How long does it take to apply for Probate?
Posted on 18th July 2019
Usually, when our team of solicitors in Preston assists with your application for a grant of probate, we will advise you that it can take a number of weeks to receive the grant back once the application has been submitted.
However, if you’ve been unlucky enough to submit an application in recent months, you may be aware that the current wait on applications seems to be around 12 weeks, although at this stage the timescale is only an estimate.
The Law Society Gazette explains that applications for probate saw an increase in March of this year (by a massive 22%), due to the Probate Registry’s announcement that they would be increasing fees on a tiered system, which you can read about on our blog, here.
On top of the increased number of applications, the Registries also had to deal with a rollout of a new software, which malfunctioned, causing problems for four days for staff.
So, how do these delays affect me, you may be thinking?
Well, it depends what kind of estate you are dealing with, but if there’s a chance of a claim being made against the estate (perhaps by an ex-spouse or a child of the deceased), then this could affect the amount of time someone has to prepare and file their claim. Generally, unless special permission has been granted, a claim has to be made within 6 months of the date of the grant of probate, or letters of administration. So, if it’s taking longer than normal to receive the grant from the Probate Registry, it could give the potential claimants more time to prepare to make their claim.
Another issue the delay could cause would be obtaining funds and closing accounts. Some banks or building societies require sight of an official copy grant of probate before they will release funds to the executors and close the account. So, if you’re waiting 12 weeks before you receive the original documents, it could delay finalising the estate.
If you’re struggling on how to submit the application for a grant of probate when dealing with your loved one’s estate, contact our expert team of solicitors in Preston on 01772 783 314 or email enquiries@mglegal.co.uk.
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Tagged as: Garstang Solicitors, Lancaster Law, Longridge Solicitors, Solicitors in Preston, Wills and Probate, Your Local Solicitors
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