Scotland - How to Find a Will

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Procedure

Apply In Person

1. To Find a Will, the applicant has to approach the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service link
2. The first step is to identify where the will might be located. The deceased person may have mentioned the location of the will in their personal documents or conversations. Common places to search include their home, safe deposit boxes, or with their solicitor or law firm.
3. If the deceased person had a solicitor or law firm handling their legal matters, contact them and inquire about the existence and location of the will.
4. Provide them with relevant details, such as the deceased person's full name, date of death, and any other information requested.
5. If the deceased person had a safe deposit box, check if they left instructions about the location of the key or the existence of a will within the box. Contact the bank or financial institution where the box is held and follow their procedures for accessing it.
6. In Scotland, the Registers of Scotland maintain the Register of Wills, which records information about wills that have been executed. The applicant can conduct a search through the Register of Wills to determine if a will has been registered.
7. An application form will be provided to the applicant by the concerned officer.
8. The applicant has to fill in all the necessary details in the application form. (Incomplete applications are not accepted)
9. Make sure that the applicant has attached all the necessary documents that are mentioned in the “Required Documents” section of this page.
10. The applicant has to attach photocopies of the required documents along with the application form while submitting it.
11. Submit all the documents with the completed form to the concerned officer.
12. There is no fee for finding a will.
13. After receiving the application, the concerned authority will check the submitted application and document set. If all are in place, the application will be accepted.
14. Then the application will be processed further.
15. Once the process gets completed, the applicant gets a call from the office regarding the application.
16. This entire process can be completed within 5 – 7 days or as per the timeline advised by the respective department authority.

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Required Documents

• Application form
• ID proof (Birth Certificate, national Identity card, etc)
• Address proof – (Driving license, passbook, utility bill, etc)
• Property documents
• Death Certificate
• Any other documents (If required)

Office Locations & Contacts

Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh
EH11 3XD
Tel 0131 444 3300
Fax 0131 443 2610
Email - [email protected]
Contact link

Eligibility

• Any Individual who intends to Find a Will is eligible to make this application.

Fees

• There is no fee for finding a will.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Please attach documents that can be used by people. e.g. links

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing Time

• This entire process can be completed within 5 – 7 days or as per the timeline advised by the respective department authority.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Instructions

• Applicants must complete the application form before submitting it. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
• Applicants must provide genuine information while applying for this procedure.

Required Information

• Name
• Address
• Age
• Land Details
• Occupation
• Postal Code
• Contact details
• Email Id
• Parent’s details
• Declaration
• Date
• Signature

Need for the Document

• "Find a Will" in Scotland refers to the process of locating and accessing the last will and testament of a deceased person.
• A will is a legal document that outlines the deceased person's wishes regarding the distribution of their assets, appointment of executors, and other important instructions.

Information which might help

• For more information link

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

Link

Others

• Locating a will can be crucial for the proper administration of the deceased person's estate and ensuring their wishes are carried out. Seeking professional advice and assistance can be helpful in navigating the process and ensuring compliance with legal requirements.