Probate timescales - Oct 21, any recent experience?

RociCap

DancingBadger said:

RociCap said:

A question - how did you get through to them on the phone? When we've tried calling it asks for your case number and if it's been fewer than 8 weeks it disconnects the call!

I rang the number on the email I received confirming receipt of my online application,  telling me to send the relevant documents - 0300 303 0648 - and worked my way through the options.  I wasn't asked for the case number at any time - at least, not until I spoke to a real person.  It could be I chose different options to yours as I was actually calling to chase the email I should have received confirming receipt of the will, etc, as opposed to enquiring about the progress of the application.

Thank you for this tip - a frustrating update for me though!

Called today, they put a stop on our case the day they asked us for more info (12th October). We (myself and the other executor) had both replied with said info the same day, within an hour of them asking, but when I spoke to them on the phone they had only got one of our replies on the case. I said I'd sent it the same time as that one, and she then saw that they had my reply, but that it hadn't been added to our case. It's now been added on, but as it's been stopped this entire time without them telling us they were still 'missing' info (which they actually had), she said it's likely to now be about six weeks.

Pretty furious, but at least we know

TomServo

TomServo said:

IHT205 and Probate applied for online on 11/10/21.

Will sent 19/10/21, and signed for on 20/10/21.

Still no acknowledgement yet that they've received the Will.

IHT still 'In Review'.

Received an email yesterday to inform us that probate has now been granted.

MJB1208

Anyone had any positive experience when they say they are 'fast tracking' your application when it's been longer than 8 weeks?

Getting the impression it might just be to shut me up!

jsatellite

MJB1208 said:

Anyone had any positive experience when they say they are 'fast tracking' your application when it's been longer than 8 weeks?

Getting the impression it might just be to shut me up!

The people you speak to on the phone are powerless to speed things up. I was told they would prioritise mine too. It's been 19 weeks.

RociCap

MJB1208 said:

Anyone had any positive experience when they say they are 'fast tracking' your application when it's been longer than 8 weeks?

Getting the impression it might just be to shut me up!

Given that they told us that even though the weeks-long delay on the case was their fault, they couldn't expedite it at all, I think it's probably nonsense

The woman I spoke to was very apologetic but ultimately said there was nothing she could do to make it go faster despite it being their mistake. She said 6 more weeks initially, then when I called back the day after to clarify something, the person I spoke to said I shouldn't have been told 6, but 8, and that all unstopped applications go into the same pile with no priority system.

It's a shocking system.

Indrute02

RociCap said:

MJB1208 said:

Anyone had any positive experience when they say they are 'fast tracking' your application when it's been longer than 8 weeks?

Getting the impression it might just be to shut me up!

Given that they told us that even though the weeks-long delay on the case was their fault, they couldn't expedite it at all, I think it's probably nonsense

The woman I spoke to was very apologetic but ultimately said there was nothing she could do to make it go faster despite it being their mistake. She said 6 more weeks initially, then when I called back the day after to clarify something, the person I spoke to said I shouldn't have been told 6, but 8, and that all unstopped applications go into the same pile with no priority system.

It's a shocking system.

Did you manage to get the probate? We've been waiting for so long now... 20+ weeks .. 

Thrugelmir

Indrute02 said:

RociCap said:

MJB1208 said:

Anyone had any positive experience when they say they are 'fast tracking' your application when it's been longer than 8 weeks?

Getting the impression it might just be to shut me up!

Given that they told us that even though the weeks-long delay on the case was their fault, they couldn't expedite it at all, I think it's probably nonsense

The woman I spoke to was very apologetic but ultimately said there was nothing she could do to make it go faster despite it being their mistake. She said 6 more weeks initially, then when I called back the day after to clarify something, the person I spoke to said I shouldn't have been told 6, but 8, and that all unstopped applications go into the same pile with no priority system.

It's a shocking system.

Did you manage to get the probate? We've been waiting for so long now... 20+ weeks .. 

With no communication at all? 

RociCap

Indrute02 said:

RociCap said:

MJB1208 said:

Anyone had any positive experience when they say they are 'fast tracking' your application when it's been longer than 8 weeks?

Getting the impression it might just be to shut me up!

Given that they told us that even though the weeks-long delay on the case was their fault, they couldn't expedite it at all, I think it's probably nonsense

The woman I spoke to was very apologetic but ultimately said there was nothing she could do to make it go faster despite it being their mistake. She said 6 more weeks initially, then when I called back the day after to clarify something, the person I spoke to said I shouldn't have been told 6, but 8, and that all unstopped applications go into the same pile with no priority system.

It's a shocking system.

Did you manage to get the probate? We've been waiting for so long now... 20+ weeks .. 

Not yet - we called again today funnily enough, and the person we spoke to said something different to the first two...!

First person: Sorry, your account's been stopped for 5 weeks, which means you're still 5 weeks behind in the queue. Expect at least 6 more weeks even though it's our mistake

Second person: No, it's actually 8 more weeks, and there is no priority whatsoever, even though it's our mistake. We're certainly not prioritising stopped cases (which is the opposite of what HMCTS said in their own operational update recently someone linked to upthread!)

Today: As you've been waiting more than 8 weeks, you should be well on your way to getting the grant soon and it definitely won't be 8 weeks, I don't know why you were told that... Cases that have been with us more than 8 weeks get priority over newer ones.


Argh!

20 weeks is awful. Definitely call them regularly, the helpfulness and knowledge of the people on the other end of the phone seems to vary widely!

jsatellite

After 21 weeks, my grant of letters of administration has finally arrived. What a relief! The trick was the person on the helpline sending a chase-up email to the registry dealing with my case, as the very next day the grant was miraculously issued.

Indrute02

jsatellite said:

After 21 weeks, my grant of letters of administration has finally arrived. What a relief! The trick was the person on the helpline sending a chase-up email to the registry dealing with my case, as the very next day the grant was miraculously issued.

So happy for you.. !!!
We are still awaiting... Had to ask lender for mortgage extension 😔😭 To be honest, it's getting to a point where we are not longer excited as we were before 🙄👎... This process is just draining every single drop of energy .. 🤮🤢