Think a loved one’s will doesn’t reflect their true wishes? Whether you’ve been left out entirely, received less than expected, or suspect something isn’t right, our specialist contested wills solicitors can help you understand your options and fight for what’s fair.
Get a free, no-obligation chat with our Contested wills and probate team, call us on 02920 829 100 or use our Contact us form.
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Losing someone you love is hard enough. Discovering that their will doesn’t seem right, or that you’ve been unexpectedly cut out, makes everything harder.
You might be questioning whether your parent or relative really understood what they were signing. Perhaps you suspect someone pressured them into changing their will. Or maybe you were financially dependent on them and the will simply doesn’t provide for you.
Whatever your situation, you don’t have to navigate this alone. Our inheritance dispute solicitors deal with contested wills every day. We’ll give you honest, straight-talking advice about your options, what evidence you’ll need, and whether a claim is likely to succeed. If you’ve got a strong case, we’ll fight hard to put things right.
Ready to talk through your situation? Call us on 02920 829 100 or use our Contact us form.
A will can be invalid for several reasons. Maybe the person didn’t have the mental capacity to make decisions when they signed it. Perhaps they didn’t understand what they were signing, or the will wasn’t properly witnessed. If the will doesn’t meet legal requirements, it may not stand up.
We’ll investigate the circumstances, gather evidence, and advise whether you’ve got grounds for a challenge.
Sadly, vulnerable people are sometimes pressured or manipulated into changing their will. This might involve emotional manipulation, isolation from family, or outright threats. Proving undue influence is challenging, and is often the most difficult ground for contesting a will, but with the right evidence and approach, it is possible.
Our team knows what to look for and how to build a compelling case.
Even if a will is perfectly valid, it might still leave you without reasonable financial provision. The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 allows certain people, including spouses, children, and those who were financially dependent on the deceased, to claim from the deceased person’s estate.
We’ll assess whether you qualify and help you pursue a claim for fair provision.
View more on Inheritance Act Claims
Will fraud happens more often than you’d think. Signatures get forged, documents get destroyed, or whole wills are fabricated.
These cases often require forensic handwriting analysis and detailed investigation. We’ll coordinate with the right experts.
Sometimes the wording of a will is ambiguous or unclear. When beneficiaries disagree about what the deceased actually meant, the court may need to interpret the will’s meaning.
We can help resolve these disputes, ideally through negotiation, but through court proceedings if needed.
Executors have significant responsibilities. When they fail to act properly, delay administration, or mishandle estate assets, beneficiaries suffer. We can help hold executors accountable and, where necessary, apply to have them removed.
Choosing a law firm for something this personal is a big decision. You want experts who actually understand your situation, respond when you need them, and give you straight answers. That’s us. We’re one of Wales’ leading commercial law firms, and we do things a bit differently.
You won’t be passed through layers of gatekeepers here. When you call, you’ll speak to the solicitor handling your matter. You’ll have their mobile number, their email, and a genuine working relationship. Our clients tell us this makes all the difference when you’re dealing with something as emotionally charged as a will dispute.
We don’t work in silos. Our team shares knowledge across departments, jumps in on each other’s projects, and stays close to every case. So if your usual contact is unavailable, someone else can step in quickly, without a formal handover and without missing a beat. Better continuity for you, and faster results all round.
Devolved decision-making and flexible working hours mean we can move at pace. You’ll get faster responses, even outside regular office hours. Need an urgent answer on a Friday evening about lodging a caveat? We’re set up for exactly that.
Getting to know our clients properly matters to us. Face-to-face meetings, regular catch-ups, and genuine effort into building lasting relationships. Plenty of larger firms aren’t prepared to do that. We are.
You’ll always get the full picture from us. Clear options, each with its own risk level, so you can make informed decisions. No sugar-coating, no hedging. Just practical guidance and high-quality legal work at a fair price.
Regular, honest communication is something we take seriously. You’ll never be left wondering where things stand with your case or what’s coming next.
We’re the leading commercial law firm with offices in South and North Wales offering Welsh language legal services at every level, from trainees right through to partners. This isn’t an add-on or a tick-box exercise. It’s part of who we are, and it’s earned us a strong reputation in contentious probate work. If you need a solicitor who can work fluently in Welsh, you’ll find that expertise right across our team.
We’ll have a detailed conversation about your situation, usually within a day of you getting in touch. This initial chat is free and comes with no obligation. We’ll listen to what’s happened, ask questions, and give you an honest assessment of whether you’ve got a case worth pursuing.
If there’s a case to pursue, we’ll start gathering evidence. This might include obtaining the deceased’s medical records, reviewing previous wills, getting witness statements, or instructing expert reports.
We’ll write to the other parties setting out your position. Many disputes settle at this stage once everyone understands the strength of the case, keeping legal costs down. We’ll explore all options for resolution, including mediation.
Most will disputes settle before court proceedings become necessary. We’re skilled negotiators who understand when to push and when to compromise. If mediation can achieve a fair outcome, we’ll help you get there.
If we can’t reach agreement, we’ll guide you through court proceedings step by step. Only a fraction of probate claims actually reach a final trial hearing. We’ll prepare you for what to expect and fight hard for the outcome you deserve.
Contesting a will can be expensive. We believe in transparency when it comes to legal costs. At the outset, we’ll give you a clear picture of likely fees and discuss the funding options available for your situation.
Potential funding arrangements include:
We’ll discuss all available options during your initial consultation and recommend the approach that best suits your situation.
