Any point in applying for probate?

madbadrob

I may have missed it in the replies so I apologise if I am repeating whats been said.  The will in itself is not a legal document until it as been proved in the probate court therefore until the will is proved you are not the owner of that property.  As you are not the owner of that property you cannot sell that property.  Proving the will gives you the power to then sell the property as if you was your late Grandmother.  

Also you say there are no known debts but to cover yourself you are going to need to follow the rules in regards to this.   You will need to advertise that you have taken over the estate of the deceased and that any debtors have 6 weeks from the date of  the notice to apply to have the debts repaid by the estate.  This is usually the local paper to the deceased and the paper of record which is The gazette.  Of course you do not have to do this but run the risks of an unknown debtor coming at you in the future if you dont.

As others have stated you can apply for probate yourself and deal with the estate which will save money as you cannot pay yourself for any of this work.  Any out of pocket expenses can be claimed from the estate but you should be aware of what is considered an out of pocket expense.  

A solicitor will charge you for doing this which wont be cheap but it will give you peace of mind all the legal stuff as been dealt with.  

Good luck with executing the will etc 

Rob

GDB2222

Executors often advertise for creditors because it protects the executors. It doesn’t protect the estate, and it doesn’t protect the beneficiaries. An outstanding creditor can claim against the beneficiaries even after the estate has been distributed. 

Consequently, where the beneficiaries are the executors, there’s no point advertising.