A bit of a rant.

MWS

I lost my Mum in mid February this year.


I had rung up Kent Bereavement Service, a service recommended by the death register, for a little advice about any changes to the house insurance and just mentioned that there was no will. They offered probate help through an agency called Simplify. There was no talk that this was a company selling their wares, I thought this was advice.


The advisor (salesman) came round and after an 90 minutes offered to sort the 2 estates (Mum didn't sort out Dad's estates when he passed 3 years ago) for around £7000 but could get the price down. This was 4 weeks ago.


I've just had a phone call from Stop Go who are apart of Simplify . The lady seemed a little bit pushy offered to do the work for £800 and believes she can fast track everything than the normal 3-5 months.


What is annoying me is that a bereavement service are putting people in touch with a company at a time they are very vulnerable. I know it's April but I'm not over her passing!


With the great advice I've read on this forum, managing the 2 estates looks to be fairly straight forward with really only 2xIHT205, 2xPA1 and a IHT217 to fill in. Just waiting for the banks to give up to date statements. Also, I have to say the lady at the Government probate helpline was very helpful.


Mark

SeniorSam

Sorry to haer of your sad loss. It's not easy at a time like this, so tread lightly.

Whatever you do, don't rush at anything and be vary wary of those companies that try to take advantage of people in this vulnerable situation.

There is plenty of free advice on this forum as well as others and it is quite possible to do it all yourself with a little help from your friends and family.

Sam

Crabapple

I'm sorry, both for your loss and that you are another who has been referred without their knowledge to a company that is only out to sell their services.

It is very very wrong that the Register Office contains any references to The Bereavement Service (which is Simplify) because it implies that this is a government related service and not a private company, and also that you can get help there not a sales pitch. Unfortunately there are leaflets in many Register offices and they seem unaware of what these are plugging.

(This is of course after you have quite likely used a Co-op funeral service who will helpfully refer you to their own Probate services, but that is at least a little more transparent.)

Well done on starting to sort things out for yourself, it often is quite straightforward. There are threads on mse about simplify and their previous incarnation if you want to know what help they would likely have been

If you do need advice this forum is full of helpful people who can point you in the right direction.

hardpressed

If you haven't already, please complain to the Registrar so that they are aware of what's going on and can perhaps save someone else from being conned.

MWS

I have no intention of using this Simplify


The advice given here has been excellent and I'll probably will be asking again in the future.

nwc389

It makes my blood boil that places that deal with people when they are grieving and vulnerable push this shoddy service.
I dealt with bereaved customers when I worked at the bank and always advised my customers of how simple it was to sort things out and of the difference in cost - about £100 vs a percentage of their loved ones hard earned money.
I'll never forget talking to one poor old lady who had been referred to these bloodsuckers by another bank for a simple estate of less than 30k and had not had it sorted over 6 months down the line - appalling

getmore4less

nwc389 wrote: »

It makes my blood boil that places that deal with people when they are grieving and vulnerable push this shoddy service.
I dealt with bereaved customers when I worked at the bank and always advised my customers of how simple it was to sort things out and of the difference in cost - about £100 vs a percentage of their loved ones hard earned money.
I'll never forget talking to one poor old lady who had been referred to these bloodsuckers by another bank for a simple estate of less than 30k and had not had it sorted over 6 months down the line - appalling

they put the price up over £215+ now depending on how many 50p grants you order and if you go to a solicitor for the oath(<£10)

Hermia

MWS wrote: »

I have no intention of using this Simplify


The advice given here has been excellent and I'll probably will be asking again in the future.

Many of us have done probate ourselves so do ask if you need any help.

nwc389

getmore4less wrote: »

they put the price up over £215+ now depending on how many 50p grants you order and if you go to a solicitor for the oath(<£10)

Been a few years since I was doing that job but compared to the alternatives cheap at the price ! I did probate for my mother in law and it was a remarkably straightforward process .

MWS

The lady has just called again. She was very direct with 'Are you ready to go ahead now?'. Didn't let go when I said we're reviewing our options either. She even had the cheek to use the urgency of time to try to get me to say yes.

Although KCC doesn't endorse Simplify, I think they should be aware of very pushy sales technique they use so I think an email will be on it's way.

pmlindyloo

Kent Bereavement Services' website has some information about this service.

http://www.kentbereavement.org.uk/search/results/your-choices-for-looking-after-the-estate-of-the-person-who-has-died.php

If you don't inform KBS that Simplify are acting in this way then nothing will be done.