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How long did it take?

How long does it take after the person died, to handing out the money?
I am guessing a total of six months would be normal. To sell a £250k house and £50k, maybe there are delays with the council/government?

Comments

  • Marcon
    Marcon Posts: 14,802 Forumite
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    How long does it take after the person died, to handing out the money?
    I am guessing a total of six months would be normal. To sell a £250k house and £50k, maybe there are delays with the council/government?
    Six months would be exceptionally quick. One to two years is more likely, especially if there is a property to sell - and taking into account that probate can be anything from six weeks to well upwards of six months, that property can't be sold until probate has been granted.
    Googling on your question might have been both quicker and easier, if you're only after simple facts rather than opinions!  
  • DancingBadger
    DancingBadger Posts: 269 Forumite
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    Personal experience (but bear in mind it's a hard property market in most areas of the UK):

    Death occurred in February.
    IHT to pay, so code requested from HMRC at the end of April.
    Also, house placed on the market at the end of April and sale agreed 10 days later.
    Probate granted in July.
    House sale due to complete at the end of this month.

    There is no one size fits all; every estate will be different.


  • jackieblack
    jackieblack Posts: 10,531 Forumite
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    edited 13 August at 3:50PM
    As above, every estate is different 

    My experience:
    Death occurred in January 
    House went on the market in February, sale agreed end of March
    Probate applied for third week of March, granted 10 days later
    Sale completed mid July
    Estate distributions finalised by end of July

    However, a close friend’s parent’s estate took just over two years to be finalised

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  • RAS
    RAS Posts: 35,976 Forumite
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    If the deceased was in receipt of means-tested benefits it can take the DWP 9 months or more to decide whether anything needs to be repaid. 
    If you've have not made a mistake, you've made nothing
  • Emmia
    Emmia Posts: 6,076 Forumite
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    edited 13 August at 9:03AM
    It took me about a year to finalise an estate which was cash / bonds / shares (no property).

    The biggest challenge was tracking down and liquidating all the assets, as the deceased had made some interesting decisions and had failed to keep records or document things consistently.
  • Exodi
    Exodi Posts: 4,169 Forumite
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    I am guessing a total of six months would be normal. To sell a £250k house and £50k
    I wouldn't hold your breath, there are houses in my area that have been on the market for over 6 months. Then, considering my own property purchase, that took 6 months from offer to completion.

    I think better to set expectations that it could be 'years' than praying that everything goes perfectly and it's done and dusted in 6 months.
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  • Runner_Duck
    Runner_Duck Posts: 99 Forumite
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    21 months from death to being able to release all funds.  The last 11 months of that was waiting for the HMRC to confirm the small amount of tax that the estate owed.
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