A shop on Ilford Lane run by a father and two sons, with no will and no partnership agreement, is the estate that gives Redbridge probate solicitors the most work and the family the most grief. When the father dies, the intestacy rules divide his share between his widow and all his children, including the daughter who never set foot in the shop, and the business, the flat above it and the lease are suddenly owned by people who disagree about everything. A will and a partnership agreement would have settled it in an afternoon. Will solicitors in Redbridge spend much of their time on exactly this kind of succession planning for the borough's family businesses.
Land or houses in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka need either a separate will or careful drafting so that the English will does not revoke one made abroad. Many clients want their estate distributed according to Islamic, Hindu or Sikh principles, which a solicitor can achieve within a will that is valid in English law. Gold and jewellery need to be listed, valued and specifically given, because they are the assets families fight over most.
In Wanstead and Woodford the problem is tax. Houses near the forest take an estate past the inheritance tax threshold on their own, and lifetime gifts, trusts for grandchildren and the residence allowance all need planning. Lasting powers of attorney matter for an ageing population in Gants Hill and Clayhall, where children often manage a parent's affairs long before they have the legal right to.
Probate, including estates with overseas assets, is handled by the same firms. Wills and powers of attorney are usually fixed-fee; ask how probate is charged.
Firms offering wills and probate in Redbridge are listed below, verified firms first. Read wills, trusts and probate explained, what a will costs, lasting powers of attorney, probate costs and the general will solicitors page.
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