Vengeance from beyond the grave

[Segilla]

I reckon I'm a pretty moderate guy, a bit eccentric perhaps, slow to anger, easy to please and so on but I and my neighbours have been mightily offended by an overbearing, bullying and uncaring organisation who control our lives.

I'm inclined to condemn the guilty parties by naming and shaming them for all time in my will which is about to be rewritten.

Can I take it that this not illegal and will not invalidate the will?

[woofgang]

You can do it but I am not sure whether it will do any good. While wills are public property, they aren't usually publicly read or published.

[bednobs]

bear in mind the only people who will see it are your executors, and you could just as easily tell them. Is this your housing association? If you feel this strongly, why not move?

[mike11111]

Not at all illegal, history is littered with such examples. Make sure that your will includes a clause directing that the will should be read to those whom you wish to criticise, better still that it should be published in full in your local newspaper, though you will have to make financial provision for that.

[joko]

not sure how this will be vengeance really...? is it something that will cause them some problems?
or are you just going to *** them off a bit? - because if they are a big organisation they are probably used to it an probably wont care.
and it certainly wont be 'for all time' - its just a will - a piece of paper that will be read out then filed away.

perhaps you should name and shame in a more public way.

[Segilla]

Dead right, bednobs, a (London) Housing Assn. My Exor will be instructed to send a copy of my proved will to the guilty individuals and although my satisfaction will last only as long as I live, the record will be timeless.

Although their hoped for discomfiture will probably be only temporary it could be made more telling if it were published on the web after my demise. Would the poster be in any danger for passing on my words?

Moving house isn't easy or cheap.

TKS to all who responded.

[cassa333]

Unless you intend to die pretty soon it is a pointless exercise.

You might live another 20 or 30 years and the person you are going to be castigating could be dead or senile so won't care.

If what you want to say is just spiteful it could backfire and even in death you may end up being seen as the 'difficult old bugger' rather than the harddone by tenant.


If on the other hand you only have the guts to say the truth when you are dead, then go ahead. If they read it they will justy bin it.

[woofgang]

Well publishing a will on a website isn't illegal once it has passed into the public domain but it will be one minuscule bat squeak in all the stuff that is published every day. If the thought brings you comfort and satisfaction then go ahead but don't expect great things. if the person who publishes it does so with the intent to defame whoever you name though then whether or not the facts are correct, they do lay themselves open to a claim for defamation.
http://www.yourrights...ents-of-a-claim.html.

I guess the only way that you could make someone actually publish your will after your death would be to make it a condition of a bequest, but it would need to be a honker of a bequest IMO

[Barmaid]

The only problem I foresee is that the Probate Registry do have the power to remove comments from Wills that are deemed offensive so in the published version the words could be omitted.

[Segilla]

Thanks Postmaid. Just what I wanted to know.

cassa333. Sheltered Housing tends to imply old age. I have already risked my home in speaking out for sensible and moderate management for all of us here, but am up against big business where care is secondary to profit. Were you to be similarly exploited you may well be similarly aggrieved and look around for some lawful means of assuaging anger.

[woofgang]

Had you thought a bout a Watchdog type TV show?

[joko]

segilla... i dont think anyone disagrees with your motives at wanting to name and shame - its just not really a very good way of doing it.

i think you vastly over estimate the power of someone moaning in a will would have... i dont think its going to have the effect on them you seem to think it is...

look at it this way - have you ever read anyone elses will? would you seek them out online? once the person is gone the will would rarely be looked at ever again.

you would essentially just be writing a snotty letter to them....they will read it then bin it.
if you want vengeance you need something more public that your will...