Leaving a Will is usually a safe way of a person passing on their property, possessions and other assets. In most situations, things go according to plan.

But what if you feel that something about a loved one’s Will left isn’t right? You may have been promised that you would inherit, but that hasn’t happened. Perhaps you have been left less than you had expected or have been left out of the Will completely. You may have concerns that there’s a mistake in the Will, that it doesn’t truly reflect the person’s wishes, or even that it’s a fraudulent Will.

It’s possible to dispute a Will if there is a legal basis for doing that. The grounds for contesting a Will are strict, so it’s worth looking into whether you might have an inheritance claim or another reason to launch a challenge. Equally, if you are the person (the ‘executor’) in charge of an estate and someone is taking issue with the Will or with the estate administration process, it’s important to speak to a contentious probate solicitor as soon as you can.

It’s really important to act quickly, and to take legal advice on how best to protect your position. Our solicitors at Thomas Mansfield are specialists in this area. We’ll help you understand the legal position and your chances of successfully contesting a Will. If you’re an executor, we’ll explain how you may be able to defend a claim brought against the estate. And, whichever side of the fence you’re on, we’ll help you take the right steps.

The type of issues we cover in this area include:

• Inheritance Act claims
• Caveats
• Challenges to the validity of a Will
• Undue influence on a Will
• Contesting a Will due to dementia
• Challenging a Will after probate is granted
• Defending a Will
• Executor disputes
• Trust disputes
• Estate administration disputes
• Property and asset disputes