Probate timescales - Oct 21, any recent experience?

weezie7

I applied for Probate in Sept, by snail mail. Had acknowledgment by email. Heard in November, (!) I had sent wrong payment, paid it. Not heard anything till further, although had been given a case number. Chased in January after 14 weeks, by phone, needed to be 'escalated'. Two days later got email saying would be granted within next 10 days. Two days later got Grant in the post!! Worth chasing!!

djbaum

I find the whole process a complete farce based on my experience!

• I applied for probate back in April 2021, estate value c.£1.1m, small bequests totalling £40k then residual beneficiaries all charities so I don't believe there is any IHT to pay
• Probate office say it's still sat with HMRC
• HMRC say it's with their "Complex Calculations Team" and has been since 1st November!
• Formal complaint was logged with HMRC on 15th December and apparently they have a 10 working day SLA.....still waiting to hear!
• Every time I phone I have to wait 25 minutes to get through and then you only get a call handler who can only "put a note on your file and ask someone to call you"

Trouble is, HMRC aren't accountable to anyone.

kipsterno1

kipsterno1 said:

Applied 04/11, receipt acknowledgement 14/12 immediately follewed by a request for further information. Replied to that same day and nothing since.

Update on my timescale.

Chased it up by phone on 25/01. I had to resend the requested info but was then told it was in order and would be moved to issuing. I hadn't bothered chasing again as the house sale has stalled but got the email confirming it had been granted this afternoon.

Indrute02

Is there anyone here who waited for probate over 7 months to be granted? We are buying a probate property. Vendor is constantly in touch with probate office. They always say "you are in the queue" but she's been in this queue since last July!! They asked her for more evidence back in December and she hasn't received any updates since then... This is a nightmare 😂... 

Pennylane

Indrute02 said:

Is there anyone here who waited for probate over 7 months to be granted? We are buying a probate property. Vendor is constantly in touch with probate office. They always say "you are in the queue" but she's been in this queue since last July!! They asked her for more evidence back in December and she hasn't received any updates since then... This is a nightmare 😂... 

I hung on for 45 minutes last week and gave up.  They don’t even tell you where you are in the queue so I could have hung on for hours.  Every few minutes a recorded message clicks in which says “did you know you can use our website blah blah blah”.  No I can’t because it doesn’t help me with what I need to know!! 😡  

Elorac1979

Just to put my experience in here, incase it's useful to anyone. I had been waiting close to 8 weeks, so after reading posts on here regarding timescales, decided to contact them. Mainly paranoid that there was something holding it up. The person whom I web-chatted was courteous, but very blunt with timescales. She kept saying 8 weeks. I asked, 8 weeks to start reviewing it or completing it? She said to start reviewing it. I asked her how long does it usually take to review it? She said, I told you, 8 weeks. I then asked, does reviewing it and completing it mean the same thing. She said yes.

Oh well I thought, At least she could confirm there was no issues holding it up, even if I was left feeling a bit confused and hesitant to ask for anymore clarification.

4 hours later, I got the email to say probate had been granted. I guess my point to this is, did I nudge them into it. Like all they were actually waiting to do, was push a button to say 'done'. I could have been more patient and waited, but where would that have got me. My advice would be, contact them, why not, it might just save you needlessly waiting. Especially if you know the estate/will is a simple one. Good luck all x

Mark2spark

Could someone please confirm something for me please?
I sent the probate application and lost will form, copy of will, death cert, *everything* they needed, by recorded on 10th Jan, which Royal Mail confirmed delivery of on 11th Jan.
I had a Probate Registry email on 13th Jan saying that HMCTS received my application and supporting documents with *long number*.
It then said "what happens next", which was: "after your documents arrives, it can take up to 14 days to confirm we have received them".
But since this email I've not received anything further? Should I have had a secondary communication (email) from them to state confirmation of receipt? Or do they just repeat themselves for the sake of confusing everyone? lol
Today it's 6 weeks since they had them delivered, I've just done the phone call where you get cut off because it's not been 8 weeks. 
Can I not get clarification from them that it's all in the process pipeline?
Thanks :-) 

kipsterno1

Mark2spark 

Can I not get clarification from them that it's all in the process pipeline?
Thanks :-) 

You could try the online chat service. When I used it they were able to confirm everything was in the system and would be dealt with. 

Mark2spark

kipsterno1 said:

Mark2spark 

Can I not get clarification from them that it's all in the process pipeline?
Thanks :-) 

You could try the online chat service. When I used it they were able to confirm everything was in the system and would be dealt with. 

Thanks, - I've been trying that but all the advisors are busy for the last 20 mins or so :-( 

Indrute02

Pennylane said:

Indrute02 said:

Is there anyone here who waited for probate over 7 months to be granted? We are buying a probate property. Vendor is constantly in touch with probate office. They always say "you are in the queue" but she's been in this queue since last July!! They asked her for more evidence back in December and she hasn't received any updates since then... This is a nightmare 😂... 

I hung on for 45 minutes last week and gave up.  They don’t even tell you where you are in the queue so I could have hung on for hours.  Every few minutes a recorded message clicks in which says “did you know you can use our website blah blah blah”.  No I can’t because it doesn’t help me with what I need to know!! 😡  

Probate granted today!! 7 months!! My God!!