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17th August 2010 IPW releases second annual report on its OFT Approved Code of Practice. As part of its commitment to the OFT, the IPW is required to compile a report annually covering five aspects of the Code. These are:
Highlights from this years report include:
The report can be downloaded in full here.
17th August 2010 IPW endorses call by MP Lorely Burt for Willwriting to be regulated. Following the Panorama programme on will writing and probate, will campaigner Lorely Burt MP has called on the government to finally regulate the will-writing profession. 'Anyone can put a sign over their door and call themselves a will-writer' said Lorely, 'But people entrust the will writer with correctly ensuring their worldly goods are disposed of properly after their death. And of course they will never know if the instructions have been taken correctly. But grieving relatives will be left to pick up the pieces.' Solihull MP Lorely Burt has been highlighting the need for regulation of the will-writing profession since 2006, when she commissioned a debate in Parliament to bring the government to answer her calls. In September the Legal Services Board will start to 'gather evidence' on the need to make Will writing a reserved activity. Mrs Burt welcomes this decision, saying 'It can't come soon enough. Trusting elderly people have been quoted £30 and ended up paying £1,700 for their wills. When they write their will, literally everything they have is at stake, and they deserve protection through proper regulation.' Paul Sharpe, Chairman of the Institute of Professional Willwriters said 'We welcome the stand that Lorely Burt is taking. Lorely used to work as a Willwriter and was a member of the IPW, so it's not too difficult for her to imagine the havoc that an untrained and unregulated Willwriter can cause - and of course she has first hand experience of protection and assurance that is afforded to consumers by IPW membership.'
10th August 2010 Advice from Moneywise on making a Will Following the BBC Panorama programme about unscrupulous Willwriters, popular financial website, Moneywise.co.uk has released the following information and advice to consumers about making a Will. Its worth pointing out that none of the firms featured on the show are members of the IPW. Read the full story here.
5th August 2010 IPW and ISPW assures consumers that it is safe to use their members to write their Will and administer their estates Ahead of the broadcast by the BBC 1 programme "Panorama" of an investigation into Willwriters and the fees charged by a wide range of Willwriting providers to administer an estate after someone has died, the Institute wishes to confirm the measures that it has in place in its OFT Approved Code of Practice to ensure that the antics that will be referred to in the programme are not exhibited by its members. 1) Members are not allowed to make the appointment of themselves, or an associated firm, as executors a condition of drawing up the Will. 2) Members, or an associated firm, who is appointed as an executor in a Will must step down if requested to do so by the executors and/or the beneficiaries. 3) At the time of making a Will, members are required to outline the duties of an executor and ALL of the options available to their clients for appointing an executor. 4) Members are not allowed to use high pressure selling techniques. 5) Members are only allowed to provide services for which they are technically competent - and the Institute has a training regime in place to ensure that its members acquire the competence that they need to provide a wide range of first class legal services. 6) Client funds must be kept in a separate client account. 7) Any fees collected at the time a Will is made which are payments for, or to allow access to, estate administration services must paid directly into independently managed trust fund until such time as the estate administration service is required.
16th June 2010 OFT warns consumers to be careful when preparing Wills and appointing Executors The OFT has been working closely with the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Institute of Professional Willwriters in order to help people preparing Wills understand that they have the option to shop around for professional executor services, or to appoint a non professional (such as a family member or friend) who can then choose to be assisted by a professional if required. David Stalibrass, OFT Director of Services said 'Preparing a will is important to make sure that your wishes are respected after your death. We welcome the steps taken by the SRA and the IPW to provide greater clarity for consumers'. Read the Daily Mail Special Investigation into the scandal of high priced executor services here
14th June 2010 Independent on Sunday calls for IPW membership to be made compulsory for all Willwriters
10th June 2010 Read some of the recent press interest in what the Institute is doing:
4th June 2010 ISPW has applauded the decision by the Scottish Government to regulate Willwriting in Scotland. The Institute of Scottish Professional Willwriters (ISPW) welcomes the announcement by the Scottish Government of proposals to regulate Willwriters in Scotland. The ISPW has looked at the proposals and is delighted to announce that all of the requirements outlined in the proposals are already included in the ISPW, OFT Approved Code of Practice. Although it will be some months before the proposals are implemented, consumers in Scotland who select an ISPW member to make their Will can have the assurance that the firm making their Will already meets the regulatory requirements. To find details of an ISPW member local to you, visit here.
2nd June 2010 IPW and ISPW overwhelmed with interest from consumers wanting to make their Will with an OFT Code Approved Willwriter We have been deluged with interest from people wanting to make their Wills. Please bear with us, it will take us a few days to work through the backlog and distribute your delays to a participating member. It maybe too late to claim a free Will, but many members are now offering discounted Wills to those who wish to make their Will. More details here.
2nd June 2010 IPW and ISPW celebrate OFT Approval of their Code of Practice with Free Wills Offer. To celebrate the announcement that the Institute is the only organisation in the Willwriting sector to have a Code of Practice approved by the Office of Fair Trading, participating members are offering members of the public the opportunity to have a Will drawn up completely free of charge on Wednesday 9th June 2010. The number of Free Wills available is limited, so don't delay. More details here.
