By Philippa Wright, Head of Wills & Probate

I don’t know if any of you are fans of Cold Feet the TV show?  Maybe it’s an age thing as I remember it the first time around, it’s great to catch up with the characters just like seeing old friends.  Of course, these friends are aging just like we are and the recent story line with Jen losing her Mum brings this point home quite strongly.

There were a couple of issues from a legal perspective that got me thinking. When they found Mum’s Will Jenny joked “If she’s left everything to the cats’ home we’re going to bury that in the garden”. I wonder how many times someone has found a Will after someone has died and been tempted to rip it up?  This is a real flaw in the system as it is not compulsory to register Wills and potentially no one would find out.

However, this could be a serious offence probably criminal. If you benefitted it could be classed as obtaining money by deception.

The other issue that really struck a chord was the concern that Barbara’s Will was 8 years old and her life had significantly moved on.  She used to live with Sheila who was single, looked after her and didn’t own her home.  When she died, she was embedded into Jen and Pete’s family and living her best life.  Was this 8-year-old Will where everything was left to Sheila really still what she would have wanted?

When you make a Will with us we always recommend that we store the original and you keep a copy.  In this case Barbara’s Will would have been safe.  We also have a system where we aim to contact you every few years so that if your life has changed we can book you an appointment to change your Will.

Here at McHale & Co. we are a member of a nationwide network of high-quality law firms known as The Right Legal Group and deliver an industry leading product called RightWill. We are the only solicitors in the area to offer this industry leading service. Together our core purpose is Keeping Families Together, with the aim of protecting your legacy, ensuring your family have all the answers they need and allowing you to tell your own story.

I like to think if Barbara had made her Will with us the discord with Sheila and Jen would not have happened. However, I appreciate that this would have not been such a dramatic story line!

If you want some help with your Will, either reviewing an existing one or making a new one please get in touch.  The initial appointment is free, and we will give you our recommendation at the end of the meeting and agree the next steps.

Please call 0161 928 3848 or 01706 624029 or email me at philippa.wright@mchaleandco.co.uk