IHT status

Costa_de_la_Luz

We are in the process of applying for probate for my Mother's estate. As it is over six weeks since we initially applied I phoned the Probate office yesterday. I was told the process has stopped as they have not received form IHT421. This was sent the same day as probate application (but to a different address for HM Revenue and Customs). How can I find out where we stand with this form? I can find no phone number or email address to provide a customer service type service. Should we fill in another IHT421 or will that only confuse things further?

badger09

Costa_de_la_Luz wrote: »

We are in the process of applying for probate for my Mother's estate. As it is over six weeks since we initially applied I phoned the Probate office yesterday. I was told the process has stopped as they have not received form IHT421. This was sent the same day as probate application (but to a different address for HM Revenue and Customs). How can I find out where we stand with this form? I can find no phone number or email address to provide a customer service type service. Should we fill in another IHT421 or will that only confuse things further?

I had a similar issue when dealing with my late sister's estate last year.

I phoned the Probate & IHT helpline 0300 123 1072 (I think it was option 3). A very helpful lady told me it usually takes approx 2 weeks from being scanned onto their system.

She traced my IHT421 and gave me the date it had been received, & sent electronically to the relevant Probate Registry. She also gave me a reference and explained that the ref prefix meant this was a non tax paying estate (though I had had to complete IHT400 & multiple schedules to prove it). The delay was caused by the Probate Registry, rather than HMRC.

It might be worth giving them a call on Tuesday

Brynsam

There are serious issues resulting from new software - see https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/law/it-glitches-causing-major-grant-of-probate-delays/5070133.article

Apodemus

There are also serious issues with the Guidance notes - I posted everything to the address on the guidance only for the recorded delivery to be rejected because the address had changed! Every stage in the process has taken two phone calls to the tax office and them admitting that they have not processed it onto the next stage. My advice is to keep phoning and make sure you discuss everything fully with them - they assume that things have been done that haven’t and if you don’t know the detailed questions to ask, they might not uncover any glitches. Every individual I have spoken to has been really helpful but they need to be asked very specific questions to be able to give you the right answers.

Apodemus

Just to add that the most useful document I found when going through all this was the Government consultation responses document which outlined all the current problems with the system and helped me to understand the problems that I was having!

HUMBUG

Sent all my completed forms and documentation (including original will and IHT forms) on the 28th March by recorded delivery (to Holborn Probate Office in London). They banked my payment within a few days but I've received nothing for 6 weeks . I sent them an email last week asking for a status update and got a reply a few days ago saying they were working on applications from 27th March and they will be processed 'shortly' !!!!!!

Seems like they are struggling to cope but causing me great anxiety (which I don't need at this time).

hjd

HUMBUG wrote: »

Sent all my completed forms and documentation (including original will and IHT forms) on the 28th March by recorded delivery (to Holborn Probate Office in London). They banked my payment within a few days but I've received nothing for 6 weeks . I sent them an email last week asking for a status update and got a reply a few days ago saying they were working on applications from 27th March and they will be processed 'shortly' !!!!!!

Seems like they are struggling to cope but causing me great anxiety (which I don't need at this time).

I sent all my stuff off also on 28th March, including IHT forms. As both IHT and probate forms were recorded I know they arrived. Cheque was cashed (they can act on that fast..)
HMRC wrote to my mother's address asking why tax hadn't been paid. I rang them and discovered this was income tax due Jan 2019 but which is frozen till 30 days after probate. Asked why they had written to the old address as HMRC have all my information as executor, but that is apparently a different department.
She was able to confirm (with this other department who they don't communicate with) that all IHT had been paid. Would have been nice to have had official confirmation.
So far I have resisted calling up the probate office but thanks for your information!

HUMBUG

Here is my email chain:

---

Dear Ms Gami

Ref: Application For Grant Of Probate For My deceased Mother

Many thanks for your email but I'd rather you replied back to me with a possible date.

I have forwarded this email chain to David Gauke MP asking him why it has taken so many weeks to process applications.

I am currently receiving reminders from various financial institutions to complete their forms to sort out my mothers estate but this is all being held up by delays in your dept.

I hope you realise that your delays in processing applications are causing extra stress on people who are also having to cope with the grief of having lost their loved ones.

---

On 2019-05-13 13:35, Londonprobate wrote:
Good morning,

Thank you for your email.

