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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Canuk on Friday 20 May 11 19:09 BST (UK)
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I want to order (at the moment) two wills and probate documents. One is from 1998 and the other from 1995. Depending on what they tell me, I will probably want to order several more after that.
I have been on the Court Services website and read about their Postal Searches. I have even downloaded the form, and I have all the details that they need. The problem is that they want a cheque in Pounds Sterling. I am a Canadian with a Canadian bank account. I can't write a cheque in Pounds Sterling. I have heard that, although it is clearly stated on the form that they do not deal with credit cards, that there is a way to order wills by credit card. Anybody know how I can do this?
Thanks so very much
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I don't know about ordering with a CC (or even which website you are referring to) but can you maybe ask your bank for a banker's cheque in Sterling?
Is there a contact email that you could ask them about provisions for payments by overseas customers?
Failing all else do you have any trusted friends in the UK or with a UK bank account to whom you could give the money and have them send a cheque on your behalf?
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There used to be something called an international money order, which you could buy in post offices in England. It worked like a cheque, and was used to send money overseas.
Try asking in a post office, or look on their website, to see if they still have them.
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I deal with a credit union and I don't think that they can do a banker's cheque. Also the bank charges are ridiculous. As far as friends go, nobody that is going to London any time soon.
International Money Orders are hard to get and pretty expensive. I do know that both a banker's cheque and IMOs will probably double each order.
The email contact just refers me back to the webpage that I came from.
I do know somebody over here who has done it by credit card, but unfortunately she is several thousand miles away at the moment on vacation and won't be back for some time. Also, I'm not that close to her. In fact, we don't like each other at all.
There has to be some way that overseas researchers order these things fairly easily, because it is done so frequently.
Frustrating! ???
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I live in the US and have the same problem. I once used a certified international check, which I got from my bank, but it cost $25.00 just for the check--plus the amount of the check!
I can't buy international money orders in the US, so I buy stacks of postal orders when I go to England. I don't think there are any other options--though, fortunately, most record offices now accept credit card payments.
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Hi Canuk
I am in Australia & had the same problem. I can easily order Birth marriage & death certificates from England through the GRO website as they allow payments by credit card - so easy !
In Australia you cannot get an International Money Order from the Post Office - I checked !. The only way I could order the Wills that I wanted from HM Court Services was to go to my bank & get an International Bank Draft in Sterling - like JustKia suggested. The Bank charges a fortune for this but it was the only way I could get the Wills. I ordered 4 Wills & it probably cost the same amount again for the bank charge for the Bank Draft.
The good thing about getting the Wills - I had been searching for one of the daughters of my Husband's Great Great Gradfather for ages & couldn't find her anywhere after 1895 (she was a witness at her brother's marriage). Her father's Will that I received from HM Court Services showed her married name - a brick wall broken down that I would never have achieved otherwise. The family lived in Manchester, Lancashire - the missing daughter had married in 1896 in Yorkshire - no other family connections are in Yorkshire. I had completely dismissed this marriage on Free BMD because of the different county.
So in the end it was worth the money as it saved me in time & frustration trying to track her down !
Cathy
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I've just had another idea - you could pay an English genealogist to obtain the will for you. They shouldn't charge very much as you've already got the details, so all they have to do is order the will, then email it to you.
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Can you send letters by registered post from Canada?
If so go to your bank and get them to order £10 of sterling currency-then post it in a registered letter(insured) to the Wills office.
Unless they won't take the cash of course!
Carol
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Unless they won't take the cash of course!
I'm a non-UK resident and I have purchased HMCS wills by doing what Carol suggests — putting a £5 note in with the order form. I haven't even bothered to register the letter, and haven't had a problem yet although I fully expect one will go astray at some time.
I noticed on a post here recently that the fee per will has risen/is rising to £6, but there's no mention of that on their website. It would be a nuisance if they did put up the price when I can only send notes in multiples of 5. :-\
Koromo
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As far as friends go, nobody that is going to London any time soon.
They don't have to be going to London - all you need is someone in the UK that you trust with that amount of money.
Option a (if friend has cheque facility) - send a UK friend the value of the docs and have them write a cheque.
Option b (if friend does not have cheque facility) - send a UK friend the value of the docs, plus a bit extra, and they can go get a postal order for you (the extra is to cover the cost of the PO, something like 10% if I remember correctly.
In both cases they can then send off the cheque or PO along with the form, filled in with your Canada address so that the docs then come straight to you.
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Unless they won't take the cash of course!
I noticed on a post here recently that the fee per will has risen/is rising to £6, but there's no mention of that on their website. It would be a nuisance if they did put up the price when I can only send notes in multiples of 5. :-\
Koromo
I suppose you'd have to send over the odds then and put a £10 in for one will and tell them to stick the change in their tea and coffee fund ;D
I didn't like to say just put a bank note in the application as you are not supposed to send money through the post.................hey ho ;)
But whatever you feel comfortable with.
They really need to move into the 21st century don't they ;D
Carol
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I noticed on a post here recently that the fee per will has risen/is rising to £6, but there's no mention of that on their website. It would be a nuisance if they did put up the price when I can only send notes in multiples of 5. :-\
Koromo
When I received my Wills in April - a letter was attached & included in bold print was
Please be advised as of the 4th April 2011 our search fees will increase from £5 to £6 for a standard search.......
So if you order 5 Wills you wont lose out on any money !
Cathy
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I ordered 4 wills last November.I got International money orders from my bank in Canada for 5 pounds each.It took over half an hour because the bank hadn't done any before, but only cost me just over$32.00.
Liz
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I ordered 4 wills from Australia last year and paid with Visa card. I first contacted them by phone and made the arrangements as they do not have an encrypted page to make a safe deal.with your card details.
Had the certificates with in two weeks.
Suzy
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Aha! The good old telephone. I knew there must be a way. Phone calls are so cheap now. I'll try that! I get the feeling that that ministry is rather resistant to change and modernization. But, Brits, please don't take offence. I researched for the Attorney General's ministry here, and they were very up tight, too. Legal disclaimers in the coffee room. I mean, really!