Read what MNers thought about Beyond’s online will writing service

[AbbiCMumsnet]

This activity has now closed

This is the feedback thread for the users that tested out Beyond’s online will writing service.
This was open to MNers with at least one child who live in England or Wales.

Here’s what Beyond have to say:
“Without a will, the state determines what happens with your kids and assets, whether you’re married or not. So, a will is vital for parents, and Beyond make it simple and affordable to get it sorted online. In 15 minutes, you can protect your family with a legally-binding will - without ever having to leave the house. It’s perfect for busy mums and dads. Trusted by 1,000s of UK parents, Beyond’s easily updateable online will service lets you protect your family, choose guardians for children and pets and leave personal messages for your loved ones.”

Testers please answer the following questions:

• Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?
• Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?
• Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future?
• How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service?
• Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families?

Selected testers will be required to leave their feedback on a thread on Mumsnet and fill in a short survey. Everyone who leaves the required feedback will be entered into a prize draw where 3 x MNers will win a £100 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw.
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

[AbbiCMumsnet]

Please see below for a final comment from Beyond:

“Hi @EagleVisionSquirrelWork,

We're very happy to reply to your questions and provide total reassurance. Your will is an important legal document, so you want to be certain that you're using a reputable service.

Beyond is not SRA regulated for will writing, because will writing is not a regulated service.

Our will-checking team follow a checklist set out by our STEP lawyers and are CPD trained in will-writing.

We're very fortunate to partner with some amazing, large organisations such as Great Ormond Street Children's Charity, who put us through rigorous compliance checks.

And yes, we have professional indemnity insurance.

Best
The Beyond Team"

If you want to as further questions around the legal framework of Beyond, please email them at [email protected], as we want to keep the focus of this thread on the feedback.

Thanks
MNHQ

[Olinguito]

Delighted to have won a voucher - thank you so much.

[EagleVisionSquirrelWork]

Now that the thread has closed, can I just say how disappointed I am that Beyond have failed to answer the questions I had, despite saying they would be willing to. These are pasted below, and anyone who has used their service might find it interesting to consider them, and consider that they remain unanswered.

You said that you don't automatically add yourselves as executors. Can you confirm whether or not Beyond has ever done this?

Is Beyond a member of either the Institute of Professional Willwriters or the Society of Will Writers?

And finally, I wondered what safety net is in place for anyone who finds that their will isn't up to the task (or, more likely, whose survivors do). If you're not connected with the law firm Beyond (co. number 10817208), then who does the legal checking that each will is meant to undergo? The solicitor listed as one of your company officers (Lomax Ward) is recorded by the Law Society as non-practising (and as working for a private investment company), so do you employ other solicitors or legal professionals? Do you have professional indemnity insurance in the event of a problem with a will drafted via the site? Is Beyond's work overseen by the Legal Ombudsman (i.e. are you a regulated legal service provider) as well as by the FCA?

[kungfupidge]

aww thankyou so much ! im so chuffed to have won this really has made my day
thankyou very much x

[AbbiCMumsnet]

Thanks for all your feedback, and congratulations to @Olinguito & @kungfupidge & @marmitericecakes for winning the vouchers!

[HeartshapedFox]

Just read that as Beyonce’s will writing service and thought “blimey that’s a bit niche for a global mega star”. Time for bed now I think..

[zigzagbetty]

Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?
Very easy just followed the process step by step

• Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?
  

Yes as we had no will in place before

• Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future? Yes as things change all the time
  
• How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service? Good value for money as it's more convenient than finding a solicitor
  
• Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families? I would if your circumstances are simple like ours. If you have previous families or other assets it would prob be better to take legal advice

[BeyondAvoidant]

"Beyond began life as Funeralbooker in 2015"

Well I've been Beyond much longer than that - can I sue?

[mummabubs]

I decided to contact them in the end @EagleVisionSquirrelWork and request that they not only delete my will (which I never got witnessed) and also all data held in relation to me. I've had an email to confirm this has been actioned. I had a similar concern about how wills are legally "checked" and scrutinised as this isn't made clear on the website, or even what qualifications their staff hold.

[Lilbratz]

Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?

Fantastically easy, simple to follow questions and check boxes. Also an online help if you needed it.

Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?

yes. I feel confident that should anything happen to me or my husband is great. I also like I can update at anytime online.

I love that I can update at any time during the year online.

How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service?

For the service, the price is amazing. Its definitely value for money .

Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families?

Absolutely, it was so simple to use, easy to follow, done in less than half hour. Saves me going to a solictor, taking the kids, having to supervise them, spending hundreds of pounds on the service. LOVE IT!

[Starfish78]

• Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?
  

Yes it was very easy

• Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?
  

Definitely

• Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future?
  

Yes

• How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service?
  

It’s very good value

• Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families?
  

Yes I would definitely recommend it

[Hopeislost]

• Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?

Yes, it was very easy and straightforward to use.

• Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?

Yes, it's something that I've been meaning to do for a while but never got around to.

• Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future?

Yes, I thought this function was really valuable. I'm sure that I'll have forgotten something. Or if our circumstances change.

• How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service?

Considering the update service, it is much cheaper than hiring a solicitor!

• Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families?

Yes I would recommend it to other families. It is so quick and easy!

[LateKate]

Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?
It was so easy to use- I have been putting it off as I hadn't had time but eventually got on with it and it was so quick and easy, I was able to do the whole thing easily on my phone.

• Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?

Yes much so, it's something that has been hanging over me so it's good to know plans are in place.

• Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future?

Very, things change so it's good to know it's easy to make changes to the will.

• How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service?

Excellent

• Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families?

Very, it was so quick and easy and worth it for peace of mind.

[wineisgood]

• Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?
  

Yes, smooth site

• Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?
  

Yes, I feel a bit better that something is in place

• Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future?
  

Yes.

• How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service?
  

Reasonable.

• Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families?
  

Yes I would, for non complex wills.

[Whoopstheregomyinsides]

Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?

It was so easy! I managed to complete it on my phone tooin between chasing round an very active almost 1 year old!.

Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?

Certainly. Just need to sort husbands but out.

Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future?

Yes! Paying £20 a year for unlimited updates is amazing considering the cost you'd incur doing it through a solicitors, even when you factor in you probably won't need to change it every year.

How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service?

Worth it for the ease alone.

Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families?

Definitely! If you cant find time to go sit in a solicitors office, then this is for you. If you want to sit in the comfort of your own home, then do it !

[Bouncylion]

Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?

Yes, extremely easy!

• Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?
  

Yes. It’s been something that I’ve been meaning to do for a long time but have never been able to make the time to get it done

• Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future?
  

Yes, that’s a really handy feature

• How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service?
  

Extremely good value

• Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families?
  

Yes 100%

[Rockyolive]

• Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?

It was very easy and quick.

• Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?

Definitely, I know that we needed to sort out a will but we could never find a suitable time to make an appointment. This we could do at a time to suit us (about midnight!)

• Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future?

Yes, and it sounds like it won't be difficult to make amendments.

• How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service?

I think it is really good value for money.

• Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families?

Yes, I would have no hesitation in recommending.

[EagleVisionSquirrelWork]

Hi James

Thank you for taking the time to respond on the thread. Can you clarify a couple more things, please?

You said that you don't automatically add yourselves as executors. Can you confirm whether or not Beyond has ever done this?

Is Beyond a member of either the Institute of Professional Willwriters or the Society of Will Writers?

And finally, I wondered what safety net is in place for anyone who finds that their will isn't up to the task (or, more likely, whose survivors do). If you're not connected with the law firm Beyond (co. number 10817208), then who does the legal checking that each will is meant to undergo? The solicitor listed as one of your company officers (Lomax Ward) is recorded by the Law Society as non-practising (and as working for a private investment company), so do you employ other solicitors or legal professionals? Do you have professional indemnity insurance in the event of a problem with a will drafted via the site? Is Beyond's work overseen by the Legal Ombudsman (i.e. are you a regulated legal service provider) as well as by the FCA?

I think that all of this information needs to be on your website if you want to be seen as professional and reputable. When you consider the seriousness of the matter at hand, and the sensitivity of the data you're handling, it follows that customers need transparency and some evidence that they're placing their affairs in a safe pair of hands, particularly when, as we're seeing here, your service seems aimed at people who are too busy to give the process much thought.

