Estate agent(purplebricks) Letter of Administration?

Hi,

Would really appreciate some help on this matter!

Everywhere we have looked has stated that a property can be marketed, but not sold until we have the grant of probate/letter of administration...

Today we received an email from purplebricks agent stating the following

"The system doesn't allow me to process the advert for your approval until the HMRC documentation is complete, but i have it to send as soon as"

We have subsequently spoken to him and he stated it is to do with anti money laundering and that he needs the official documention...i.e the letter of administartion.

We've paid upfront, EPC and pictures of the property were done last week thursday.

Is this normal procedure or is this just purplebricks procedure?

Thanks for advice and input in advance...Cheers!

Comments

  • badger09
    badger09 Posts: 11,128
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    Caveat: I'm not an expert

    An Executor can definitely place a property which is subject to Probate, on the market, before Probate is granted. Many of us, myself included, have done so.

    However, if there was no will left by the property owner, I can understand why an EA would be reluctant to market the property as they would have no way of knowing that the person giving them the instructions had any authority to do so.

    Is that the case here?
  • All the firm's I've worked at would have clients listing properties for sale, whilst getting everything ready for probate, including those intestate.

    There is nothing wrong in doing that, it can't be sold (completed), until probate / letters of admin were received. However, with that there would be some form of evidence the one doing probate / letters of admin were the son, daughter, parent, uncle, aunt, cousin etc of the deceased and could prove it.

    All of them were done with regular EAs and not PB. Perhaps that's the difference? Regular EAs actually know what they are doing compared to straight sales people following a template.
    Mortgage started 2020, aiming to clear it in 2026.
  • SevenOfNine
    SevenOfNine Posts: 2,355
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    2 homes marketed, one with a Will & one intestate. Both went up for sale "subject to probate", wasn't necessary to clarify further than that.

    Both had buyers lined up & they proceeded with their searches & such like, as soon as we had the Grants they were pretty much ready to complete. This was 3 & 4 years ago.
    Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it.
  • Marcon
    Marcon Posts: 10,322
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    There's a difference between Purple Bricks and high street estate agents handling a probate sale. High street agents are paid from the sale proceeds; Purple Bricks takes a fee at the beginning, which can't normally be paid from the estate if probate has not yet been granted. Ask the PB rep exactly what the AML issue is. Simply telling you that 'the system...' isn't good enough when you've already paid your fee!
    Googling on your question might have been both quicker and easier, if you're only after simple facts rather than opinions!  
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