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How to Choose the Right UK Legal Forms Website

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Introduction

You never know what life will throw out you. Whether it's an accident, a new job or a divorce, there are some little joys and stresses in life – and some not so little ones – that sometimes mean you'll need legal support. In the UK, legal aid doesn't come cheaply, even asking a solicitor to write a letter for you can cost hundreds of pounds.

Most people can't afford such expenses, particularly if there's a potential court case looming in the future. That's where legal forms websites can be a lifesaver. Essentially these sites allow you to access, edit, complete and print legal forms at a fraction of their usual cost, all from the comfort of your own home.

There are some important differences between the sites that it's worth being aware of though, so this buyer's guide has been written with that in mind. Read on and find out what you ought to be looking for in a legal forms website in order to get the best document and the best deal possible...

 

The variety of documents available

This can sometimes be a tricky one to judge, because whilst some sites have thousands of forms from all areas of law, others will focus on a particular legal area. If, for example, you're getting divorced then you  may wish to use a site that specialises in divorce papers. Alternatively if you're setting up a business and need to cover everything from hiring new staff to making sure your invoices conform to standard procedures, you may wish to use a site that offers a wider range of documents.

It's also a good idea to be able to anticipate your future usage: if you're getting divorced then it's unlikely you'll need masses of documents for years to come, but if you are building your business then you may wish to access new documents on a regular basis. Some sites even provide 12 month subscriptions, allowing you to access and download unlimited forms for a year, which can be a real money saver if you plan on using a wider range of documents over a prolonged period. Check out how many documents each site provides, and how often you are able to access them!

 

Assistance

Unless you've trained in law or have, for one reason or another, some experience of legal documents, you won't necessarily understand how to fill in a legal form without some guidance. Many of the sites we've reviewed offer online guidelines which outline the purpose of a document and how you might fill it in. You might also be able to find samples of completed documents to give yourself some idea of how the finished article should appear.

If you're really not sure what to do then we have reviewed some sites that also offer additional services such as telephone assistance, house visits, or the ability to have a trained solicitor complete your forms for you. Naturally, the more help you need the more it will cost, but you're still likely find that legal forms websites are considerably cheaper than hiring a lawyer from the outset. Have a look at each site to see what sort of help they offer, it will really come in handy to understand your capabilities and how much help you might need along the way.

 

The quality of documents available

This is most often linked to whether or not all of the documents on a site have been drafted by trained solicitors. If the site uses specialists in that field, even better. We have also considered how often document databases have been updated, and how often new documents are added. After all you don't want to be using out dated legal forms because they might no longer conform to the legal standards. 

 

Value for money

As with so many things in life, 'cheap' doesn't necessarily mean 'good value for money'. Whilst one site might be more expensive than another, it might also offer a superior level of service and a better quality of product. In the case of legal forms, we often consider quality and price in conjunction, as well as whether or not any free information or forms have been made available.

Sites which provide plenty of information for free (and ideally some free documents for you to download) often score more highly in terms of value for money because they're providing something for nothing. However, it's always worth making sure that the site you're interested in using actually provides the forms you need.

Equally, we might rate a site highly on value for money if they offer a great degree of one-on-one customer service at a low price, and if you're someone who thinks they'll need a bit of help then this can be vital. It's sometimes best to read the full editor's verdict to understand their 'value for money' rank and how you might best put each service to use within your budget.

 

The Bottom Line

A few final thoughts: the sites we've reviewed all have a UK focus so all the documents will apply to UK law, but it's worth remembering that laws can differ between countries within the UK.  Also, although many of these wesites might seem similar at first, don't be tempted to just pick the first one you see.

You might find the documents you need for free, or another site that offers help whenever you need it. Overall, remember that legal forms sites are meant to alleviate the pressure of legal proceedings, whilst also (hopefully) making everything that much more affordable.

 

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