A botched will provided by Barclays cost a daughter half of her father’s estate, with the low cost will used by her father failing to properly relate to his complex family circumstance.
The daughter of Ebenezer Aregbesola is now seeking hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation after the will created by Barclays' £90 will-writing service failed to properly deal with with his various assets including homes overseas and in London.
The woman is claiming that the will writing service provided by Barclays effectively resulted in her losing her inheritance. Despite Barclays contesting the claim, it was revealed that the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) had found the bank at fault and had ordered Barclays to pay "a fair and reasonable settlement".
The issue arose due to the complex ownership and family circumstances of Mr Aregbesola.
DIY Wills
The issue, which is now going to High Court highlights the many issues with DIY wills and the danger that can emerge by failing to have your will checked by a practicing solicitor. The cheap will option may seem more tempting than the few hundred pounds that getting a will can provide, but it can be exceptionally more costly for family members in the long run.
Many DIY wills are open to different translations and can be hard to argue in Court. According to experts creating a will through a corporate will-writing service can be dangerous "because these organisations aim to profit from the fees generated by administering the estate as executor, after the testator’s death."
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