Putting off a will is easy right up until it isn't, and estate planning covers everything from a straightforward will to inheritance tax strategy and probate after someone dies. London has dedicated wills-and-probate specialists, full-service firms with a probate practice attached, and at least one purely online will-writing service. Here's how five of them compare, based on real reviews.
Short answer: Ola Leslie Solicitors leads by volume at 4.7 stars across 510 reviews and lists probate, wills, and trusts directly alongside its property law practice. For a dedicated specialist, Heritage Wills & Probate (5.0, 143 reviews, a full STEP member) and Buckingham Gate Estate Planning (5.0, 56 reviews) are purpose-built firms. For a simple will on a budget, Legal Wills offers a solicitor-designed online document for £49.95.
#1 Overall🕑 Open 5 days/wk
Ola Leslie Solicitors
4.7★★★★★510 Google reviews
Ola Leslie Solicitors, based near Waterloo, names probate, wills, and trusts directly alongside conveyancing and commercial property on its own site, and Google separately categorizes it as a probate attorney and a lawyer for the elderly. Its 510 reviews are the deepest pool on this list, though most of the detailed reviews describe property purchases and sales rather than wills or probate specifically.
What people praise
- Probate, wills, and trusts named directly alongside conveyancing on the firm's own site
- Named solicitors (Danielle, Funke, Ayesha, Dami) praised repeatedly for thoroughness on lengthy transactions
- Clients report returning to the same firm across multiple, separate legal matters
- The largest review base on this list by a wide margin
Worth knowing
- Nearly every detailed review describes a property purchase or sale rather than a will or probate matter specifically; ask to be connected with the private client team if estate planning is what you need
Reputation scorecardrank in London
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown90% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: It has both the credentials and the categorization for probate and elder law work, but the visible review evidence leans toward property transactions, so ask directly for the estate planning team.
📍10, Whitehorse Mews, 37 Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7QD
#2🕑 Open 5 days/wk
Heritage Wills & Probate
5.0★★★★★143 Google reviews
Heritage Wills & Probate has operated in Chiswick, west London, for almost 20 years, run by a qualified solicitor who is a full member of STEP, the global professional body for estate-planning specialists. It focuses specifically on wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, and probate and estate administration, with fixed fees published on its own site.
What people praise
- Nearly 20 years focused specifically on wills, LPAs, and probate, not a general practice
- Full STEP membership, a recognized credential for estate-planning professionals
- Fixed fees published directly on the firm's site rather than quoted case by case
- Offers a will-safekeeping service with affordable future amendments
Reputation scorecardrank in London
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown100% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: A perfect 5.0 built entirely on wills and probate work, with Gervase Harson named personally in every review for clear, patient guidance. The most focused estate-planning specialist on this list.
📍The Barley Mow Centre, 10 Barley Mow Passage, Chiswick, London W4 4PH
#3🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews
Legal Wills
4.9★★★★★141 Google reviews
Legal Wills is a different kind of business entirely: an online, solicitor-designed will-writing service rather than a law firm with individual solicitors. You answer a guided set of questions, get a document generated in as little as 12 minutes, and print or post it yourself, all for a published £49.95.
What people praise
- A published fixed price of £49.95 with a 30-day money-back guarantee
- Customers repeatedly describe the process as quick, in as little as 12 minutes for some
- Unlimited edits within the first 12 months at no extra cost
- The firm says it's been trusted by over 2 million people
Worth knowing
- It's a DIY document you complete yourself online, not a face-to-face consultation with a solicitor, so a complicated estate may still need in-person advice
Reputation scorecardrank in London
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown90% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: For a straightforward will, this is the fastest and cheapest option on this list by a wide margin. For a complicated estate, a full-service solicitor is still the safer route.
📍27 Old Gloucester St, London WC1N 3AX
#4🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews
Buckingham Gate Estate Planning
5.0★★★★★56 Google reviews
Buckingham Gate Estate Planning, near Trafalgar Square, is built specifically around inheritance tax reduction, wills, trusts, and probate services, running educational webinars and a structured six-step process. Google categorizes it precisely as an estate planning lawyer, with nothing else in its listed practice areas.
