Certified copies

Kevman

I am Executor for my mother's will - she recently passed away. Most of the banks are asking for Certified Copies of her will signed by a solicitor. Having rung round, solicitors are all saying that since the new Data Protection Act of May 2018 they no longer do this unless you are an existing client. Help!
How are people supposed to get acceptable Certified Copies now?

Linton

Kevman wrote: »

I am Executor for my mother's will - she recently passed away. Most of the banks are asking for Certified Copies of her will signed by a solicitor. Having rung round, solicitors are all saying that since the new Data Protection Act of May 2018 they no longer do this unless you are an existing client. Help!
How are people supposed to get acceptable Certified Copies now?

IIRC If you have the original will you should be able to take it into the bank. They will make a copy.

badger09

Kevman wrote: »

I am Executor for my mother's will - she recently passed away. Most of the banks are asking for Certified Copies of her will signed by a solicitor. Having rung round, solicitors are all saying that since the new Data Protection Act of May 2018 they no longer do this unless you are an existing client. Help!
How are people supposed to get acceptable Certified Copies now?

Really?

That's not my very recent experience. I made an appointment with a local solicitor, took along a certified Death Certificate and the original will, together with my photo ID (driving licence) and a utility bill, and he did 3 certified copies, cost £15.

What is the relevance of the recent Data protection Act?

Keep_pedalling

Linton wrote: »

IIRC If you have the original will you should be able to take it into the bank. They will make a copy.

That is my experience, but you do need to make an appointment in a local branch of the bank. Take in the original and a copy of the death cirtificate, and the bank will make a copy certified by their own staff.

On line only banks might be a bit tricker though.

SevenOfNine

Which banks?

Definitely not Lloyds, if you are under their £40K limit they'll pay out on sight of the death cert & appropriate ID (bacs trans). You sign a disclaimer though. Same with Santander for £18K (by cheque), forgotten their limit.

If an organisation insists on sight of the will, intestate is going to be a major sticking point!

badger09

HSBC wanted Death Cert & certified copy of will, completed PR Closure form, together with photo ID & proof of address from both named Executors.

I sent Death Cert & certified copy of will to central Bereavement team and 2 Execs took PR Closure form & ID into separate branches - no appointments necessary. They then did bank transfer of funds (less than £5k)

Santander limit without Probate is £50k. Once they had certified Grant of Probate, funds were sent by bank transfer within 24 hours!

balooney2000

I recently did this with a local solicitor (June), so after GDPR came in. I took the original will and my passport and a utility bill. He provided certified copies at £5 each

CGG

I used to work in the department dealing with deceased accounts at Barclays. It was usual practice to photocopy the original Death Certificate and run off a couple extra at the same time, stamping each photocopy with a Bank stamp which stated them to be certified copies. The Bank then retained one certified copy for their records and giving the informant the original back, along with the other certified copies simply as a goodwill gesture. The bank would not accept straight forward photocopies of a Death Certificate, but would accept certified ones.