Clear practical
legal advice

Solicitors providing expert legal advice for you,
your family and your business.

Legal Ombudsman - Complaints

Unhappy or concerned about the service we have provided?

We want to give you the best possible service. However, if at any point you become unhappy or concerned about the service we have provided to you then you should inform us immediately so that we can do our best to resolve the problem for you. In the first instance it may be helpful to contact the individual who is working on your case to discuss any concerns and we will do our best to resolve any issues at this stage. If you would like to make a formal complaint then you can access our full complaints procedure here. 

What happens if I don’t agree with your views on the complaint? 

If we are unable to resolve the complaint with you then you can have the complaint independently looked at by the Legal Ombudsman. The Legal Ombudsman investigates problems about poor service from lawyers.

Before accepting a complaint for investigation the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman: 

Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint and No more than six years from the date of act/omission; or No more than three years from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint. 

 If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman please contact them. 

Contact details: 

www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Call 0300 555 0333 between 9am to 5pm
enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk 

Legal Ombudsman
P O Box 6167

Slough SL1 0EH

Anita Swift

Posted on

Writing your own Will – is it valid?

When you think about a Will or estate planning, people often assume it’s something only the elderly consider.  The recently reported case of ‘The Wanted’ singer Max George (‘Max’) has again highlighted that everyone should consider if their affairs are in order regardless of their age.  Max was aged just 36 when he opened up about his fear of his own mortality, having been admitted to hospital for heart surgery to fit a pacemaker in December 2024. During January 2025, social media was buzzing with reports, including the BBC[1] and Sky News[2], that the singer had made a Will on his phone. This fear and panic spurred him into action but it raises the question: would Max’s mobile phone Will have been legally valid?

The criteria for the valid execution of a Will are defined in Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837[3]. There is more than one way in which this can be achieved, but generally, the Will must be in writing, made by a person over the age of 18 (the ‘Testator’) intending this document to amount to a Will; it must be signed by the Testator (or an agent on their behalf); that signature must be made or acknowledged in the presence of two witnesses present at the same time, and that each of those witnesses must also have signed the Will. Though some flexibility was temporarily added during the COVID-19 pandemic for Wills executed before 31 January 2024, these fundamental principles surrounding the valid execution of a Will still stand.

Therefore, would Max’s phone Will have been legally valid? Thankfully, it never came to pass but if a Will does not meet the legal requirements outlined by law, it will not be valid. This means that the Testator’s wishes will not be honoured and their intentions, no matter how well meaning, will be void, leaving the chosen beneficiaries potentially very disappointed.  This could result in potentially costly and arduous legal disputes involving disgruntled family members and others.

We recommend that you consult and instruct a Solicitor to prepare a suitable Will that validly gives effect to your wishes. As part of this process, you can also be advised upon protections for blended families, underage or disabled beneficiaries, care home fees and Inheritance Tax. To discuss making or updating your Will, please contact our team on 0191 296 1777 or email us at advice@hindle-campbell.co.uk

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgrnd38ryeo

[2] https://news.sky.com/story/the-wanted-star-max-george-recalls-moment-he-wrote-will-from-hospital-bed-before-heart-surgery-13287692

[3] https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Will4and1Vict/7/26/section/9