‘My late partner bought a will for £19.99 – now I might lose my house'

Telegraph

03-07-2025

A bereaved mother-of-three faces losing her home because of an online will bought for just £19.99.
Wendy Roberts, 63, from Bolton, was still grieving the loss of her long-term partner, Nigel Smith, when she received a demand for almost £10,000 from a will writing company.
Mr Smith, who ran his own ironing service, died of a brain tumour in 2024, leaving his estate to Ms Roberts – including the property where they had lived together for more than 20 years.
In 2017, he bought a cheap online will through a service called Nine Minute Will.
The upfront fee was just £19.99. However, Nine Minute Will included a clause appointing its parent company, MedEx Direct, the executor of the estate.
This made the company responsible for winding down the estate after Mr Smith's death, rather than a friend or relative.
On top of this, the terms and conditions carried extra charges. A clause stated that MedEx Direct would charge 4pc of the estate for its services as executor, in addition to any legal and administration costs.
Adding a charge of this size is unusual but not illegal, as will writing is unregulated in England and Wales.
As a result, Ms Roberts is now facing a £10,000 bill, plus thousands of pounds in legal fees.
There is not enough money left in the estate to pay the charges. So MedEx Direct has said that Ms Roberts must cover the fee out of her own pocket, otherwise it will sell the house or put a charge on the property.
At one point, in emails seen by The Telegraph, the company even told Ms Roberts to vacate her home within 30 days.
Ms Roberts – who has three children and nine grandchildren with Mr Smith – said the ordeal had been 'horrible' because she was 'still grieving'.
She is adamant her partner would not have signed the agreementhad he understood the terms and conditions.
She said: 'Not a prayer Nigel would have done it knowingly. I want people to know – do not go down the line of a cheap will. These companies are not even regulated, but they're still allowed to do what they do.'
Currently, Nine Minute Will has 43 reviews on the website Trustpilot, 77pc of which are one-star, with warnings of 'outrageous' fees in the small print.
MedEx Direct denies any wrongdoing, and there is no suggestion the company has acted unlawfully.
Steven Katz, director of MedExDirect, said: 'We will administrate the estate of our client in accordance with the law.'
Ros Altmann, a former pensions minister, said it was a 'dreadful' case. 'It seems unlikely that her partner would knowingly sign up for that,' she said.
Meanwhile, the Society of Estate and Trust Practitioners (STEP), said this kind of situation was 'far too common'.
Sarah Manuel, of STEP, a professional body for advisers who specialise in estate planning, said: 'STEP members regularly advise and support people who have previously been given bad will advice.'
Professional executors 'not always appropriate'
Anyone can set themselves up as a will writer, as the sector is unregulated. This means consumers can be left without protection if things go wrong.
The industry has a self-regulatory body called the Society of Will Writers, however, Nine Minute Will is not a member.
The Society of Will Writers said it 'generally discouraged' its members from automatically appointing a professional executor. Often clients choose a friend or relative.
Anthony Belcher, of the organisation, said: 'A professional appointment may be appropriate in certain circumstances, such as where a client has no suitable friends or family members to act, or where the estate is particularly complex for example, however, it should always be discussed with the client, with the fees for such a service explained clearly.'
Mr Belcher said its members who offer this service would typically charge 1pc to 2pc – half what Nine Minute Will charges.
STEP has called for will writing to be regulated, along with the trade body, the Law Society.
Richard Atkinson, of the Law Society, said: 'Proper regulation will ensure that will-makers are held to a standard that gives people peace of mind.'
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into unregulated legal services – including will writing – in 2023 over potential breaches of consumer law.
Concluding its investigation last year, the regulator wrote to seven providers, who have not been named, telling them to address their practices or face formal investigations under its new enforcement powers.
The CMA identified a number of unfair practices it had encountered during its investigation.
These included placing an unfair limit on how much compensation the will writer had to pay if something went wrong due to a badly drafted will, and pressuring the testator to sign up to other services such as will storage.
In another case, a business had included a contract term allowing the business to 'unilaterally change terms and conditions', potentially opening the door to higher costs down the line.
Nine Minute Will dissolved in 2016, but MedEx Direct is still in operation, according to Companies House.
Anyone can write their own will, provided it is signed and witnessed as required.
A will must be dated and signed in the presence of two witnesses who are not related to the testator and do not benefit from the will.
However, a DIY will is only appropriate for those with simple estates. You may want to consider a solicitor or a member of the Society of Will Writers or STEP if you have a more complex estate – or if you are worried about making a mistake. A will could be open to a legal challenge if it is not valid.
A simple will drafted by a solicitor or a will writer can cost about £150 or more. If you have a more complex estate – for example, including a trust – then the cost may exceed £500.
Many charities offer free will writing by solicitors, although they expect a donation in return.
Ms Manuel of STEP said consumers should do their due diligence to ensure they are getting a good deal.
'The preparation of a will must not be conditional on the will drafter being appointed executor and/or trustee writers. Always check the small print, watch out for hidden fees, and never sign anything you don't understand.
'It's crucial that people check that their will writer is trained, has a recognised specialist qualification with proven experience, insurance, and is a member of a professional membership body such as STEP.'