Making a "home made" will (I am in the UK)

[Maytoday]

I know there are many threads on this but can't find one which is not old or can specifically answer my question(s) so if anyone can help I would be grateful! When I say home made will I am referring to the type of forms from Post Office etc. or whoever else provides these forms.

Having searched many websites and will making firms/charities etc etc I still do not know if what I am looking for is possible.

I have a will which was made through a local solicitor 18 years ago but is now out of date regarding the contents and do not want to make a new one with the same law firm (or any law firm if I can do it without) plus my current circumstances make a new will so much simpler and straighforward.

Having read that a "home made" will is perfectly valid if signed and witnessed correctly and this would cancel any previous will, I thought Bingo it is looking good. Now I read that a new home made will should not include a property.

My current situation which is not likely to change:

One property owned and no mortgage.
A modest amount of savings which may alter but there will always be a sum to inherit.
One adult child who is unmarried and not likely to be so at any time. They will inherit everything.
I do not want to appoint an executor but understand there is a system whereby an independent exec. can be appointed for a fee from my estate. Can't give too much away here but my adult child would not be suitable as an executor.
There is no other family who would be involved in my will or anything I leave behind.

I have my doubts anyone here would have such a simple situation when it comes to their will but hope someone out there has perhaps had a similar or very similar situation to deal with.

The solicitor my will is currently with has told me I need to make a new one and would be charged around £300 again. I prefer to avoid this if possible.

Thanks for reading!

@Maytoday we've just had something posted on our thread by @Jannetra17 and immediately deleted by MNHQ too so maybe it's spam? That's why I searched for @Jannetra17 to see if she/he had posted somewhere else and found this thread...

Also @Maytoday I just read your post and I have just made a will, it was £200 but also pretty straightforward but they said you can add a 'letter of wishes' which can have much more detail if needed and you can alter at any time for no extra cost, but the main will is very simple as I just have one son who would also inherit everything. I did the St. Michael's hospice 'Make a will' month which so my £200 donation went to a charity instead of Woodlea Will Writing in Leeds who made the will for us, but that's just every April they do that, depends if you can wait - either way it sounds like the chap I used is £100 cheaper than you've been quoted and at least you'd be sure it was all legal etc. Good luck with it!

@41FerrisWheels

Thank you. I thought either troll or spam. MNHQ are on the ball today!

@41FerrisWheels

You posted about the will you made, while I was replying to the deleted message discussion. Just to clear that one up.

OP please take advice here to get a will properly drawn up with a solicitor, whichever way you do it. My will cost £150.00.

I was the executor for a now sadly deceased friend. He was a lawyer himself (not in probate though- in a completely different area) and he did his will himself. Problem was he accidentally created a partial intestacy- where not everything was covered. I will not go into it as it is clearly private but it was a nightmare. I ended up renouncing my executorship and it had to be taken over by solicitors - for stupid money. If someone who sort of knew what he was doing managed to do that well.....

Anyway- thing is, part of what you are paying for with solicitors is not just the professional advice, but their indemnity insurance if they screw it up.

best of luck.

@BlueLobelia

I appreciate your advice so thanks for your comments.