REQUESTING DOCUMENTS

Requesting Your Documents

The below guidance is for clients 

Your Will

We can only release an original Will to the Testator (the person who has made the Will). We will require the Testator to provide photo ID and signed written consent. If you have moved from the address in your Will, we may also require proof of address, such as a utility bill or council tax bill.

If you require a certified copy of your Will, there will be a charge of £24 per certified copy, and again, this will need to be requested by a signed written request along with photo ID.

If you are a couple and both requesting your respective documents, both clients must provide the supporting documents.

Your Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs)

If we are holding your Power of Attorney, you can retrieve it from us at any time. You will be required to provide photo ID and signed written consent when requesting the original or a certified copy.

If you require a certified copy of your LPA, please note there will be a charge of £24 per certified copy.

If you are a couple and both requesting your respective documents, both clients must provide the supporting documents.

Need help?
If you're unsure what documents to provide, don't hesitate to contact our Support Team at support@aprilking.co.uk or call us on 0800 788 0500.

Release of your documents to another person

The below guidance is for Executors and Attorneys

Wills

We will only release an original Will to the Executor(s) named in the Will, if the Testator (the person who has made the Will) has passed away and upon receipt of the Testator’s death certificate. We will also require all Executors to produce their photo ID and signed written consent for us to release the Will. There is only one original document, and therefore Executors must agree on the address we should send the Will and include this in their signed written request.

If the Executor(s) require a certified copy of a Will, there will be a charge of £24 per certified copy and all Executors must provide their photo ID and signed written consent.

If you are an Attorney, we can only provide a photocopy of the original Will if the donor has lost mental capacity, and if there are no restrictions or objections within the power that would prevent us from disclosing information regarding the Will.

We will need to review the full copy of the registered Property & Finance Lasting Power of Attorney/Enduring Power of Attorney. We will also require the Attorney's photo ID, signed written request, and a capacity assessment from the donor's GP/medical professional confirming the donor no longer has capacity.

If there is more than one Attorney and they are appointed jointly, we will require photo ID and signed written consent from all Attorneys.

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs)

The original LPA or certified copies will only be released by us to the Attorney(s) named in the LPA(s) if the Attorney(s) have a letter from the donor’s GP/medical professional confirming that the donor no longer has capacity. This will need to be sent to us when submitting your request.

The requesting Attorney will also be required to provide their photo ID and signed written consent.

If there is more than one Attorney and they are appointed jointly, we will require photo ID and signed written consent from all Attorneys.

If the Attorney(s) require a certified copy of an LPA, please note there will be a charge of £24 per certified copy.

Need help?
If you're unsure what documents to provide, don't hesitate to contact our Support Team at support@aprilking.co.uk or call us on 0800 788 0500.

Important Information

Written consent
Consent must be in writing and be signed by hand. We do not accept digital signatures for document returns, as they do not provide sufficient proof that the request has been genuinely signed. However, you are welcome to scan/photograph a signed request and send this to us by email for convenience. Please note an email on its own is not adequate for written consent due to the risk of spoofing.

Proof of identity
The most common forms of photo ID we accept are a driving license or passport. If you do not have a government-issued photo ID, such as a driving license or passport, please contact us to discuss alternative ways we might be able to verify your identity.

Supplying documents
Scans/photographs of supporting documents must be clear and high quality. Blurry or pixelated documents will not be accepted, as we will be unable to verify the details. Please do not send us original documents; we only require clear copies.

Acceptable formats
Scans/photographs of supporting documents should be in one of the following formats: JPEG (or JPG), PDF - Portable Document Format or PNG - Portable Network Graphics.

Where do I send my request?
Requests and supporting documents can either be sent to us by email at support@aprilking.co.uk or to the following postal address:

FAO: Document Returns
April King Legal
4 Castlebridge Office Village
Kirtley Drive
Nottingham
NG7 1LD

We recommend postal requests are sent Recorded Delivery. We will not be liable for any requests which are lost in the post or sent to an incorrect address.

How will I receive my documents?
Documents are returned by Recorded Delivery (3 day service) via Royal Mail unless otherwise specified. For security reasons, we do not offer collection of documents.

How long for my request to be processed?
Upon receipt of all supporting documents, please allow us up to 10 working days to review and verify the request, obtain the original document(s) from storage, and arrange delivery.

Data Protection
We take the security of your data seriously. Internal policies and controls are in place to ensure that your data is not misused or disclosed and is not accessed except by our employees in the proper performance of their duties. For more information, please review our Privacy Policy.

Need help?
If you have any questions regarding this return policy, please get in touch with our Support Team at support@aprilking.co.uk.

Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to provide a comprehensive returns policy, this page is intended to provide general guidance and may not be suitable for all situations. Each request is subject to review of the specific circumstances, and we reserve the right to request additional/different supporting documents. We may update this page from time to time without notice. For further clarification, please contact our Support Team.