Originals kept safe, retrievable when they matter.
Free, fireproof storage of any Will or LPA we draft. We hold the originals so your executors know exactly where to find them.
Once you have spent money on estate planning, it is vital you keep the original documents safe. Lost or damaged Wills can cause significant problems for executors. SLS offers secure storage of original Wills and other key documents, with retrieval whenever you or your authorised representatives need them.
Originals we hold for clients.
We hold original Wills, original Lasting Powers of Attorney, and any related documents that need to be kept with them. We also hold copies and scanned versions, so a missing original is not catastrophic.
Storage of originals for any Will we have written is included in the price; there is no separate storage fee. Storage of Wills written elsewhere, or other documents, is available for a small annual fee.
What goes wrong without secure storage.
- Original Wills can be lost during house moves, decluttering or after a death
- Damaged Wills (water damage, staple holes, anything that suggests tampering) can require a court application to admit them to probate
- Wills stored at home are sometimes destroyed in fires or floods, then need to be reconstructed
- Executors who do not know where the Will is kept may delay probate by weeks while they search
- A Will that cannot be found may be presumed revoked, and the estate distributed under intestacy
How retrieval works.
While you are alive, you can ask for your originals at any time. We provide a certified copy if you want one, and the original is returned the same day or sent by recorded delivery. There is no fee.
After your death, we release the originals to your appointed executors on production of the death certificate and proof of identity. We are usually one of the first calls executors make, and we know what to send and to whom.
What happens if SLS ever stops trading.
We have arrangements with a successor practice to take on stored documents in the unlikely event SLS ceases to trade. Clients are notified of any change. The principle is simple: once we have undertaken to look after a document, the responsibility does not go away just because circumstances change.
Common questions.
No. Many clients prefer to keep their original at home, give it to a family member, or store it with a bank. We will help you weigh up the options. Wherever you store it, the executors need to know where it is.
Storage of any Will or LPA we have written is included in the price, no annual fee. Storage of Wills written elsewhere, or other documents, is available at a modest annual fee, quoted on request.
Yes. When changes are needed, we draft the new Will (or codicil) and replace the stored original. The previous original is destroyed in your presence, or returned to you, depending on what you prefer.
Yes. We release the original to your appointed executors on production of the death certificate and proof of identity. Many of our clients give their executors a card with our contact details to keep alongside their other estate paperwork.
Yes. Our storage is in a fire-rated, controlled-access location, with backup arrangements at a separate site for digital copies. We also keep an offsite digital index so the existence and location of every original is always known.
What clients often need alongside this.
Will writing
A properly drafted Will makes your wishes clear, protects the people you love and saves your family from unnecessary stress. Single Wills, Mirror Wills, Complex Wills.
Read moreLasting Powers of Attorney
A Lasting Power of Attorney lets you choose who makes decisions for you if you cannot make them yourself. Both types: property and finances, health and welfare.
Read moreFree Will review
A Will written today is not necessarily the right Will in five years. We offer a free review of any Will we have written, and a paid review service for Wills written elsewhere.
Read more
A free consultation is the easiest place to start.
Thirty minutes with a qualified consultant, no obligation, with a clear sense of your options at the end.
Or call us on 01304 577 998