HMCTS email confirming receipt of documents

Ali71

Hello everyone,
So I sent off all my IHT 400 forms and waited the requisite 21 odd days and rang probate and made my payment over the phone for the process and x amount of certificates and sent off the paperwork with my probate payment reference number. About 9 days later (a week ago) I got an email saying basically HMCTS had received  my application with supporting documents ref (very long number) and name of deceased. They will check the application and either inform me of the outcome or ask me to provide more information. I can expect them to take up to eight weeks to process the application and here is a phone number to ring if I have not heard anything by then.
I've not heard anything by way of a query or anything since I sent the original documents off so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I have done everything right and it's a waiting game, my estate total was way below the IHT level. Kind of wish they hadn't done it really because i wasn't expecting any emails (just snail mail) and now i am finding myself checking every day for one from them!! Don't remember them doing anything by email 7 years ago when we dealt with my Mum's estate. Has anyone else had experience of these emails at all? Guess I'll just have to sit and chew my nails for eight weeks!!
Thanks.
 

poppystar

Yes, was relieved to get it as it meant the forms had got there ok, but then it is a waiting game! The email I got was very badly worded and if it hadn’t had all the deceased details on I’d have been worried it wasn’t genuine. That very long number is the key if you ever have to contact them yourselves, 

Ali71

Hi Poppystar,
Thanks for that, yes it looks a little basic to say the least, but at least it wasn't in crayon and as you say has the details on it. I didn't do the application on line, so they obviously just pick up the email from the application. Did you get the confirmation of probate by email too, or by letter? I remember you get the oath form/letter you have to take to the commissioner of oaths, and if I remember rightly you send that back and get your certificates of probate. Correct me if I'm wrong. So when they say 8 weeks, they mean from when the probate office receives your paperwork then, I thought it was from when the original IHT forms were sent off. Booo. I've had a look on the track a probate application .Gov site and it seems to be anything from between 4 and 10 weeks between date of death and date of grant of probate). My nerves are going to be in tatters. Hoping that as I haven't heard from anyone so far with a query that I've done everything correctly. Fingers crossed. 
Many thanks   

poppystar

I did the paper version too but I think they only communicate by email these days. Mine was complicated this time as the solicitors has lost the original Will so I’m not sure what the usual process now is. I remember five years ago having to go and read an oath out loud before getting the grant. It was a bit if a farce I thought as my joint Executor and I had to say it at the same time. I did it at the registry but I think it was probably what you meant by commissioner of oaths. I did have to sign something and scan it back to them this time but I think that may have been because of the lost Will. If not you might have to do that but I actually think, hearing other people’s reports on here, that now they just email confirmation then send the grants out. 

You may be lucky and not have to wait long but if you haven’t heard in eight weeks I’d advise contacting them straight away. Mine was languishing in a virtual pile at the wrong registry and so didn’t get put into the queue it needed to be in until after I’d chased it. 

xylophone

 I remember you get the oath form/letter you have to take to the commissioner of oaths, and if I remember rightly you send that back and get your certificates of probate. 

See
https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=ddfb6183-50a8-4a92-9e64-a7153e8d55eb

Ali71

Hi thanks Poppy and Xylophone for that. So looks like it's all email then, even if the original application wasn't online. As Poppy says, it's the waiting game I'm not going to read about the online process anymore because all I've read so far is negative comments and horror stories. I'll just keep an eye on the emails and timeline.

Many thanks both. 

JGB1955

I think you might be surprised about how efficient the online application is.  I realise that's a broad statement but... the only thing I had to send in was the original will, and it was all done and dusted within 10 working days (during Covid too).

Ali71

Hi
Excellent, I wondered about doing it online at the beginning, but was told the IHT 400 had to be done by post etc so went with it. I'm so glad it all went well for you, just not looking forward to checking the email every day until I see something!!
Many thanks.   

Ali71

Update: I received a short letter by post yesterday saying that thank you for your documents, we have received them and scanned them in and saved them on our system, returning your documents to you in this envelope (the death certificate). This morning at 10.24 I received an email from HMCTS saying they had received all my documents supporting my probate application and I would hear from them in due course etc. I went out and just now returned, checked my emails and surprise surprise, was gobsmacked to see that at 10.48 they sent me an email saying "your probate application has been approved" we will send out a grant of probate within 10 days etc. I presume they are going to send me all the copies also that I requested and paid for at the time. Nothing about anything needing scanning in though.
But BLIMEY!!! that was super fast. If I hadn't read it with my own eyes I wouldn't have believed it. Maybe it was that the estate was well below what the allowances were taking everything in to consideration. JGB, you were quite right!!  
Hope this is of help to anyone playing the waiting game. 
Many thanks to all.  

poppystar

Congrats! No more daily checking of e-mails🙂

Ali71

Bless you Poppystar thanks for your support.