We "rescue" many of these Wills each year and the firms they come from are listed below.   If you know of a firm which is going out of business, ask them to contact us as we may be able to save them and their clients a great deal of work / grief.

To look for a Will, see the Unclaimed Last Wills page.

Very few firms provide anything like the service we do, so you can either join our service direct, or suggest to your solicitor or will writer that they join with us in offering a service to their clients.

If you are a solictor or Will Writer retiring or going out of business, you can save your clients and yourself a great deal of grief and hard work by contacting us.

We have recently rescued the stored Wills (etc) of:

Meridian Wills - formerly of Croydon see http://www.meridianwills.co.uk/  - Allied Professional Will Writers (www.APWW.co.uk  and ourselves are looking after their clients as best we can.

The Paragon Partnership Ltd  - formerly of  Luton & St Leonards on Sea - see http://www.paragonpartnership.co.uk/ (www.APWW.co.uk and ourselves are trying to look after their clients)

DSB Estate & Tax Planning Ltd an orderly take over due to closure of the business (www.APWW.co.uk are looking after their clients, we are storing the documents)

Please don't contact us unless your Will was written by one of the named firms.  We list below some other methods of finding Lost Wills:

Check with the Deceased's Bank and/or Building Society;

Write to all Solicitors local to the Deceased;

Check the depository of the Principal Registry of the Family Division;

Organise a standing search at the Principal Registry to monitor any applications for a Grant to the Estate;

Advertise in newspapers local to the Deceased's address at death and previous addresses as appropriate and if necessary;

Advertise in the Law Society Gazette (Wills & Whereabouts section); 

Contact members of the Society of Will Writers local to the deceased, and the Societies Head Office on 01522 687 888

Contact members of the Institute of Professional Willwriters local to the Deceased's last known address.

Contact other local Will Writers via http://www.FindaPro.co.uk

A number of firms have tried to create a cohesive database, one is http://www.WillData.info

Will Finders might be worth a try

If the Will has been proved from 12 January 1858 to the present day, records are held  by the Court of Probate. You can access them and buy copies at the Probate Search Room, First Avenue House, 42-49 High Holborn, London WC1V 6NP (tel: 020 7947 7022). The same applies to letters of administration, which are granted if no valid will was made or found.

If you cannot find a Will, (or even if you can, but want economical professional help) and are the next of kin and require professional help to administer the estate, contact www.SWWtrust.co.uk on 01522 687 888 option 2.