We are specialist Probate Solicitors who can assist you throughout the administration of an Estate. Probate is a legal term given to the proving of a Will and the right to deal with the affairs of the deceased person. When people die, the process of dealing with their Estate can be both complex and confusing. You will find us friendly, easy to contact and fully focused on achieving an excellent service.
As probate solicitors and in a very cost-effective way, we can assist you in:-
Applying for the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration (if no Will)
Dealing with issues in the Will or to do with intestacy
Assisting with any Inheritance Tax or other tax issues
Providing guidance on how to collect in and distribute the assets
Guiding you to administer the Estate generally
We can also assist you to contest an unfair Will or to obtain financial provision where inadequate arrangements exist either under a Will or an intestacy
We take pride in giving an excellent legal service to exceed expectations and will explain all things to you in plain and simple language, doing our best to avoid jargon. We are an independent professional niche solicitors practice with considerable experience and expertise. We are definitely not an organisation turning out mass produced products.
If a person dies with a valid Will their affairs are dealt with by the nominated Executors. The Executors apply for a Grant of Probate, thereby obtaining all necessary authority to deal with the Estate of the deceased. Where there is no valid Will at the time of death, the person has died intestate. In such circumstances, it is the Law which states who should administer the assets and who should benefit from them. Usually a close relative of the deceased can apply for a Grant of Letters of Administration giving the legal power to deal with the assets in much the same way as an Executor would if there was a Will.
Please note the average timescale to obtain a Grant of Probate/Letters of Administration is between 12 – 18 months although this can vary considerably depending on the Estate size and how quickly information can be obtained and dealt with. The COVID-19 Pandemic has almost certainly increased the length of time it can take to deal with a Grant of Probate in the Administration of the Estate due to the fact that so many other businesses such as banks and building societies are still working mainly from home with administrative delays as a result.