Your presentation of evidence was brilliant, and was hugely uplifting to read. Thank you for all your advice and help along the way which enabled this outcome.
Mrs R Jones
You can challenge a will on several grounds. The most common include lack of testamentary capacity (where the person didn’t have the legal and mental ability to make a will at the time they did), lack of knowledge and approval (where they didn’t understand or approve the will’s contents), undue influence (where someone pressured them into making or changing the will), lack of valid execution (where the will wasn’t properly signed or witnessed), and fraud or forgery. You might also have a claim under the Inheritance Act if the will doesn’t make reasonable financial provision for you, even if the will itself is valid.
Success rates vary depending on the type of claim and the strength of evidence. Importantly, most contested will cases settle before reaching court, often with favourable outcomes for claimants. The key is having strong evidence and specialist legal advice from the start.
Time limits depend on the type of claim. For Inheritance Act claims (seeking reasonable financial provision), you have six months from the grant of probate. For will rectification claims, the limit is also six months. For challenges based on validity grounds like lack of capacity, undue influence, or forgery, there’s no strict time limit, but acting quickly is essential. Evidence becomes harder to gather over time, and once the estate has been distributed, recovering assets gets much more difficult. We’d always recommend you seek legal advice as soon as you have concerns.
Yes, you can. Being left out of a will doesn’t prevent you from making a claim. If you were financially dependent on the deceased, you may be able to claim under the Inheritance Act 1975 for reasonable financial provision from the deceased’s estate. You can also challenge the will’s validity if you believe the deceased lacked capacity, was unduly influenced, or if the will was forged. Previous beneficiaries named in earlier wills often find grounds to challenge later wills that excluded them; significant changes from one will to the next without clear justification – particularly where that results in the exclusion of family members – can be used to support a claim against the validity of the will on the grounds of lack of testamentary capacity, lack of knowledge and approval, and undue influence.
Yes, but it can become more complicated. Once probate is granted, the executor can start distributing estate assets. If money has been spent or property sold, recovering what you’re owed becomes harder. For Inheritance Act claims, you’ll need to apply to the court for permission if you’re outside the six-month window. This is why we always advise getting in touch with our contentious probate team as early as possible if you have concerns about a will.
Legal costs vary depending on how complex your case is and whether it settles early or goes to court. Simple cases that settle through negotiation cost less than those requiring full legal proceedings. During your initial consultation, we’ll give you a realistic estimate based on your specific situation. We offer various funding options including no win, no fee arrangements in appropriate cases, which can make legal action accessible even if you’re worried about costs.
A caveat is a legal notice you can lodge with the Probate Registry to temporarily stop a grant of probate being issued. It buys you time to investigate your concerns and decide whether to pursue a formal challenge. A caveat lasts for six months and can be renewed. The executor can issue a “warning” against the caveat, giving you 14 days to respond by entering an “appearance” explaining your grounds for challenge. If you don’t respond, the caveat lapses. We can help you lodge a caveat and advise on the next steps.
If a will is successfully challenged and declared invalid, the estate will be distributed according to any previous valid will. If there was no previous will, the rules of intestacy apply. These rules set out who inherits based on family relationships, with spouses and children typically benefiting first. It’s important to understand what would happen if your challenge succeeds, as the outcome might not always be what you’d expect.
Children don’t have an automatic right to inherit in England and Wales. Parents can choose to leave their estate to whoever they wish. But you may still have options. If you were financially dependent on your parent, you could claim under the Inheritance Act for reasonable provision. If you believe your parent lacked capacity, was unduly influenced, or didn’t understand what they were signing, you might be able to challenge the will’s validity. Each situation is different, so it’s worth getting specific advice.
Timescales vary considerably. Straightforward cases that settle through negotiation might resolve within a few months. More complex cases involving court proceedings can take 12-18 months or longer. Most contested will cases settle before proceedings are issued, and only a very small percentage reach a final trial trial. We’ll give you a realistic timeline based on your specific circumstances and keep you updated on progress throughout.
The evidence you’ll need depends on your grounds for challenge. For capacity claims, medical records are crucial, along with witness statements from people who knew the deceased around the time they made the will. For undue influence claims, you’ll need evidence showing the deceased was vulnerable and someone had the opportunity and motive to pressure them. For execution issues, you’ll need evidence about how the will was signed and witnessed. For fraud claims, forensic analysis of documents may be required. We’ll guide you on exactly what evidence is needed for your case.
Executors named in a will can raise concerns about its validity. If an executor believes the will was made under undue influence, when the deceased lacked capacity, or that it doesn’t reflect their true wishes, they can investigate and potentially contest it. However, executors also have duties to the estate and beneficiaries, so they need to act carefully. If you’re an executor with concerns, we can advise on your position and responsibilities.
9 Cathedral Road, Cardiff, CF11 9HA
Unit F12, InTec, Ffordd y Parc, Parc Menai, Bangor, LL57 4FG
We’re happy to meet clients at either office, arrange home visits where needed, or work by video call if that’s more convenient for you.
If you’re worried about a loved one’s will, or you’ve been left out and don’t know where to turn, we’re here to help. Our initial consultation is free and comes with no obligation. We’ll listen to your situation, give you honest advice about your options, and explain what happens next.
Get a free, no-obligation chat with our Contested wills and probate team, call us on 02920 829 100 or use our Contact us form.
To speak to one of our experts today, please contact us on 02920 829 100 or by using our Contact Us form for a free initial chat to see how we can help.
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