The Importance of having a Will | Don't leave it to chance

Sills & Betteridge Wills experts consistently emphasise the importance of having a valid Will in place. A professionally and independently drafted Will ensures that your estate is managed according to your wishes after your death, providing clarity and peace of mind for your loved ones. The critical need for this is currently being highlighted by a Radio 4 series, Shadow World: The Grave Robbers, which shows the serious complications that can arise when someone passes away without a Will.

Award-winning investigative reporter Sue Mitchell reveals how gangs operating in the UK are illegally taking assets from people who die without a recent will. The series hears from victims of the gangs, confronts its leaders and exposes the shortfalls of a system that leaves many others at risk.

Episode one of the series, which aired on the 9th July 2025 described a situation in 2023 in which two sisters, Lisa and Nicole, discovered that they were due to inherit a significant sum from their estranged Aunt Christine but the Court process was unexpectedly stopped.

A tracing agent contacted Lisa and Nicole to inform them their aunt had died, left no will and as her closest surviving relatives they were to inherit everything she owned through the intestacy rules. The sisters described their initial shock at learning they were to receive a life-changing inheritance. However, a man named Tamas Szvercsok from Hungary contacted the probate registry and produced a Will describing him as Christine's 'dear friend'. It named him sole executor and beneficiary of her entire estate.

The episode went on to report that there were clear signs that all was not what it seemed. Christine’s neighbour said she had never mentioned Tamas Szvercsok at any point in the years they had known each other. The Will was dated 2016. Christine was housebound and disabled by this time and receiving almost no visitors. Her home address was incorrect on the will, and even though it was dated as signed in 2016, the address given for Mr Szvercsok was a block of flats that was not built until 2022.

Lisa and Nicole said that despite the issues they had raised, they were informed by the police that there would be no investigation into the Will. The podcast reported that Mr Svercsok's position was that the Will is valid and he is the person entitled to the estate under the Will.

The Court process is now in limbo. Mr Szvercsok has not been able to take possession of Christine's estate and Lisa and Nicole have been told that they would have to instigate a civil case if they wanted to prove that the will was a fake. That would cost thousands of pounds which they do not have.

Why having a professionally prepared Will matters

1. Protects Your Wishes

A Will ensures your estate is distributed according to your intentions—not left to chance or the rules of intestacy.

2. Prevents Fraud and Exploitation

As the podcast reveals, people can exploit the absence of a Will. A valid Will, especially one securely archived and professionally prepared by an independent regulated lawyer (who will take an independent note of your instructions) makes this much harder.

3. Reduces Family Disputes

Clear instructions in a Will can prevent confusion and conflict among surviving relatives.

4. Saves Time and Money

Probate can be quicker and less costly with a Will in place. Without one, loved ones may face expensive legal battles, as seen with Lisa, Nicole and Mr Szvercsok.

We have a team of experience lawyers who can help advise you through the process of putting a professionally drafted Will in place. Please call us on 0800 542 4245 to discuss further.

Shadow World: The Grave Robbers began on BBC Sounds on the 5 July 2025. The first episode is available as a podcast from the 9 July 2025. New episodes will be released weekly.