Professional Will Writing Services across Greater Manchester
Expertly drafted Wills, Codicils and estate planning documents tailored to your personal needs
We understand that a Will is about far more than distributing assets. It is about making sure the people you love are looked after, your wishes are respected and the future unfolds as you intended. Many clients come to us concerned that the process will be confusing, time-consuming or filled with legal jargon. Our role is to remove that uncertainty by providing clear advice, tailored recommendations and professionally drafted documents designed around your individual circumstances. By putting the right arrangements in place today, you gain the comfort of knowing that important decisions have already been made, leaving your family with clarity, guidance and one less burden to carry in the future.
- Over 25 years legal experience
- Free home visits across Greater Manchester and surrounding areas
- Telephone or Video appointments nationwide
- Personal, friendly one-to-one consultations
- Competitive fixed fees
- Bespoke documents tailored to your needs
- Clear, practical advice without unnecessary legal jargon
Wise Owl Wills combines over 25 years of legal sector experience with a personal, bespoke approach to Will drafting. We do not rely on automated forms or generic templates. Every document is prepared to reflect your individual circumstances and wishes.
About Us
Over 25 years of legal experience, focused on you.
Wise Owl Wills was founded by Stephen Rhodes, who was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1999 and has more than 25 years of experience in the legal profession, including extensive drafting of legal documents and advising clients on wills and estate-related matters.
Wise Owl Wills is an independent Will-writing business and is not a barristers’ practice. This enables us to offer a modern and approachable alternative to traditional legal services, with documents explained in plain English rather than complicated legal jargon, helping you to make informed decisions with confidence while receiving a professional and friendly service.
Stephen believes that making a Will should be a straightforward and reassuring experience. His approach is built around taking the time to understand each client’s individual circumstances, so that every Will truly reflects their wishes.
Who we help
We Help People Across Greater Manchester, including:
- Individuals
- Couples
- Married Couples
- Unmarried Partners
- Families with Young Children
- Blended Families
- Property Owners
- Landlords
- Business Owners
- Retirees
- Those Planning for Care Home Fees
- Those Concerned About Inheritance Tax
- The parents or carers of Vulnerable Beneficiaries
Whether you’re making a Will for the first time, updating an existing Will with a Codicil, or putting trust-based protections in place, we tailor every document to your circumstances.
Our Will Writing Services
The decisions you make today can have a lasting impact on the people you care about most. Whether your goal is to provide for your spouse, protect your children, safeguard family assets or ensure vulnerable beneficiaries are looked after, the right Will can make a significant difference. At Wise Owl Wills, we offer a range of will-writing and estate planning services designed to help you put effective protections in place while maintaining control over how your estate is managed in the future.
| Service | Suitable for |
|---|---|
| Basic Wills | Straightforward estates and family arrangements |
| Trust Wills | Asset protection, blended families, vulnerable beneficiaries, care fee planning |
| Mirror Wills | Couples wishing to create matching Wills |
| Codicils | Updating an existing Will |
| Letters of Wishes | Providing guidance to executors, trustees and beneficiaries |
| Notice of Severance | When property needs to be held as tenants in common |
Basic Wills
A Basic Will is ideal for straightforward estates, especially those making direct provision for a spouse, children or other chosen beneficiaries.
Trust Wills
A Trust Will is for those seeking to protect family assets, safeguard inheritances for children or vulnerable beneficiaries, and where appropriate, mitigate the effect of care home fees.
Mirror Wills
Mirror Wills are commonly used by couples who wish to leave their estates in broadly identical terms while ensuring both partners’ wishes are clearly recorded.
Codicils
A Codicil is used to update an existing Will without replacing the entire document.
Letter of Wishes
A Letter of Wishes provides executors and trustees with additional guidance on distributing your estate, and offers a personal explanation of any decisions that may surprise or concern your loved ones.
Notice of Severance
A Notice of Severance is used to alter the ownership status of jointly held property to a tenancy in common basis, where estate planning considerations make this necessary or advisable.
Estate Planning Beyond a Simple Will
Many clients come to us because they want more than a basic Will.
Depending on your circumstances, we can help structure your Will to address:
We’re happy to discuss these Estate Planning Issues either during your consultation – read more on our dedicated pages – or ask us directly.
Why Many People Choose a Professionally Drafted Will
Online Will templates and questionnaire-based services can work for very straightforward situations, but they carry a risk that many people simply aren’t aware of. A poorly drafted Will can create legal uncertainty, unintended tax liabilities, or outcomes that don’t reflect what you actually wanted, leaving your family to deal with the consequences.
At Wise Owl Wills, every Will is individually prepared by an experienced professional, tailored specifically to your circumstances, rather than generated from a standard template. That matters because no two families, estates, or situations are exactly alike.