What people praise
- Proactively contacted clients after a 2024 budget change to flag will amendments worth considering
- Discovery meetings praised for making complex inheritance tax planning genuinely understandable
- Named advisers (Heloise, Matt Smith) get repeated, specific praise across separate reviews
- Signed documents arrive with extensive guidance notes for future reference
Reputation scorecardrank in London
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown100% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: A perfect 5.0 and the most tightly focused estate-planning firm on this list by Google's own categorization. A strong pick if inheritance tax strategy is as important to you as the will itself.
📍25A Northumberland Ave, London WC2N 5AP
#5🕑 Open 5 days/wk
Meaby & Co Solicitors
4.8★★★★★60 Google reviews
Meaby & Co Solicitors, on Wigmore Street, is a full-service firm covering property, employment, family, and bankruptcy law alongside probate. At least one detailed review describes a probate matter, handled by solicitor Holly Skipper, resolved thoroughly over several months at a reasonable fee.
What people praise
- Holly Skipper is specifically credited for a thorough, empathetic probate matter handled over several months
- Full-service structure means the same firm can also handle related property or family matters
- Several reviewers note responsiveness without needing to chase for updates
- Long-standing named solicitors across multiple practice areas, some reviewed over several years
Worth knowing
- Most of its review history covers property purchases and employment disputes rather than probate specifically, a smaller sample size for estate work than the dedicated specialists on this list
Reputation scorecardrank in London
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown90% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: A genuinely well-reviewed full-service firm with at least one strong, specific probate example. Worth a call if you'd rather have one firm handle an estate matter alongside other legal needs.
📍94-96 Wigmore St, London W1U 3RF
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Claim this spot › How we scored these
Rating is each business’s live Google average, and review volume shows how many customers actually left one. Confidence weighs the two together, so a 4.9 from hundreds of reviews counts more than the same score from a handful. Recency checks how current those reviews are. No business paid to appear higher on this list; the order comes straight from these public numbers.
What does estate planning cost in London? (2026)
A DIY online will, like the one Legal Wills offers, starts at a fixed, published price. A solicitor-drafted will or full estate plan through a law firm costs more and varies by complexity, since probate and trust work is priced individually. For anything beyond a simple will, get a written quote before committing, and remember that professional advice matters more the larger or more contested an estate is likely to be.
| Job | Typical price |
|---|
| Online DIY will (Legal Wills) | £49.95 |
Published pricing from Legal Wills’ own website, verified July 2026. Solicitor-drafted wills and full estate plans are typically quoted individually based on complexity.
Estate planning services across London
These firms cluster around Waterloo, Chiswick, and Trafalgar Square, while Legal Wills operates entirely online and serves England and Wales regardless of location. If you’re searching for an estate planning lawyer near me for something more complex than a simple will, a firm with a named probate or elder law specialism, like Heritage Wills & Probate or Buckingham Gate, is worth the in-person consultation.
What to ask before you plan your estate
- Does this firm or service have a named probate or wills specialist, not just general practice solicitors?
- Is a fixed fee available, or does cost depend on the complexity of my estate?
- Is an online will suitable for my situation, or do I need a solicitor’s advice?
- How are updates to my will handled if my circumstances change?
- Who holds the original signed document, and how do my executors access it?
Frequently asked questions
Are these rankings paid?
No. Rankings come from public Google data. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner (badge and top placement), but that never changes another business’s score or position.
How did you choose these five?
We compared businesses in London offering wills, probate, or estate planning services, then ranked by rating, review volume, and how recently customers are still reviewing them.
How often is this page updated?
We refreshed the data behind this page in July 2026 and recheck it as new reviews come in.
Are all five of these dedicated estate planning specialists?
Not equally. Heritage Wills & Probate and Buckingham Gate are purpose-built estate planning firms. Legal Wills is a dedicated online will service. Ola Leslie and Meaby & Co are full-service firms with a genuine, but smaller, probate and wills practice alongside other legal work.
Is an online will legally valid in England and Wales?
Yes, provided it’s signed and witnessed correctly, which services like Legal Wills explain as part of the process. For complex estates, a solicitor’s advice is still worth the extra cost.
The bottom line
For a simple will on a budget, Legal Wills is the fastest and cheapest option here. For probate, elder law, or a more complex estate, Heritage Wills & Probate and Buckingham Gate are the two purpose-built specialists, with Ola Leslie a strong full-service alternative if you’d rather have property and estate matters under one roof.