27th May 2010 Special offer to Willwriters to join the IPW or the ISPW. Join before 28th July 2010 and pay no membership fees!! Pay £100 to sit the Institute's entrance examination or assessment through the Qualified Practitioner option, unless you are exempt. See here for more details on entry criteria. Pay half your membership fees when you submit documents Pay the balance of your membership fees when you renew your Professional Indemnity insurance. Remember, it is almost certain that because of the high standards of membership, it is almost certain that Institute membership will save you money. Download more details of this very special offer here.
19th April 2010 Are you a Willwriter? More and more Willwriters are joining the IPW. As of today, we have recruited 50% more new members so far this month than is our target for the whole of April. Many, if not all, are members of other organisations, but they now wish to align themselves with a professional and progressive organisation - and the ONLY organisation in the legal sector with a Code of Practice which has OFT approval. To find out more about the benefits of becoming a member of the IPW, please visit the membership section of our website here, or send an email to our membership department here or telephone 08456 442042. We look forward to hearing from you!!!
19th April 2010 Look for the logos.
Over the coming weeks IPW members will be adding the OFT Code Approved Logo to their websites and stationery so that members of the public can be certain that they are dealing with an OFT Code Approved Willwriter. Remember that the Institute of Professional Willwriters is the ONLY organisation to have a Code of Practice approved by the Office of Fair Trading. To find details of an IPW member in your area, visit the Office of Fair Trading Website here or visit the 'Find your local IPW member' section of the IPW website here - where you will also be able to view comments left by clients of IPW members about the service and attention that they have received. 1st April 2010 We have learned today that the IPW Code of Practice has secured Approval from the Office of Fair Trading under its Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS). This has been a two stage process. In June 2008, the IPW's code completed Stage One - in which the OFT accepts that the content of the Code of Practice meets the OFT criteria. The Code of Practice provides clients of IPW members with assurances that:
OFT approval which has been confirmed today follows a period in which:
OFT approval means that IPW members will be able to display the OFT Approved Code logo on their stationery and marketing material. Needless to say, the IPW will continue the hard work to enforce and monitor compliance with the Code of Practice in order to maintain its OFT approval. The IPW will also continue to review the content of the Code of Practice to ensure that it addresses issues in the sector as they emerge. The IPW will shortly be consulting with its members and consumer organisations on a Code of Practice, with minor revisions, that will underpin an application by the IPW to the Legal Services Board to become an Approved Regulator of reserved (regulated) probate activities in England and Wales. 4th January 2010 IPW request that the newly created Legal Services Board considers whether Willwriting should be regulated. January 1st 2010 saw a revolution in the way that Legal Services in England and Wales are delivered and regulated with the formation of a new 'super regulator', the Legal Services Board (LSB). The LSB will regulate existing regulators of legal services, such as Solicitors, Barristers and Licenced Conveyancers. The LSB also has powers to investigate whether the provision of any legal services that are currently outside of its regulatory net should be brought within its remit. For many years the IPW has been campaigning for a light touch, but compulsory, regulatory regime for the provision of Willwriting services and accordingly has asked the LSB to consider this matter. 31st December 2009 IPW create sister organisation, the Institute of Scottish Professional Willwriters As a result of increased interest in Scotland in Willwriting as a career, and interest from existing Willwriters in Scotland in joining a professional membership organisation, the IPW has formed the Institute of Scottish Professional Willwriters (ISPW). The ISPW will be based in Edinburgh and the IPW training courses and examinations have been adapted to reflect differences in Scottish laws in Wills without compromising standards. As a result, ISPW members will enjoy the same benefits as IPW members and members of the public in Scotland will have the same protection and reassurance when having a Will drafted by a member of the ISPW as members of the public 'south of the border' have when having their Will drafted by a member of the IPW.
13th August 2009 IPW publish 'Guide to making a Will' Ever wondered why you need a Will, how you go about getting one, how much it will cost? The answers are in this free booklet available to download here.
1st August 2009 IPW agrees partnership agreement with firm of solicitors The IPW is delighted to announce that it has agreed a partnership agreement with Scottish solicitors WW&J McClure. The agreement will see McClures providing training to IPW members on lifetime trusts - which are joining Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney in becoming an important part of estate planning. McClures will also be providing a document drafting and case checking service which will enable IPW members to offer a fully joined up service which will provide their clients with the assurance of solicitor backing.
9th July 2009 IPW publish annual report on its Code of Practice The IPW is required by the Office of Fair Trading to publish a report every year on its Code of Practice. The report can be downloaded here (requires Adobe acrobat reader).
19th June 2009 IPW joins with law training firm to provide discounted training to members. Progressive Legal have agreed to provide their training courses on Wills and associated subjects to IPW members at a discounted rate which means that IPW members can save over one third of the cost of courses provided by them. Similar discounted training is available to IPW members from legal training providers Central Law Training and BPP Professional Conferences.
19th May 2009 IPW quarterly magazine now available on line Every March, June, September and December, the IPW publishes a full colour magazine, Inheritance Matters, aimed at those considering making or updating their Will, those working in the Willwriting sector, and those whose work involves Wills, Estate Planning, Legacy Planning or Employee Benefits. The magazine (including back issues) is now available to download free of charge online at www.inheritancemattersmagazine.com. © IPW 2000/2010 |