We regularly assist clients with Wills involving:
- Children from previous relationships or blended families
- Unmarried couples who need to protect each other’s position
- Property ownership issues, including jointly held assets
- Inheritance Tax planning and reliefs
- Business assets and succession considerations
- Trust provisions for asset protection or vulnerable beneficiaries
- Care home fee planning
If your situation involves any of these, a bespoke professionally drafted Will is not just preferable, it is essential.
Will Writing Services Across Greater Manchester
Wise Owl Wills provides professional, fixed-fee Will drafting services for individuals, couples and families across Greater Manchester, helping local clients create clear, legally valid Wills from the comfort of home.
A clear and simple way to put your Will in place with confidence
1 - Make contact
Call us on 0161 524 1033 or complete the short online form and we will arrange a convenient time to talk.
2 - Confirm your wishes
We talk through your choices together and confirm the details that matter to you.
3 - Your Will is prepared
Relax while our experienced drafters take care of everything and present your completed Will to you.
We provide free home visits in the Greater Manchester area.
Alternatively, you can make a Will by phone, or via video call — whichever suits you best.
Our online will-writing service makes it easy to secure your legal Will without leaving the comfort of your home.
Our limited-time affordable Will writing prices
We offer a range of cost-effective will-writing options to suit every need. Take advantage of our limited-time reduced prices:
Looking for extra peace of mind? We also offer optional additional services:
- Prices exclude VAT
Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose Wise Owl Wills?
With over 25 years of legal experience, Wise Owl Wills offers the expertise of a qualified legal professional without the fees or formality of a traditional firm. Every document is individually drafted and never generated from a standard form. All issues are explained to you in clear, jargon-free language.
We offer free home visits across Greater Manchester and the surrounding areas, as well as telephone and video appointments. All consultations are one-to-one, and our fixed fees are competitive and fully transparent. There are no surprises and no hidden charges.
Choosing Wise Owl Wills means getting a high-quality, professionally drafted Will at a price that reflects fair value, and delivered with the personal attention your family deserves.
Do you provide home visits in Greater Manchester?
Yes. Wise Owl Wills provides free home visits across the whole of Greater Manchester, including the Manchester central region, Salford, Stockport, Bolton, Wigan, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Tameside and Trafford, as well as neighbouring areas beyond the region.
If a home visit does not suit you, telephone and video appointments are also available, giving you a fully flexible way to provide instructions for your Will from wherever you are.
Can my Will be completed from home or remotely?
Yes, absolutely. Your entire Will can be arranged without you having to travel anywhere. In addition to offering free home visits across Greater Manchester and surrounding areas, we can conduct your consultation by telephone, video call, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams – whichever suits you best.
You simply give us your instructions from the comfort of your own home, and we take care of everything else.
Are online Will templates safe?
Online Will templates and pro-forma documents may be adequate in the most straightforward of circumstances, but they carry real risks in anything more complex. A template cannot adapt to your individual situation. It cannot ask the right questions, identify what is missing, or flag issues that a professional would spot immediately. The result is that something important can very easily be overlooked, and you would have no way of knowing.
Using a professional will drafting service instead means receiving a document tailored precisely to your needs and circumstances, rather than relying on a generic form and hoping for the best. The cost of professional advice is modest, and the peace of mind it provides is well worth it.
For a fuller discussion of the risks, read our article: Is a DIY Will safe?
Do I need a solicitor to draft a Will?
No. There is no legal requirement to use a solicitor to draft a Will. Whilst anything beyond the simplest of Wills should be prepared by a qualified professional rather than on a DIY basis, a professional will drafter is an equally valid and often preferable alternative to a solicitor.
Because will drafting is their sole focus, professional will drafters typically prepare far more Wills over the course of their career than the average solicitor. That concentrated experience is reflected in the quality of the work, and because their overheads are lower, their fees tend to be more competitive too.
At Wise Owl Wills, you benefit from over 25 years of legal experience and specialist will-drafting expertise, at a fraction of the typical solicitor’s fee.
How long does it take to get my Will completed?
We typically deliver your completed Will within 7 days of receiving all of your instructions. The process is straightforward. Once you have given us everything we need, we get to work promptly and aim to have your document back to you as quickly as possible.
For most clients, making a Will with Wise Owl Wills is quicker and simpler than they expect.
How much does a professionally drafted Will cost?
The cost of a professionally drafted Will varies considerably. According to the Legal Services Board, solicitors typically charge between £150 and £1,000 plus VAT for a simple Will, with the average around £250 plus VAT. More complex Wills can cost £500 or more, and in some cases upwards of £2,000 plus VAT.
At Wise Owl Wills, a single Will starts from just £130, and mirror Wills for couples from £200 — all at a fixed price with no hidden costs. You receive a bespoke, professionally drafted Will at a fraction of the typical solicitor’s fee.
