Probate - how long?

Elliemiss

Hi,
I know it's been asked before but on this cold and wet afternoon I've nothing else to do but think.....

Probate submitted end of June, straightforward, just bank accounts, how long can it reasonably take?

Apologies again for repetition, just wanted to hear some real experiences (recently) thanks 

msb1234

12 weeks plus…

1561992

I’m on week 17 today, with a straight-forward estate. It was a paper application though. Seems it’s unfortunately just a game of endurance.  

Nearlyold

We're on 22 weeks. Delay is at HMRC who have not sent Probate Office the required docs. (That's the Probate office explanation anyway) We've had no queries from either HMRC or Probate Office so no real idea of what the issue is ie why the delay? Solicitor has sent a Compaint in to HMRC  a month ago but still no progress.

ossie48

We were on 13 weeks. I then chased it up with phone calls.

Probate said they hadn't received anything from HMRC.

I rang HMRC, they admitted it had all been finalised three weeks earlier (early August) but they had forgotten to download the IHT421 to sharepoint so probate could access it. They did it there and then and probate was granted an hour later.

This was quite an involved estate with a substantial IHT payment and also involved some slightly complicated investments although the will was straightforward.

Ignore the  'don't contact us for 16 weeks' , they didn't even question it when I called just wanted the case number. 

Nearlyold

An update to my post last week:-

Phone call this morning from Solicitor to say Probate has been granted, so a total of 23 weeks from applying. 

optoutDB

I just got my approval email,  10weeks since applying on 23 Jun.  

Elliemiss

Thanks for all replies, appears there's no way of telling really, we're 10 weeks tomorrow. 

jarv81178

I am into Week 20, probate office requested statement of truths signed and returned, revocation clause needing sign by my executor, no IHT, straightforward. I am just waiting to hear back from a will search being carried out... I am guessing after all this which will be within 28 days, got my solicitor on this COOP Legal services, doing a great job it SHOULD be granted very soon hopefully?!

Elliemiss

@jarv81178 what is a statement of truth? Not heard of it or the will search?

NIckyJJones

We applied for probate in mid June (mum's uncomplicated estate no IHT due, she passed away in Apr). Last Sunday (3rd Sept) had an email from probate services saying more info needed - they were missing the IHT421. The IHT forms were sent to HMRC 31st May & we had a letter from them dated 23/06. I phoned HMRC on Monday (4th) and no, they hadn't sent the IHT421 to probate services & sent it whilst I was on the phone to them. I phoned Probate and they confirmed that they did now have the form but still haven't issued the Grant of Probate, I did ask how long now and the response "within 16 weeks".  Monday (11th) will be 12 weeks since we applied.
It's really not good enough, I did my grandma's probate way back in 2002, paper form and estate was completely wrapped up within 3 months of her passing.