If you've been putting off writing your will, or you've recently lost someone and aren't sure where to begin with probate, you're not alone. These are things most people don't deal with until they absolutely have to — and by that point, having someone reliable and local in your corner makes all the difference.
Our wills and probate solicitors are based right here in Rhyl. We've helped hundreds of families across North Wales sort out their affairs, administer estates, and make sure the people they love are properly provided for. We do it without jargon, without hidden fees, and without making you feel like just another file on a desk.
A valid, properly drafted will is one of the most important things you can do for your family. It doesn't matter whether your estate is large or modest — without a will, the law decides what happens to your money, property, and possessions, and it may not reflect your wishes at all.
We take the time to understand your personal circumstances before we put pen to paper. Whether you want to leave everything to a spouse, set up a trust for young children, include specific gifts, or make provision for someone who depends on you, we'll make sure your will covers everything it needs to — and that it will hold up when the time comes.
A basic single will is more affordable than most people expect, and mirror wills for couples offer even better value. We'll give you a fixed-fee quote before you commit to anything, so there are no surprises.
Choose who inherits your estate and in what proportions
If it has been a few years since you last updated your will — or if your circumstances have changed through marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or the death of a beneficiary — it's worth reviewing it sooner rather than later.
Dealing with a loved one's estate after they've passed away is rarely straightforward. Even when a will exists and everyone is in agreement, there is a significant amount of legal and administrative work involved — and it usually needs to be done at a time when you're already under considerable emotional strain.
Our probate solicitors in Rhyl will guide you through the entire process, from the initial stages right through to the final distribution of assets. We can take on as much or as little as you need — some clients prefer us to handle everything, while others simply want help with a specific stage. Either way, we'll be clear about costs from the outset.
When someone dies, their estate usually needs to go through a legal process before assets can be accessed or transferred. If there is a valid will, this involves applying for a Grant of Probate, which confirms the authority of the executor to deal with the estate. Where there is no will, an administrator needs to be appointed and Letters of Administration obtained instead.
From there, the estate needs to be valued, debts and taxes settled, and assets distributed in line with the will or the intestacy rules. For even a relatively simple estate, this can take the best part of a year — and for anything more complex, it can take considerably longer.
We deal with HM Revenue & Customs on your behalf, correspond with banks, building societies, pension providers, and mortgage lenders, manage the sale or transfer of property, and distribute the estate to beneficiaries once everything is in order.
You're not legally required to use a solicitor. However, most executors and administrators find that the process is more complicated than they anticipated — particularly when inheritance tax is involved, when the estate includes property, or when there are multiple beneficiaries with competing interests. Mistakes on probate applications can lead to delays, financial penalties, or personal liability for the executor.
Using a solicitor gives you peace of mind that the process is being handled correctly, and it frees you to focus on your family at a difficult time.
While we're on the subject of protecting what matters most, it's worth mentioning Lasting Powers of Attorney. An LPA lets you appoint someone you trust — a family member, a friend, a professional — to make decisions on your behalf if you ever lose the mental or physical capacity to make them yourself.
There are two types: one that covers property and financial affairs, and another that covers health and welfare decisions. Many people set up both.
The important thing to understand is that you can only put an LPA in place while you still have capacity. If you leave it too late, your family may have to apply to the Court of Protection instead — a much more expensive, stressful, and time-consuming process. Setting up an LPA now, even if you never need it, gives your family enormous reassurance.
If someone dies without a valid will, their estate passes under the intestacy rules. These rules follow a fixed legal order and do not take into account the wishes of the deceased, the needs of individual family members, or the realities of modern family life.
Under intestacy, unmarried partners receive nothing — regardless of how long they have been together or how financially dependent they were on the deceased. Stepchildren are not automatically included. Close friends and carers are excluded entirely.
If you are in any doubt about whether your current will accurately reflects your wishes — or if you don't have a will at all — please get in touch. It is one of those things that is easy to put off and genuinely important to get done.
Under the rules of intestacy, your estate will automatically pass to your spouse when you die.
However, it is worth considering Inheritance Tax implications. Although your spouse is exempt from paying Inheritance Tax on the assets you pass to them, there may be tax consequences for beneficiaries after they die.
Please contact our will writing solicitors for advice.
An executor is a person named in a will to manage an estate.An executor is responsible for paying debts and taxes and for sharing the estate according to the wishes expressed in a will.
More than one executor can be named in a will.
It may be cheaper to make a will with a will writing service than with a solicitor. However, you do not have the same legal protection.
Will writers are not always legally qualified, and they are not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
