Grant of Probate delaying house sale

christinal12345

We’re nearly 6 months into a house purchase and a couple of weeks before exchange have found out a house in our relatively short chain is waiting for probate to be granted therefore can’t exchange yet. 

I have found out that the application was originally submitted in October and the solicitors expect the grant imminently. They say their client has received the original documents back so the certificate will follow. 

Does anyone one have experience of a timescale on grant of probate to follow after documents are returned?

thanks in advance 

propertyrental

a week to a year.....

davilown

A piece of string really - probably not what you want to hear but it can go on for an age. Ands there’s nothing you can do to speed it up either.

Sarahspangles

christinal12345 said:

I have found out that the application was originally submitted in October and the solicitors expect the grant imminently. They say their client has received the original documents back so the certificate will follow. 

Does anyone one have experience of a timescale on grant of probate to follow after documents are returned?

thanks in advance 

HMCTS provide performance information on their probate processing times (search HMCTS Statistics).  According to this the average timescale for document scanning falls within the first two weeks of the process, presumably this is when some documents can be returned, which the solicitor seems to be citing as evidence of progress.  The average turn-round time for a digital* application that is not stopped is currently 4.5 weeks, for a paper application that is stopped (queries/checks) it’s 26 weeks.   So if they’re 5 months in, that suggests their application was stopped.  I guess you don’t have a right to know detail but you could certainly ask if it has been chased.

* a digital application is made online via a webform, there is still a requirement to send in the original Will under a cover sheet for checking and scanning.  The Will is retained.

gwynlas

At least you know the cause of the delay and just wait it out. Very frustrating but probate is often delayed for no apparent reason, beneficaries are in the position of waiting on what could be a life changing sum of money for them 

Grizebeck

Ours was 9 weeks

KSS1991

@christinal12345 have you had any updates on the probate yet?