[AbbiCMumsnet]

Thanks for all your feedback so far! Beyond want the opportunity to thank you all for taking part and respond to a user.

"Hi there - Beyond here. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to test our service - we really value and appreciate your feedback, and the insight you have provided has been incredibly helpful.

@EagleVisionSquirrelWork - thanks for your comment.

My name is James Dunn and, hopefully, I can clear up the issues and concerns that you’ve raised. I’m one of the directors you mentioned who are listed on Companies House and one of the ‘chirpy thirty-something’s in the photo on our About Us page.

Beyond began life as Funeralbooker in 2015. At the time, we were solely a funeral price comparison website. Our aim was (and still is) to make ‘after life’ services fairer by helping families find the most affordable service near them.

You can read about some of our work and achievements on this front in the Express, the Mail, and The Times. We also assisted the Competition and Markets Authority during their funeral market investigation, which you can see here.

In 2017, we started to think about new ways we could help families cope with issues around the end of a life: not just funerals, but also the legal side of things. So, we created our probate offering and developed our affordable online will service. Since launch, we have helped tens of thousands of people write a will and enabled many million pounds worth of legacy gifts to charity.

To reflect the wider range of services we were offering, we decided to rebrand as Beyond.

We now operate solely under that name. This rebrand was covered widely, and you can see some examples of this coverage here and here.

The information on the About Us page matches the information within our terms, which matches the information on Companies House. Additionally, you can view our FCA authorisation here, which also confirms these details. I hope this assures you who we are.

One of the other directors listed on Companies House is Ian Strang, who is our CEO. Unfortunately, he’s no longer a thirty-something, but still chirpy. The other two directors listed on Companies House are non-operational directors, representing two of our investors.

I am unsure what the other business is that you refer to (the one named Beyond and based in Manchester). However, I can confirm that it is in no way connected to us.

Now, you are correct in that there is rife abuse of “automatic” executorships in the will-writing industry. At Beyond, we do not automatically add ourselves as executors on any wills.

For us to act as executor, the customer has to actively choose that option when using our will service and as a customer-centric company, we provide clear and fair terms for this service, visible online here.

I really do hope this helps clear up the concerns you had. I would be more than happy to speak further.

Best

James

[TwelveThirtyTwo]

Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?

Incredibly easy, everything is set out for you. I would say it’s pretty foolproof.

• Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?
  

Yes I’m a single parent and foster carer so felt like it might be complicated and expensive as I want my son and foster son to both inherit.
So I had put it off for a long time

• Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future?
  

Yes as I may want to add other foster children who I haven’t met yet.

• How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service?
  

Excellent, I have friends who have paid a lot more and have to pay a lot to alter it as well.

• Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families?
  

I already have done. I’m very impressed.

[AbbiCMumsnet]

Hi @paddler78, yes, your code should work for both of you.

[paddler78]

Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?

Yes very easy and straght forward, questions are easy to understand and it really does only take about 20mins.

Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?

Yes although as some previous posters have said it almost feels too easy and you may have missed something but I guess the only way you'll know is when it's too late to do anything about it.

Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future?

Yes the £20 a year seems a good idea for this although it wasn't clear if this was per will in the case of a joint one.

How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service?

I've not looked at other online provider but it seems reasonable.

Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families?

Yes

[nunnun]

Every time I see the title of this thread I read it as "Beyonce's Online Will Writing Service"!

[rachaelsit]

• Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use?
  

Yes, even on a phone or tablet which is convenient.

• Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind?
  

For sure!

• Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future?
  

Yes! I didn’t enjoy thinking about that stuff I can see why people put it off.

• How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service?
  

I think they joint will is excellent value.

• Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families?
  

Yes I would do

[BollockyBagels]

Did you and your family find Beyond's online will writing service easy to use? It couldn't have been easier! I've been putting off sorting it out for ages but this service was brilliant.

• Do you feel that it has helped your peace of mind? Absolutely yes.

• Is it reassuring to know you can easily update it any time in the future? Yes.

• How do you rate the value for money of the will writing service? Really competitive. Plus you don't have the hassle of keeping an appointment and traipsing around.

• Would you recommend Beyond’s will-writing service to other families? Yes, especially for those with very young children.