FAQ's

Answers to our most common questions

Wills Banner Faqs

About us

Who are we?

We are Which? part of the Which? group, wholly owned by the Consumers' Association.

Completely independent

The unique thing about Which? is that we are completely independent. We have no owners, shareholders or government departments to answer to and you'll never see an advert in our magazines or on our websites.

This means we work entirely on behalf of you, the consumer, and nobody else – so you can rest assured that you're getting the very best advice available.

The Which? Group

As a not-for-profit charitable organisation, all the money we make from our commercial operations is used to support the activities of the Which? Group.

How do I find out my username or password?

If you've forgotten your username, click here and we'll email your username to you.

If you've forgotten your password, you can reset it here

How can I contact you?

Log in to your account and send our specialists a message using the 'contact us' function. 

Phone on 0117 456 6023 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays in England) 

Who reviews my documents?

One of our team of specialist paralegals. Each member of the team has undergone professional training in wills and powers of attorney.  The team is supervised by a solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Are you regulated?

We are part of Which? Limited and is an unregulated organisation. The team is supervised by a solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Completing your document

How do I start completing my document?

Click on 'edit' next to the document in the 'my documents' section of your account, the document creator will then launch, allowing you to complete the questionnaire to complete your document.

You can complete the questionnaire, in your own time, just make sure you hit save and then exit when closing your document to make sure nothing is lost.

If you purchased a document including a legal review, once you have completed the questionnaire in full, click on 'send for review' next to your document, to submit it to our specialists.

What happens after I buy my document?

You can start filling it out when you’re ready with our easy to use software.

How can I find my document?

Log in to your account and go to the ‘my documents’ section.

I bought more than one document, but I can only find one of them. Where are the others?

You will need to log in to your  account and go to the ‘my documents’ section'.

How long does it take to complete a document?

We suggest you set aside around 1 hour to complete a document, although it can take less or more time, depending on the type of document you're creating and how much information you have to hand.

Do I have to complete my document in a set time period?

No – you’re free to complete your document in your own time. But we recommend you do it as soon as possible.

What happens once I've completed the document?

Your legal document will be created for you to view. If you bought a 'Self Service' document, it is now ready to be printed, signed and witnessed.

If you have chosen a product that includes a review, you can now submit your document to our specialists. They’ll review it and send you any feedback, guidance and suggestions. Then we’ll send you an email confirming the next steps.

How long does the legal review take?

We aim to complete the review in 14 working days. At busy times it might take slightly longer.

How do I check the progress of my review?

Log in to your account and go to the ‘In progress documents’. Next to each document you’ll see its current status. At the bottom you’ll find an estimate of the likely timescale.

Once your document has been reviewed you’ll get an email confirmation.

How do I print my document?

Log in to your account and click on 'In progress documents’.

If you have bought a Review or Premium document you will only be able to print it when it has been completed and approved by our specialists. Self-service documents can be printed at any time, but be careful to destroy any documents that you do not intend to sign.

Select 'Print', and then download your document and print as you would normally. If you want to, you can also print a draft of your document.

Can I upgrade my self service document to get a review?

Yes. Log in to your account and go to 'in progress documents’. Next to the document you want to be reviewed, click on 'upgrade to legal review'.

You’ll need to pay the difference in the price between the two service levels.

Do you certify documents?

This isn’t a service we offer. Here are some ways you can get your document certified.

Are your documents legally binding?

Yes, all our documents are legally binding once they've been printed, signed and witnessed correctly.

Which web browser do I need?

The website is designed to work in all current versions of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. If you do experience any technical difficulties, in the first instance try using an alternative browser. We recommend using Google Chrome.

Do I send my document to you to check now or after it has been signed?

Before you can submit your document for review, complete the questionnaire in full, then click on 'send for review' next to your document.

Our specialists will then review your document, and return it to you with their feedback. You'll receive and email including the details.

Once approved, you can then print your document, by clicking 'print' next to your document in the 'my documents' section of your account. It's really important to follow our guidance to make your document is signed and executed correctly.

We do not review documents once they have been signed and executed, as this is not part of our service.

What happens once my document has been reviewed?

Once your document has been reviewed, our specialists will return it to you with their feedback. You'll receive an email including the details.