What is a Will?
A Will is a legal document that puts you in control of what happens to everything you own after you die. It lets you choose who inherits your money, property and belongings, and in what shares, rather than leaving those decisions to the law.
It is also the document that allows you to appoint trusted guardians to care for your children, leave specific gifts to the people or causes that matter to you, and take steps to reduce the inheritance tax that might otherwise be payable on your estate.
A Will is one of the most important documents you will ever make, and with Wise Owl Wills, it is easier to put in place than most people think.
Do I really need a Will?
A Will is not a legal requirement, but in almost every case, it is strongly advisable. Without one, the law decides what happens to your estate, and the outcome may bear very little resemblance to what you would have wanted. The assumption that everything will simply go to the right person in the end is, in most circumstances, a serious mistake.
A Will puts you in control. It allows you to choose who manages your estate, who benefits from it, and if you have children, who should care for them if the worst should happen. It can also be used to reduce inheritance tax and to protect your estate from care home fees, opportunities that are lost entirely if you die without one.
To understand what can go wrong without a Will in place, read our article: What if I die without a Will?
What happens if I die without a Will?
If you die without a Will, you are said to have died “intestate.” This means the intestacy rules — a fixed set of legal rules — decide who administers your estate and who inherits from it. You lose all say over the outcome.
Unmarried partners receive nothing under the intestacy rules, regardless of how long you have been together. You also miss opportunities to reduce inheritance tax or take steps to protect your estate from care home fees — provisions that can only be put in place through a properly drafted Will.
Read our full guide: What if I die without a Will?
What information do I need to make a Will?
Before making your Will, there are four key things to consider. First, you need to decide who you wish to appoint as your executors, the people who will be responsible for administering your estate after your death. Second, if you have children who depend on you, you need to think about who you would want to act as their guardian. Third, you need to have decided who should benefit from your estate and in what proportions. Fourth, if you own property, you need to understand the legal basis on which you own it, as this affects what you are able to leave and to whom.
At Wise Owl Wills, we guide you through each of these questions as part of your personal consultation, so you never have to work it out alone.
For a more detailed overview of what your Will needs to cover, read our article: What do I need to include in my Will?
What is a Mirror Will?
Mirror Wills are a pair of Wills that are substantially identical in their terms, with each reflecting the other, and are most commonly made by couples who want to deal with their shared assets and provide for their family in the same way.
While mirror Wills follow the same structure and achieve the same aims, they do not have to be identical in every respect. Each remains a separate, legally independent document in its own right.
For a full explanation of how they work and whether they are the right choice for you, read our blog article: What are mirror Wills and are they right for us?
What is a Trust Will or a Will with Trust?
A Trust Will — sometimes called a Will with Trust — is a Will that contains a gift which is not intended to take effect immediately on death. For example, a bequest “to my child when he reaches the age of 25,” or “to my partner for life, and thereafter to my children,” creates a trust. The relevant assets are held and managed by trustees until the conditions you have set are met.
Because the law requires a Will containing a trust to define the powers that the trustees have (covering how assets are administered and distributed) a Trust Will is a more detailed document than a Basic Will. This additional complexity is what Wise Owl Wills handles on your behalf.
Trust Wills are particularly useful for inheritance tax planning, protecting your estate from care home fees, and making provision for vulnerable beneficiaries.
At Wise Owl Wills, we explain all of this clearly so you can decide whether a Trust Will is right for your circumstances.
What is a Codicil?
A Codicil is a document that amends an existing Will. If your circumstances have changed and you need to update your Will, but the changes required are relatively minor or administrative, a Codicil allows you to make those amendments without the need to prepare an entirely new Will.
It is a straightforward and cost-effective way to keep your Will up to date when only limited changes are needed. For more significant revisions, however, preparing a new Will is usually the better option.
Not sure which option is right for you? Our article When should I update my Will? can help you decide.
Can I update an existing Will?
Yes. An existing Will can be updated in one of two ways.
The first method is by adding a Codicil, which is a legal document that amends some of the specific terms of the original Will. The second method is by preparing a new Will altogether. Which option is more appropriate depends on the nature and extent of the changes you need to make.
Where the changes are minor or administrative (such as updating an executor or adding a small gift), a Codicil is often the more straightforward and cost-effective route. Where the changes are more complex or wide-ranging, a new Will is usually the better choice.
It is worth reviewing your Will after any significant life event, including a birth, death, marriage, divorce, property purchase, or a substantial change in your financial circumstances.
For a full guide to when and how to update your Will, read: When should I update my Will?
How often should I update my Will?
