these old wills.

Pico2 The wills are only marked as Copy Wills on the final page which is where they need to be signed and witnessed.

Ironing MIL is very unwell and housebound - getting her to a solicitors would be impossible and home visits from solicitors are expensive.

I'm not too bothered about the original wills if I know that, when signed and witnessed, the copy wills can be valid.

Could you then type exactly word for word the will and then get it signed and witnessed ?

That's terrible OP!

I run a will writing business and always recommend National Will Safe to store all of my clients' wills. Some willwriters are absolute cowboys and a disgrace to the profession.

I'll be happy to draw up fresh wills for your PIL in the circs at no cost if you'd like to PM me or contact me via [email protected].

The new wills will revoke the old ones, ie cancel them out. Everything can be done by phone/email.

Sorry should have mentioned you'd need to scan and email a copy of the copy wills and I'll use the info in those to make new wills.

That's such a kind offer mumblechum. What a nice person you are.

I'm actually a miserable old bag in real life

OP you may be reluctant to accept the offer as I could be anyone but have a look at my website www.marlowwills.co.uk

Mumble That is a truely kind offer - I'm flabbergasted!!!

Please let me speak with PIL before I do anything, it would be wrong for me to act without their authority.

The wills are "bog standard" ones (ie MIL leaves it all to FIL, apart from a small bequest of jewellery to her daughter, and FIL leaves it all to MIL) but, each will does cover 12 pages of what appears to be legal waffle.

The now defunct will writing company actually charged £500 for drawing up these very simplistic wills - true con merchants preying on the elderly.

Sadly that is a familiar story. My normal fees are £170 (tho rising soon), and we're rated number 1 out of 564 companies nationwide (brag)
There are some truly appalling cowboys in this business

Mumblechum you are just lovely!

What a lovely offer

Right, Mumblechum, that has galvanised me. We need wills, and we are happy to pay for them and I think we definitely need to engage you! I will be in touch through your website.

Absolutely no probs; am just trying to balance out the atrociousness of the other will writers!
Patricia, that's great, you know where I am

Nice one Mumblechum !

UPDATE

Massive progress has been made.

Following my original post Mumblechump very kindly offered to re-write my PILs wills. This was an amazingly kind offer from a total stranger - thanks again Mumble.

I was then contacted by another MN whose OH worked for the Law Society and could possibly help to track down wills that were drawn up by the now defunct, fraudulent company.

After a few phone calls to the right people (thanks MNer who doesn't want naming) the wills have been located at a solicitors in Newark. Apparently the Law Society approached these reputable solicitors in an attempt to safeguard as many of the fraudsters clients as possible. Luckily my PILs wills were among those retrieved.

I made more progress on MN in 2 days than I had in the previous 2 weeks. Thank you to all concerned - especially Mumblechum and my other (nameless) saviour.

Aw, that's fab - it's so nice to know that there are so many kind people out there!

Glad it has all been sorted out!

mumblechum wrote our wills for us, we did it all over phone & email, all very straightforward.

Oh, I'm so pleased you got this sorted.

If only Mumsnet was in charge of the country........

Mumble hum is amazing (and very very patient)

Thank you ver much Sophie and Mutton