If there are no issues, your document will be approved. Alternatively, our feedback could highlight some changes you may need to consider. When you've taken any action needed, send the document back to our specialists to approve by clicking 're-send for review'.

Once approved, you can then print your document by clicking 'print' next to your document in the 'my documents' section of your account. It's really important to follow our guidance to make your document is signed and executed correctly.

We do not review documents once they have been signed and executed, as this is not part of our service.

Wills

What’s the difference between mirror wills and a pair of wills?

Mirror wills are usually made by married couples or civil partners. Normally, the first to die leaves their estate to the survivor. When the survivor dies, the estate passes to the beneficiaries (who are the same people in both wills).

A pair of wills are two wills made by two people with the flexibility to make them similar to each other or completely different.

Who can witness my will?

In England & Wales, a will must be witnessed by two independent people over the age of 18. Your witnesses don’t need to know what’s in your will.

Witnesses cannot be:

  • blind,
  • beneficiaries in your will,
  • spouses or civil partners of beneficiaries in your will, or
  • anyone related to you

What type of gift can I make in my will?

  1. Specific gifts – such as your jewellery, shares or property
  2. Cash – known as ‘pecuniary’ gifts
  3. Residuary gifts – what's left after all debts have been paid and all other legacies have been accounted for.

Can I use Which? if I have foreign assets?

If you have assets outside the UK, you can include your wishes for them in a Which? will. But we cannot guarantee that they will be respected in the country where your assets are located.

We strongly suggest you take independent specialist advice about whether or not our service is likely to meet your needs.

Where should I store my will?

You should store your will in a safe place and tell your executors where it is.

I own a business. Can I use your services?

We strongly suggest you take independent specialist advice about whether or not our service is likely to meet your needs.

Can you advise on things such as Inheritance Tax and care fees?

Unfortunately not. If you’re a member of Which? and your membership includes access to our legal advice service, you can discuss inheritance tax with one of their expert lawyers. Please call 0117 911 8270 to make an appointment.

The government’s MoneyHelper service may also be able to help. Visit www.moneyhelper.org.uk to find out more.

Powers of attorney

Does the cost for your service cover any registration fees that may apply?

No. We don’t register the documents for you and the registration fee is not included in the cost of our service. Please check the relevant Office of the Public Guardian to see what fee applies.

England, Wales & Northern Ireland

Scotland

Why would I use your service when I could just get power of attorney documents from the Office of the Public Guardian's?

The Office of the Public Guardian offers free forms that you can complete yourself. But our service offers additional support and guidance and enables you to have your document reviewed by one of our paralegals. You can also contact our paralegals with any questions you may have as you complete your forms.

I already have a will, do I need a power of attorney?

A will is a separate document to a power of attorney.

A will is only effective on your death and has no legal authority prior to that point. A power of attorney is effective whilst you are alive and allows others to act on your behalf during your lifetime.  

 

If I want more than one person to manage my affairs, do I need more than one power of attorney document?

No, you can appoint more than one person to be your attorney in the same document.

How do I amend or cancel my power of attorney after it is registered?

This depends on where you live and which power of attorney you have.

Check with the Office of the Public Guardian in England and Wales and Scotland, or with the Office of Care and Protection in Northern Ireland.

My power of attorney has been printed and signed, what do I do now?

In England & Wales and Scotland, until your power of attorney is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) it cannot be used, and we suggest you register ASAP.

Send your document to the OPG via either recorded or special delivery, so you can keep track, and if you're sending more than one document, include them all in the same envelope, this is acceptable.

If you have chosen to pay by cheque, include this in the envelope with the document (again if you are registering more than one document, the full amount can be paid in one cheque).

If you have chosen to pay by credit/debit card, the OPG will contact you directly.

We cannot answer any queries regarding the OPG, their processes or timescales, so please contact them directly; 0300 456 0300 (England & Wales) 01324 678 398 (Scotland).

Payments and refunds

How and when do I pay for my document?

You can pay online once you’ve added a document to your basket. We accept all major debit and credit card and your payment is processed securely.

I’ve paid for a document but now I’ve changed my mind. Can I have a refund?

You are entitled to a refund within 14 days of purchase unless:

  • You’ve completed a Self Service document 
  • Your Legal review or Premium document has been reviewed by our specialists

The easiest way to organise a refund is to log in to your account and send us a message via the contact us function.

The amount will be refunded back via the original method of payment.