There is no fixed rule, but there are two things that should prompt you to review your Will. The first is a significant life event. The birth of a child or grandchild, buying a new property, a material change in your financial circumstances, a marriage or a divorce are all events that can affect whether your existing Will still reflects your wishes and your situation. Marriage in particular revokes an existing Will entirely under English law, so it is essential to make a new one afterwards.
The second prompt is the passage of time. Even without a major life event, it is good practice to review your Will every five years or so, as circumstances can change gradually in ways that are easy to overlook.
For a full guide to when and why to review your Will, read: When should I update my Will?
What is a Letter of Wishes?
A Letter of Wishes is a private, non-binding document that sits alongside your Will, guiding your Executors on how to carry out your wishes, particularly where gifts are left in trust. It may also help beneficiaries understand decisions that might otherwise come as a surprise. Unlike your Will, it isn’t legally binding and cannot replace one, but it can play a powerful role in preventing disputes after you’re gone. For more information, read our full guide: What is a letter of wishes and do I need one?
What is a Notice of Severance?
A Notice of Severance is a legal document used when a property is jointly owned. It converts a joint tenancy into a tenancy in common, and it’s typically served by one joint owner on the other to formally record that change in ownership status. This step matters for estate planning: if you want to use trusts in your Will for inheritance tax or care fee planning purposes, or simply leave your share of a property to different beneficiaries, the property must be held as tenants in common. Wherever it’s currently held as a joint tenancy, serving a notice of severance is essential. Learn more in our guide: When should a joint tenancy be severed?
Do I need a Will if I am married?
Yes. Even if you are married, you still need a Will. A common misconception is that everything automatically passes to your spouse, but without a Will, intestacy rules decide how your estate is divided, and for most people, these rules don’t reflect what they would actually want. Dying without a Will can also mean your preferred choice of guardian for your children is never formally recorded, leaving that decision to others. On top of this, you could miss out on inheritance tax and care home fee planning opportunities, meaning your loved ones end up with less than you intended.
Can unmarried couples protect each other through a Will?
Yes, but only if you have a Will. An unmarried partner has no automatic right to inherit from you. If you die without one, the rules of intestacy apply, and these don’t benefit an unmarried partner at all, no matter how long you’ve been together. There’s no such thing as a “common law spouse” in English law, a popular but incorrect belief that often leaves partners legally stranded, particularly when it comes to the family home. This situation is one of the most common causes of disputes during Probate.
Writing a Will is the only way to make sure your partner is protected. Read more here: Left with nothing: The hidden risk unmarried couples face without a Will
Can a Will protect my children's inheritance?
Yes, a Will is the only reliable way to protect the inheritance you want your children to receive. It also lets you formally appoint the guardians you’d choose to raise them, rather than leaving that decision to the courts. This is especially important for blended families, where you may want to make sure children from a previous marriage or relationship are properly provided for, rather than risking everything passing only to a current spouse or partner. Find out what happens without one at: What happens to my children if I don’t make a Will?
Can a Will help with care home fee planning?
Yes, a Will is one of the most effective ways to help protect your assets from being used to fund somebody else’s care costs. Care fees are usually means-tested, so if you ever need care, your own assets will be assessed as part of that process. However, with the right planning in your Will, you can help ensure that your personal share of your assets isn’t taken into account if your partner needs care in the future, helping to preserve more of your estate for the people you want to benefit. Learn how in our full guide: The complete guide to protecting your home from care home fees.
Can a Will help reduce inheritance tax?
Yes, a well-drafted Will should form an important part of your inheritance tax planning. For married couples and civil partners, Wills are particularly useful for transferring any unused Nil Rate Band between partners, and for making sure your estate properly qualifies for the Residence Nil Rate Band, which can significantly increase the amount you can pass on tax-free. Getting this structure right in your Will can make a real difference to how much inheritance tax your estate eventually pays. Learn more in: A guide to Inheritance Tax in England and Wales
Can business owners include business interests in their Will?
Yes, in many cases you can include your business interests in your Will, although this depends on what your business documents, such as a partnership agreement or shareholders’ agreement, already say about what happens to your share. It’s important to check this carefully, since these agreements can sometimes override what you’ve written in your Will. Getting the structure right matters even more if your business qualifies for Business Relief, as proper planning can help your beneficiaries benefit fully from valuable inheritance tax reliefs available to business owners.
Why choose Wise Owl Wills?
Fast & Efficient
We offer a fast and efficient will-writing service, with a standard two-week turnaround period. If you need your last will and testament completed more urgently, we can also offer an express service.
Competitively Priced
Our service is competitively priced. We offer an affordable will-drafting service that is cost-effective and designed to give you peace of mind.
Legally Qualified
Our team is legally qualified, bringing you the assurance of professional expertise — but we don’t charge the solicitor’s hourly rate. Instead, we price our service at a similar level to an online will-drafting business.