Where there's a will there's a wage

Regulatory bodies turning blind eye’ to probate fraud

- KAREN JONES

THE reality of solicitor and accountant involvement in my family’s will has given me an eye-opening, first-hand experience of the failure of these professions.

And it has also highlighted the failure of all those across the establishment with duties and obligations to hold licensed solicitors and accountants to account.

My sisters and are not alone in our experience.

| have heard other harrowing will/probate stories from others such as a solicitor appearing in a hospital when a family member was close to death and the will being changed dramatically from that which many family members expected.

And then there is the website Corrupt Solicitors Chester, which was created by the son of an elderly lady who reported solicitor abuse in relation to her will.

| have heard of other stories involving corporate intimidation for land, and another where people working for social services were seeking to gain power of attorney from a lady diagnosed with dementia. Wills may be deemed an open till or honeypot to some, but greedy, unscrupulous acts by circling vultures are devastating and traumatising to victims and families.

I think we all know stories of family members influencing elderly parents for whatever their personal justifications. But when so-called professionals are involved people with codes of conduct and ethics, supposedly aware of their legal and lawful duties it is only right that we expect impartiality, fairness and impeccability from them in their words and deeds.

The Trustee Act 2000, Section even has a Duty of Care clause that states that the higher the level of qualifications and skills of the trustee, the higher the standard of work that is expected.