Can I write my own Will and have a solicitor check it?

Some solicitors offer a Will-checking service, but in practice it is often no cheaper or easier than having the Will drafted properly in the first place — and checking a flawed draft can take as long as starting fresh. For most people, a fixed-fee solicitor-drafted Will gives more certainty for a similar outlay.

What happens if my Will is invalid?

If your Will is found to be invalid, it is as though you never made one. Your estate is then distributed under the intestacy rules, which set a fixed order of who inherits — and that may be very different from what you wanted. An unmarried partner, stepchildren or a chosen charity could receive nothing.

Is a solicitor more expensive than a Will-writer?

Not necessarily. Solicitor fees for a straightforward Will are often comparable to a Will-writer's, but with the added protection of regulation, insurance and accountability. At Safe Harbour Legal the fee is fixed and agreed in writing before any work starts, so you always know the cost up front.

Do You Need a Solicitor to Make a Will? Honest Guide

Strictly speaking, no — you do not need a solicitor to make a Will. A Will written on the back of an envelope can be legally valid if it meets the signing rules. But "legally valid" and "actually does what you intended" are two very different things, and the gap between them is where families come unstuck.

This guide gives you an honest answer: when a simple DIY or online Will is perfectly reasonable, when it is a false economy, and what a solicitor genuinely adds to the price.

Key Takeaways

You can legally write your own Will — but home-made Wills are the most common source of inheritance disputes
For genuinely simple, single-person estates a basic Will may be enough
The moment property, children, a business, a second marriage or tax is involved, professional advice usually pays for itself
A solicitor is regulated and insured; an unregulated "Will-writer" is not
At Safe Harbour Legal every Will is a fixed fee agreed before any work starts

When a DIY or Online Will Might Be Fine

We will always be straight with you. There are situations where a simple Will, carefully done, can be enough:

You are single, with no children and a modest, uncomplicated estate
You want to leave everything to one person and there is no realistic chance of a dispute
You have no property to protect, no business, and no inheritance tax exposure

Even then, the signing and witnessing rules must be followed exactly, or the whole Will fails. That single technical requirement is where most home-made Wills go wrong.

When You Really Should Use a Solicitor

Speak to a solicitor if any of the following apply to you:

You own a property — especially if you want to protect it from care fees or ring-fence it for your children
You have children — you will want to appoint guardians and may want a trust to protect their inheritance until they are old enough
You are in a second marriage or have a blended family — balancing a current partner and children from a previous relationship is one of the most common areas Wills get wrong
You are not married to your partner — cohabiting partners have no automatic right to inherit, so a Will is essential
You own a business or farm — succession and Business or Agricultural Property Relief need proper planning
Your estate might face inheritance tax — the right structure can make a substantial difference to what reaches your family
You want to exclude someone, or expect a challenge — these Wills need careful drafting to stand up if contested

What a Solicitor Actually Adds

DIY / online Will vs solicitor

DIY or online Will

A template — it cannot ask about your circumstances
No one checks for errors, tax issues or omissions
You rely on getting the signing exactly right yourself
No advice on guardians, trusts or care fees
No insurance and no regulator if it goes wrong

Solicitor (Safe Harbour Legal)

A real conversation about your family, property and wishes
Advice on issues you may not have spotted
A correctly drafted, valid Will — signed and witnessed properly
Guardians, trusts, tax and care-fee planning considered
Regulated by the SRA, insured, and accountable

The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong

The savings on a free or DIY Will vanish the moment it fails. An invalid or ambiguous Will can mean the estate passes under the intestacy rules instead of your wishes, or it triggers a dispute between the people you love. Contested estates routinely cost many thousands of pounds and months of stress to resolve — all of it avoidable with advice that costs a fraction of that up front.

Not sure which you need?

Book a free, no-obligation call with Aaron. He will tell you honestly whether your situation needs a solicitor — and if a simple Will is all you need, he will say so.

Book a Free Call

Honest Advice for Bridlington and East Yorkshire

You deal directly with Aaron Johnson — a solicitor and STEP-qualified Trust and Estate Practitioner — not a call centre or a salesperson on commission. We serve Bridlington, Driffield, Filey, Hornsea, Beverley, Cottingham and the wider East Yorkshire area, with free home visits where that suits you better. If you only need a simple Will, we will tell you. If your situation needs more care, we will explain exactly why — and what it will cost as a fixed fee before you decide.

Frequently Asked Questions

It can be. A Will is legally valid if it is made by someone over 18 with mental capacity, is in writing, and is signed by the person in the presence of two independent witnesses who also sign. The problem is that home-made Wills very often fail one of these tests — usually the witnessing — or are worded in a way that is unclear or contradictory, and these flaws only come to light after death.

Do You Need a Solicitor to Make a Will?