Probate : 16 weeks and counting

oglop

ArGee68 said:

Oglop - I cannot believe the way your application has been disregarded by the probate office.  You have now basically been told to stop chasing or you will be put back to the bottom of the waiting pile which is an absolute disgrace after 35 weeks.

What is worse is that it is a simple estate filed by a solicitor so no errors should be expected.  It would probably take them 10 minutes to approve it if someone could be bothered to look at it.

I have just read an update on probate delays on a solicitors website and it is depressing reading.    In January 2023, 26.5K new applications were received but only 20K grants were issued so that added another 6.5K to the dust pile in just one month.  Unfortunately it is much worse for paper applicants as you are well aware.   The system is not fit for purpose, apparently lots of experienced staff have left and the service can't cope.    The person I spoke to on the phone sounded utterly demoralised.

I have been trying to think of something we can do to get things moving for all of us in the "gathering dust pile".  I am still waiting for a reply from my MP but perhaps you could contact yours?  I know you are not in the UK but could you complain to the MP of the deceased as it is their probate case?

This issue needs to be more widely publicised so I wondered about trying to get the press interested - possibly Panorama, Martin Lewis etc.  because there are significant financial implications as well as emotional ones because of the delays.  However, I have no idea how you do that.

I really don't know what to do. I have already contacted my MP and, surprise surprise, no reply. 

I am completely out of ideas. As my solicitor told me, she is dealing with many angry clients like me, and it's made worse by the probate office constantly moving the goalposts. So far, this is the 6th delay I've had. If they just tempered expecations, it wouldn't be so exhausting - which is probably why they have stopped giving me any specific completion dates, as they know they never keep them. Sigh. So, the wait is now indefinite. 

I've been told that even after it gets granted, I could be looking at another 2 weeks before they print and send it out. Presumably they keep running out of ink on the single printer they use? What's more, they send it via second class post. The whole office sounds incompetently run. I am utterly exhausted and completely out of patience.

ArGee68

We received the paper grants 11 days after our application was approved for our second estate (January 2023) which was better than we expected.    But that application took just 7 days to be approved.   I think they were sent first class so that part of the system may have improved.

It's the fact there is nothing we can do to get our case looked at which is the biggest frustration.  We have recently accepted an offer on the property in the estate but are worried the buyer may walk away as we can't give any indication of when probate will be granted.  

oglop

Well, here's hoping that you have more luck than me 

ArGee68

I've just received a reply from my MP's office requesting permission to use my data in order to assist with my case.  Lets see where this leads.........

oglop

That's great. How long did you have to wait for a reply? Wondering if I should just email my MP every few days until I get a respnse...

ArGee68

I sent my email last Thursday evening and received an immediate auto reply stating it would take up to 15 days to respond.  So it's actually taken 4 working days.   My MP is a very experienced Labour politician so that may make a difference.

oglop

Figured. My MP is in a safe Tory seat. Doubt I'll get a response at all. Well, I mean, I haven't 

KSS1991

We are currently buying a house that is awaiting grant of probate. This is the week 17 now. The seller SAYS they contacted the office and was advised it will be 'escalated' and should be granted within 3 weeks. Apparently it has not even been looked at yet. How reliable is this 'escalation'? I can't believe it this is taking so long

oglop

oglop said:

Figured. My MP is in a safe Tory seat. Doubt I'll get a response at all. Well, I mean, I haven't 

I guess I tempted fate. My MP actually got back to me just now and... well, let's see. Here's to hoping it has some effect

oglop

KSS1991 said:

We are currently buying a house that is awaiting grant of probate. This is the week 17 now. The seller SAYS they contacted the office and was advised it will be 'escalated' and should be granted within 3 weeks. Apparently it has not even been looked at yet. How reliable is this 'escalation'? I can't believe it this is taking so long

Has it been "scanned" into the system yet? It took my application 16 weeks for that to happen. The 16 week timer starts from when they scan the application, not from when you send it in.

I was also told that it should be granted within 3 weeks of escalation...but as I wrote above, that didn't happen, and now they say I should just "wait it out" without being able to do anything about it

tldr it's a !!!!!! show and could take months more. who knows