Buying as first time buyers & now seller's tell us they just applied for probate!!

p00hsticks

babyblade41 wrote: »

I would expect probate to take some time depending on the estate and who's dealing with it...no inconvenience as nothing has started ..I'd expect a minimum of 6 months if you are lucky

AnotherJoe wrote: »

I would not withdraw but start looking again. In case you find something better. You are probably realistically looking at 3 months absolute minimum and 6 months more likely. And no there is nothing you can do to get them to speed up. Oh and if a solicitor is doing the probate not the brothers make it a year

Recent feedback over on the Deaths,Funerals and Probate board suggest that the probate delays experienced last years have eased and a straightforward probate can now take 6-8 weeks.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6088370/probate-timeframe

FreeBear

It is also worth checking with the Land Registry to see if the property is registered. If it isn't, your purchase would trigger a compulsory first registration. This won't make much difference in the time it takes to exchange, but does add another headache on top of an already stressful situation.

If the sale does trigger a registration, you must try to get as much paperwork from the executors as possible to show the history of ownership.

Polkadotty88

12 weeks would be end of March for those that said we're being unrealistic about time frame.
We'd said beginning of April to estate agents as exchange date.
It seems like it's poor estate agents that haven't checked things.
Absolutely devastated is an understatement.
Thank you very much for all replies.

getmore4less

Sensible/good executors market the property early but have the enquiries completed so they can put in the probate application as soon as they have buyer.

This avoids the council tax trap on empty properties by applying for probate too early and not completing within 6 months of getting the grant.

Unless they have messed up the forms it can be straightforward if no IHT due but there can be delays if there is IHT and HMRC have a backlog.

Rodders53

FTB suggests house relatively low value so probably a simple estate and Probate application? Unless you know different?

It takes a bit of time to clear a house and sort things, plus all the other stuff to apply for and receive the Grant of Probate back.

My in laws a few years back, passed in August completed in December. Buyer caused the delay by not being ready!

That the application is in means you should be able to meet your target of March/April. Assuming you get your finger out!

As to when the beneficiaries will see the proceeds is another question.