If you were a beneficiary under a previous will that has been changed unexpectedly without the knowledge and approval of the deceased, you may have a claim.
If you believe that someone exerted undue influence, whether this is physical or psychological, on the deceased to sign their last will, whether you are a relative or carer, you can question the validity of the will.
You do not need to be a relative of the deceased to contest a will. If you were dependent of the deceased then you may also have a claim under the Inheritance Act if you believe they did not make reasonable provision for you.
Of course, each case is unique, with different facts and circumstances to consider, but Vardags will guide you through the best strategy to make a claim against the deceased’s estate. If you do wish to contest a will you need to act quickly, and it is important to note that you do not need to wait for the grant of probate to start a claim. As such, the time limit for contesting a will is six months after the grant of probate or Letters of Administration.
If you are considering contesting a will or probate, it is imperative that you speak to a member of our Private Client team so that they may offer you legal advice as soon as possible.
Vardags Limited is a limited company trading as Vardags, Company No 7199468, registered in England and Wales, having its registered office at 10 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7NG. Vardags is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA Number 535955). Its VAT number is 99 001 7230.
Vardags uses the term ‘Partner’ as a professional title only, to describe a Senior Solicitor, Employee or Consultant with relevant experience, expertise and qualifications (whether legally qualified or otherwise) to merit the title. Our Partners are not partners in the legal sense. They are not liable for the debts, liabilities or obligations of Vardags Limited. Similarly, the term ’Director’ is a professional title only, to describe an employee or consultant of Vardags with relevant experience, expertise and qualifications to merit the title. It does not necessarily imply that the relevant individual is a director of Vardags Limited.
A list of the directors of Vardags Limited and a list of the names of those using the title of ’Director’ and ’Partner’ together with their official status is available for inspection at Vardags’ registered office.