eprivateclient quotes Sarah Higgins and David Wells-Cole on the CMA’s investigation into will-writing and quickie divorce legal services
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a new investigation to protect consumers following complaints about unregulated will-writing, online divorce, and pre-paid probate services.
Commenting on “quickie divorce” services, Sarah Higgins, Family Partner says:
“The increase in litigants in person has contributed to the delays in the court system, which affects everyone. There are pro bono services in certain parts of the country, but legal advice centres have suffered from a lack of funding. Unless funding for the family justice system is addressed properly, inevitably consumers will turn to “quickie” divorce services and it is crucial that they are properly regulated."
Commenting on unregulated Will writing services, David Wells-Cole, Senior Associate in the Private Client team says:
“Advisers without any legal (or other) qualifications can provide such services as there are currently no restrictions in the UK on who can legally draft Wills. When costs charged by alternative advisers increase unexpectedly, inappropriate clauses emerge, the coercion of vulnerable clients becomes apparent or Wills simply disappear, customers (or their families) can find that there is very little that they can do.
Read the full article in eprivateclient here.
