My experience of DIY Probate

NanookOfTheNorth

Hi

I thought I'd share my experience of applying for probate online for anybody in any doubt about doing it themselves.  If you've a simple probate then I can see no reason why you would pay an expert to do it for you, so give it a go. This is the first probate I've ever been involved in.

I had already created the probate login and used the gov.uk online tool to calculate any IHT due (there wasnt any as it was a simple process of everything passing from husband to wife). The figures it quotes use exactly the same descriptions for the figures using the probate application so there's no doubt, just cut and paste the values (and check the values ofcourse!).

1. A query posted on here which was (not surprisingly) answered very quickly.

2. An online chat with Probate, first attempt was I was in a queue and didn't make the 1pm cut off time so tried the next day just after 9am and got through almost straight away.  Query answered with the online chat from a helpful adviser.

3. Monday 8 December I submitted the probate online and paid the £300 with email confirmation received straight away saying once they receive the nessesary documents it could take up to 12 weeks to process.

4.  The email asked for the Will (only this document) which was sent special delivery the day after on Tuesday 9 December.

5. Royal Mail confirmed the Will was delivered on Wednesday 10 December

6. Email from Probate on Monday 15 December confirming they had recevied the Will, this email was received early in the morning

7. Later the same day on 15 December an email from Probate confirming Probate had been approved

8. The next day on Tuesday 16 December the "Grant of Probate" letter was received in the post

So in the space of a week Probate was completed, maybe it was just lucky with it being a simple case, but definately give it a go yourself if you've a simple Probate to do.

Browntoa

I'd agree with the above 

As mine was post COVID there was a bit of a backlog so I had to wait a couple of months for the letter of probate.

Once I had that I think it took me 6 weeks to liquidate the estate and distribute the funds to the beneficiaries 

Very simple process end to end and free

MayDogsandCoffee

Agree, we had a straight forward will so therefore very simple and low cost.

jaybeetoo

My FIL decided to do probate himself.  He ended up paying death duties when they weren’t due.  He only discovered this years later when it was too late.  DIY is not always cheapest!

p00hsticks

jaybeetoo said:

My FIL decided to do probate himself.  He ended up paying death duties when they weren’t due.  He only discovered this years later when it was too late.  DIY is not always cheapest!

We also get some people who apply for probate even though it isn't a requirement. It's always worth checking with the financial institutions involved as to whether they'll release the money without probate first. Often It's only if the deceased held property in their sole name or as tenants in common that probate is required, so the first stage is to make sure that it's really needed. 

purplepardalis

Thanks for this account. 
Did you send original will tracked and signed to Harlow?

I sent the IHT forms tracked and signed and they disappeared in the ether so I had to send them again only tracked as advised by the helpline. They said they often have problems with tracked and signed. This was successful. 

I have just applied online for probate and the final screen suggests sending the will tracked and signed but I'm wary after the IHT form sending. And of course I only have one wet signed copy! 

NanookOfTheNorth

The original Will (with the sheet Probate asked to be included with their references and names on) was sent to the address in the email, sent by "Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm" as wanted to make sure less chance getting lost by Royal Mail, with the delivery tracking showing it was signed for by a person (no surname). It was sent to:

Principal Registry of the Family Division (PRFD), H M C T S Digital Probate, Po Box 12625, Harlow, Essex, CM20 9QE