Certainty, Where there's a Will

5th January 2012

Gepp & Sons Solicitors are a member of Certainty, the national database for Wills in England and Wales.

What is Certainty? Certainty has fast become a vital way of ensuring that the whereabouts of a Will is known and recorded. It is a national Will register recording the important details of your Will, including your full name and address, who your Executors are, who witnessed your Will, and where your Will is stored. Certainty's Objective Following a national survey it was found that 67% of people questioned said that they did not know where to find their parents' Wills. Certainty aims to ensure that a person's Will is not lost or untraced following their death. It also seeks to ensure that a Will is administered in accordance with the Testator's wishes. Will registration is a simple process which means a Will can be found and intestacy avoided. It is essential that loved ones know where the very latest and up to date Will you made is held. This means that whether your Will is needed now or in 30 years time Certainty record and track the location of your Will. A loved one (only when you have passed on) can search themselves or via a solicitor to find your Will. How is this achieved? When you register your Will the location is tagged so a registered Will can be traced. Are my details secure? The contents of the Will are not visable to anyone at the register. The existence of your Will is only disclosed after your death and only a legal professional has access to this information. If a search is made relating to your Will the solicitor who holds it would request a death certificate and identification from the enquirer prior to discussing the existence of a Will. The security of Certainty National Will Register and its servers are monitored to prevent any unauthorised disclosure or use of credit card numbers and to protect the confidentiality of your personal information. Certainty do not store any credit card information. Changes to legislation and your personal circumstances make it more important than ever to ensure your Will is updated regularly in line with legislation, using a regulated professional such as Gepp & Sons. It is also crucial that this professionally advised Will reflecting your wishes and protecting your loved ones can be found when the time comes. If you are already an existing client and would like to register your Will with Certainty then talk to our Solicitors who will be happy to help. If you do not have a Will or you would like to update your existing Will then contact Louise Stradling today on 01245 228122 or stradingl@gepp.co.uk.