If you need to know how to access a Will of someone who has passed away then the information below will help.
Wills are typically stored with a solicitor or sometimes a bank, or they may even be held by the Executor of the Will.
Here are some steps you can take to access a Will if you are struggling to find out where it is kept:
- Visit The National Will Register website and search it’s records – currently there are over 10 million Wills registered with them.
- Contact the solicitor who wrote the Will: If you know the name of the solicitor who wrote the Will, you can contact them and ask them for a copy.
- Contact the bank: If the deceased held an account with a bank, they may have kept the Will in a safe deposit box. You can contact the bank if you know which one it is and ask them if they hold the Will.
- Contact the Probate Registry: If the Will has been through Probate, it will be held by the Probate Registry. You are able to contact them and ask for a copy. The Principal Probate Registry is located in Central London and there are 11 District Probate Registries and 18 Probate Sub-Registries. These registries are where all Probate records are stored in the UK.
- Contact the Executor: If you know who the Executor of the Will is, you can contact them and ask for a copy.
It’s worth remembering that some Wills may be held by the deceased person’s family or friends.
It’s also important to ensure that the Will is a valid and uptodate version before taking any action based on its contents.
If you need to access a Will, or even write your own Will, we can help. Contact us today either online or by phone on 01536 276300 or 01536 311690.