Probate time - Any chance in under a week?

lohr500

Sorry for your loss.

My father passed away in November last year, leaving all his estate to my mother.
There was no IHT to pay. The estate was classed as excepted, based on using the onlime IHT calculator tool.

I applied online for Probate on 1st December, posting the will and a PA17 form by special delivery on the same day.
An email arrived on the 8th December advising that Probate had been granted, and the hard copy probate certificate along with the requested copies arrived in the post on 11th December.

So it would appear that for simple estates, the turnaround can be quick. Not sure if we were lucky or if that's typical.

YBR

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82004704#Comment_82004704

I'm sorry you've had such a troublesome time with it all, hoping nothing else goes wrong for you.

I'm sure brain mush is very much normal following bereavement, a time we just need things to go smoothly. I feel for you.

Colliedog1

Sorry for your loss. My dear Dad died in March after a long illness. I looked after him for quite a few years.

I got all the information together from the banks and had the estate agents round to get a valuation for probate. I then filled in the online forms on a Sunday and sent the will special delivery on the Monday. Friday morning I received an email confirming probate had been granted.

Hope your probate application goes through as smoothly.

Technosaurus

I'm heartened to hear so many actual tales of a matter of days rather than weeks.

I wonder if technology is actually being deployed to good effect here (get some sort of fast-track team maybe using AI to "read" the application and "read" the will for simple cases) - if anyone reading this has any inside track I'd be fascinated to know how it works? When we did it for my parents in 2015/2016, I was told it all actually went through a full process involving people doing all the legwork before it was officially stamped, which seemed very labour intensive for what was more-or-less a box ticking exercise.

bunnygo

2nd parent death Q3 2025. Had been POA so knew all details. No IHT to pay but had to submit the forms to claim allowances.

requested IHT ref no 7 Sept, received 18 Sept by email. During that time had obtained valuations. IHT forms sent 7 Oct by post, code for probate received 28 Oct. Probate app and will sent 31 Oct, notified of grant approved by email 12 November and grant copies arrived in post 15 November. i.e. 12 days to grant and 15 days to receipt of copies.

Unless something tricky with will (trusts, arguing executors, lots of difficult property, lots of foreign assets) don't use a solicitor which will slow it down massively as well cost a lot and save you no work at all. And of course apply online, not with paper.

hope it will be as quick for you.

Briansteen50

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82005416#Comment_82005416

First off I am so sorry for your loss. I was a carer for them for nearly 3 years and know how hard it is. I'm so lost without them. I am sorry for your loss.
I do hope ours is that quick. I am honestly just sat here waiting. I knwo hats silly as it could be months yet.

Colliedog1

Thank you for your kind thoughts. I was a carer for my Mum and Dad for 5 years and am still looking after my Mum. I was so close to my Dad. We did everything together. I just wish he was here.

Hopefully next week you will hear back. Did you give them your email address as that is how they let me know. I received the Grant of probate certificates in the post last Wednesday so it took 5 days for them to grant it and then 5 days to receive the Grant of Probate.

Yorkie1

Bear in mind that there is a bank holiday on Monday, which may delay things for an extra day or two (civil servants often also get the Monarch's official birthday as an extra day at this time of year).

SanMiguel80

I've been waiting since last October for them to issue probate for my late mother who passed away last September. She has a property and <£50K in savings, no IHT to pay and left a Will. HMRC have signed it off, and I have even received a tax refund for her as well as the money from her bank accounts. But, still no probate, so I can't sell the house. I am also named as executor. But, good luck.

bluesky75

Hi SanMigue, have you contacted them to see what the delay is? This is a long time for a simple probate case. Where there any complcations or further questions they asked you after you had submitted the form. Sometime if there are requisitions, this can delay matters.