Will Storage

An original signed Will is the only version of the Will which can go to Probate to allow your estate to be administered in accordance with the wishes in your Will.

Therefore you need to keep your original Will in a safe, water-resistant, fire-resistant place - preferably away from your home. If it is lost, stolen or damaged in a house fire or flood for example, then you will not have a Will which can go through the probate procedure.

If you have difficult family circumstances, bear in mind that if whoever gets to the Will first finds they could benefit if the Will had never been made, then the Will may be destroyed. There is no point in putting a Will under the mattress in a secret drawer or anywhere else if it can’t be found when it comes to your family members needing to apply for probate.

You should tell your family that you have made a Will and where it is kept and how to get access to it when you pass away. Think carefully before telling anyone who is a beneficiary your Will's location. It is preferable to keep the location of your Will only to the knowledge of your Executors and the people you trust.

Consumer Care offer a Will storage facility in a fire and water resistant environment, where same day access to the Will is available.

We will also keep an electronic copy of the signed Will on our computer system as a permanent backup to the original paper version of the Will which we store.

We recommend you take advantage of this service to ensure your final wishes are carried out.