Following the passing of his mother in Scotland, one son found himself in a difficult position. Family members acting as executors were not communicating, and he had no way of knowing whether a will even existed. Concerned that his mother’s estate might not be distributed correctly, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
Challenge
The situation was emotionally charged. With the family divided and little transparency about the estate, the son wanted to ensure everything was being handled properly. He believed his mother had written a will, but he had no proof and no idea which firm might hold it.
His first step was to contact the National Records of Scotland, but no will was found there. That search led him to The National Will Register, where he decided to carry out a will search across its database of over 10.5 million registered wills.
When that search returned no results, he was understandably disheartened. But his search didn’t end there.
Solution
Soon after, Clive from The National Will Register contacted him by email. Clive explained that not all wills are recorded on the register and recommended carrying out a REACH Search – a broader investigation that looks for unregistered wills held by solicitors in areas the deceased may have lived, worked, or had links to.
Clive walked the son through every stage of the process, explaining what would happen and offering advice on potential solicitor locations. The son initially believed his mother would not have gone far from her local area, but on Clive’s recommendation, he expanded the search to include other regions such as Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Result
Within a day of carrying out the REACH Search, the son received an unexpected email from a solicitor based in Glasgow – far from where his mother had lived – confirming that they held her will. While the solicitor could not disclose its contents without the executors’ permission, the discovery gave him the confirmation and clarity he needed to move forward.
“I tried The National Will Register search but if there was a will it had not been registered. Clive contacted me by email to explain that not all wills are recorded on the register and that they can carry out a REACH Search to find a will if there was one not on the register.
He went through every aspect of what his company did and even offered some advice on locations of solicitors’ offices. I took him up on that and, lo and behold, within a day a solicitor emailed me to say he held my mother’s will. I was completely shocked as the solicitor’s office was in an area far from where my mother lived.
I now have the answers to my questions, but I could not have done this without Clive and his team. I would definitely recommend his company to help anyone else in my situation. I can’t thank Clive enough – and his banter was good as well!”
Why this matters for law firms
This case highlights the importance of comprehensive due diligence in estate administration. For legal professionals, The National Will Register offers a way to:
- Build trust and transparency with families navigating uncertainty.
- Demonstrate professionalism by ensuring every possible avenue for locating a will has been explored – including unregistered wills.
- Win probate work by assisting individuals who may not yet have legal representation but urgently need guidance.
By using The National Will Register and a REACH Search, law firms can provide reassurance, resolve potential disputes, and uphold the integrity of the estate administration process.
Find out more about the importance of will search here.