News0 min ago
Original Copy Of A Will .......
16 Answers
A relative of mine has made her will and the original copy was kept with the solicitor.
The solicitor is now no longer about (I think they got investigated for fraud, or some other criminal activity - but whatever the reason, they were closed down).
My question is, does it matter that we no longer have access to the original will, as I have an exact copy of the original, all signed and dated, etc.
Is a copy sufficient, or does she need to make a new will ??
The solicitor is now no longer about (I think they got investigated for fraud, or some other criminal activity - but whatever the reason, they were closed down).
My question is, does it matter that we no longer have access to the original will, as I have an exact copy of the original, all signed and dated, etc.
Is a copy sufficient, or does she need to make a new will ??
Answers
The solicitors have been "intervened with". This means the Law Society will have appointed another firm of solicitors to go into that firm and effectively have the drains up. In this case the intervenors were John Owen of Gordons, Forward House, 8 Duke Street, Bradford, BD1 3QX, tel: 01274 202202. Try contacting them. If the intervention has finished...
11:55 Wed 24th Jun 2015
Proving a copy of a will (rather than the original document) is theoretically possible but legally very difficult. (It's likely to involve several affidavits and some very lengthy court delays. Even then there could be no guarantee of the will being proved).
If your relative is still happy with the wording of her original will, simply type it out again (amending the date, obviously) onto blank paper and get her to sign it in the presence of two witnesses (who must not be beneficiaries of the will) who also then countersign it. There's no need to use the services of another solicitor.
If your relative is still happy with the wording of her original will, simply type it out again (amending the date, obviously) onto blank paper and get her to sign it in the presence of two witnesses (who must not be beneficiaries of the will) who also then countersign it. There's no need to use the services of another solicitor.
Practically speaking you need the top signed copy
and not a very good photocopy
and dont wait until she's dead before passing off the good photocopy, for chrissakes. - so yes it does matter,
and Sir Orac is right - the fact that the the solicitors have gone under
not Milne and Lyall by any chance ?
http:// www.bri dportne ws.co.u k/news/ 8738920 .Bridpo rt__Sol icitors _probed _after_ Panorma _tv_pro gramme/
does NOT mean their papers go up in smoke - they get passed on
and not a very good photocopy
and dont wait until she's dead before passing off the good photocopy, for chrissakes. - so yes it does matter,
and Sir Orac is right - the fact that the the solicitors have gone under
not Milne and Lyall by any chance ?
http://
does NOT mean their papers go up in smoke - they get passed on
Thanks for all the advice. Would it be okay to photocopy the original, with the signature and witnesses blanked out and then sign them, etc, so it's obvious that this is an original copy, or would I have to type it all out onto a blank piece of paper (assuming I can't find the original copy) ??
Just for the record PP, the solicitor's was SFN, Burnley:
http:// www.sra .org.uk /sra/ne ws/pres s/burnl ey-soli citor-s truck-o ff-brid ge.page
Just for the record PP, the solicitor's was SFN, Burnley:
http://
Chris is correct, I'm just coming out of a long process doing exactly this. My mother held the original and it got destroyed with other belongings when she died, I had only a photocopy and it has taken 18 months of letters, filling in forms and swearing oaths - all costing a lot of money.
For Heavens sake get her to make a new one - maybe she can sign the photocopy with witnesses, I don't know if this would be watertight, the rules are very strict.
For Heavens sake get her to make a new one - maybe she can sign the photocopy with witnesses, I don't know if this would be watertight, the rules are very strict.
The solicitors have been "intervened with". This means the Law Society will have appointed another firm of solicitors to go into that firm and effectively have the drains up.
In this case the intervenors were John Owen of Gordons, Forward House, 8 Duke Street, Bradford, BD1 3QX, tel: 01274 202202. Try contacting them. If the intervention has finished contact the Law Society records department.
In this case the intervenors were John Owen of Gordons, Forward House, 8 Duke Street, Bradford, BD1 3QX, tel: 01274 202202. Try contacting them. If the intervention has finished contact the Law Society records department.
I now feel that best answer should go to Barmaid.
I just rang the contact number you provided and they confirmed that they were involved in the intervening of SFN. They didn't, however, handle any of the wills, but they told me that they would be held with the SRA and gave me their phone number.
I've rung them and they have confirmed that they have dealt with SFN and are going to email me a form to fill in .... thanks again to EVERYONE .....
I just rang the contact number you provided and they confirmed that they were involved in the intervening of SFN. They didn't, however, handle any of the wills, but they told me that they would be held with the SRA and gave me their phone number.
I've rung them and they have confirmed that they have dealt with SFN and are going to email me a form to fill in .... thanks again to EVERYONE .....