I can confirm we are currently working on applications received here
on 27th March so your application will be processed shortly.

Regards

Lata Gami
Probate Officer
Probate Department | HMCTS | First Avenue | 42-49 High Holborn |
London | WC1V 6NP
Phone: 020 7421 8509

---

I then sent this email to David Gauke MP

---

Dear Mr Gauke

Why is it taking your departments over 6 weeks to process 'Grant Of Probate' applications ?

Do you not realise that many people are being caused unnecessary anxiety during their most vulnerable and stressful times of their lives.

I look forward to your reply.

---

Then I received this automated response from the Probate Office:

---

Thank you for your email.

We will endeavour to respond to your email within 4 weeks; please do not contact the Registry in this time or send repeat emails as this will delay your application or our response to you.

We are carrying out work to improve the system we use to process probate applications after they have been submitted.

This system is running too slowly which is having a knock-on effect on how quickly we can process your application. We're sorry for any inconvenience.

If you have already submitted an application, there is no need to send it again. Your application will be processed and we will be in touch if we need anything else.

We wanted to let you know why your application may take longer than expected and to apologise for the delay.

Please note If your query relates to any of the following we would not be able to respond to your email:

Copies

Please see the link below with regards to obtaining copies of Wills & Grants of Representation issued by Probate Registries of England and Wales

https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

You will need to place your order online; once you have received your electronic copies by email you can then attend the Probate Registry to have those copies sealed for official use.

The Probate Registry records for Wills start from 1858; any earlier wills you are searching for you would need to go through https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/.

Safe Custody

You can conduct a safe custody search through our index by providing us with the original death certificate and a letter requesting for a search to be carried out to the address written below.



Please note that all wills are not registered with the probate service and a national database for wills does not exist.

Personal Application

You may apply for a Grant of Representation by obtaining a Probate application pack by calling the Probate and Revenue Helpline on 0300 123 1072 (selecting option 1).

Or alternatively you can visit our website to find out more information on how you apply for a Grant of Representation on https://www.gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritance/overview.

From submission of an application for a grant of representation it will approximately take between 4-5 weeks for the probate office to review your application.

You may be allowed the option to make an online application for a grant of representation.

Caveats

You can make a caveat application to prevent any probate from being granted. This document is required to sell a property solely in the deceased name.

You may wish to seek legal advice before you place a caveat, there may be legal fees that could arise at a later stage when someone tries to remove the caveat.

If you visit the following link https://www.gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritance/stopping-a-grant-of-representation to find out more information on how to prevent a grant of representation from issuing.

Other

Opening Times
London Probate Office
First Avenue
42-49 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6NP

Monday – Friday 10:00 – 16:00
Tel: 020 7421 8509 –

Please note we are currently experiencing high volumes of calls and it may take longer than usual to contact us.

HUMBUG

So after 7 weeks I get a letter from an obvious offshore contracted team of people saying that I completed a section of the Probate application form incorrectly . This was a section of the form that I specifically checked for accuracy with the Probate Helpdesk. Because my father was the 'Sole Executor' in my mothers WILL while me and my sister named as 'substitute' executors , a special 'Renunication' form PA32 needed to be signed by my father in front of a non-related witness.
So it's taken 7-8 weeks to inform me about this (even though I discussed this aspect in detail with the Probate Helpdesk) and further delayed the process.

It really is a disgracefully poor service at this moment in time and I'm unsurprised that their IT is in meltdown if they've contracted it out to some offshore team. I had many adventures with poor 'IT development /software release' experiences in the last 10 years of my previous job (before I retired). Basically their 'end user acceptance testing' and 'capacity planning' was virtually non-existent because of cultural and language difficulties.

HUMBUG

Nothing from London Probate Office
Nothing from David Gauke's office
Nothing from my local MP who I've complained to
Nothing from Department executive :Richard Heaton, Permanent Secretary and Clerk of the Crown in Chancery

So I've raised a complaint via Resolver and got an immediate reply - guess what that was? Yes, the automated standard email reply that I posted above .

I've also contacted the BBC and asked them to pursue this a story.

They are in absolute chaos and now I'm worried they've lost the original applications and WILLS (I've seen a few comments on google along those lines).

Sumanap

Hi. Did you manage to get your grant ?