58% of UK adults don’t have a Will, according to new research.

The story starts with me heading north on the M6 one sunny Sunday afternoon in 2009. I was on my motorcycle going to meet a friend for a few days motorcycling around the Lakes. Then I was to meet my wife in Glasgow for a family re-union and a visit to Turnberry to see Tiger Woods in the British Open as a special birthday treat.

It seems that nowadays we can’t turn on the TV without coming across a programme about antiques, often featuring a treasured item that has been passed down through generations. The expert’s valuation may be minimal, but usually the current owner professes a great attachment to the item as being an important link to a departed relative. So whether or not our personal chattels have major monetary value, it can be important to use our Will to pass them on appropriately – but what is the best way to do it?

Although it can be risky, administering an estate is usually relatively straightforward to the experienced practitioner. Occasionally, though, some elements of a particular estate will test the mettle of the best. Nicholas Beetham looks at a recent “perfect storm” estate which, although demanding, presented no more than a welcome challenge to Kings Court, who administered it smoothly and without fuss.