Writing a will is an important thing to do – it sets out what will happen to your estate and worldly possessions when you die and without one it could cause undue stress and problems for your loved ones.

The best way to approach this is to find will solicitors in Epsom who can help you write a document that not only states your wishes clearly but that also complies with all the legal requirements.

In fact, Which? recently highlighted some of the most common mistakes that are made when people write their own wills, most of which could be easily avoided by getting assistance from a professional in this area.

Top of the list is not having two valid witnesses for your will. They must be present in the room when you sign the document, and you must also watch them sign it. You also need to make sure that you choose people who won’t benefit from your will in any way.

When it comes to the assets you deal with in your will, you need to make sure that you don’t forget intangible assets like bank accounts, shares or premium bonds. Digital assets – such as a photo collection or music collection – might also be worth mentioning if they’re important to you.

You should avoid being overly specific when naming assets as well. Which? cited the example of leaving a car to someone and pointed out that if you state the make and model of your current vehicle, but upgrade it before you die, then the person you want to pass the car to may lose out.

Last year, the Mirror reported on a survey by Skipton Building Society, which found that although many people know whether they’d prefer to be buried or cremated, 81 per cent have not put any such wishes into their will. It could therefore be advisable to include some directions about your funeral in this document if you have particular wishes.