As Wills Solicitors in Preston, we are often asked whether it is best for clients to store their own Wills, give them to their Executors, or store them safely with us. It is our client’s choice, and what is suitable can depend on their circumstances. However, our team would always suggest that we store the original Wills we prepare on behalf of our clients. Read on to find out why.
Can I store my Will with MG Legal?
Our Wills Solicitors can store any Wills that they have drafted on behalf of our clients. We store all our Wills at our head office, in safe, organised storage, with clear references and no other use for the space, so there is no chance of documents being mixed up or misplaced.
In some limited circumstances, we may be able to store a Will which has been drafted by another solicitor, however we would review every matter on a case-by-case basis. We often find that when another solicitor’s practice has drafted a Will, that they can be littered with errors, and certainly not up to the standard we have at MG Legal- so the truth is, we would always have to make sure your Will is properly drafted by your previous solicitor, before we would be willing to have it on our premises.
How much will it cost to store my Will with MG Legal?
Nothing what-so-ever; if you have drafted your Wills using our Wills Solicitors, at any of our offices, located in Lancaster LA1, Preston PR3, or Lytham, Blackpool FY8, we will store your Will at no additional cost. However, if you have drafted your Will elsewhere, we may charge a small fee to set up a new file, which will be needed to allocate your Will storage number to. You can enquire about the fees payable for this service, by contacting our team online, here.
Why choose MG Legal's Wills Solicitors in Preston?

Transparent fees.

We are the experts.

Multiple Office Locations.

Give us a call any time.
Where are the original Wills stored?
All of our original Wills are stored in our central, head office, where our Wills Solicitors in Preston offer appointments for new Wills clients. They are stored securely, out of sight and reach of any clients attending our offices, and they are only accessed by limited members of staff.
Do I need to know my Will storage number?
No. If you need to request your original Will, our team will not need you to provide us with the archive number. We would just need to know certain details of the person who made the Will, which we discuss in more detail below.
How do my Executors obtain my original Will?
Generally, when a person has passed away, their loved ones will give us a call to let us know and to find out what they need to do.
We wouldn’t be able to give your family members or Executors any specific advice until after we had had sight of your death certificate. And of course colour copies of their photo ID (Passport, or Driving licence).
Quite often, when people have just lost their loved one, they feel that they need to get everything sorted there and then. However, our Wills Solicitors have to ensure they are only releasing any information to people who are entitled to it, for example, to you, being the person who made the Will, or to your nominated executors.
Once we have had sight of the original death certificate, we then have two options:-

We can release the original Will to all named Executors, once our team has had their original ID to prove their identity.

Alternatively, we can arrange an appointment with the Executors to discuss what needs to be done to deal with the Estate, and how our team of Wills Solicitors in Preston can assist.
How long will it take to obtain my original Will?
When we initially write out to our Wills clients, we advise them that it can take in the region of up to 7 days to retrieve original Wills from archive. However, most of the time this only takes a few days, so you can expect to receive your Will much sooner.
How can I contact MG Legal to discuss drafting my Will?
You can contact our team of Wills Solicitors in Preston online, here, or email wills@mglegal.co.uk to arrange an appointment to discuss making a Will and the safe storage of your signed Will with us.
Contact Us Today:
Or give us a call on 01772 783314.

Clear, fixed-fees

Fully-Qualified Solicitors

Tailored Service

Multiple Office Locations

Decades of Experience

Home Visits
Share this post: