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Original poster

How long after a death is the will read?

49 replies

MummypigDaddypig · 09/02/2021 18:09

NC.

But how long after somebody has died until a will is read? And how does it work? It’s currently with a solicitor but no one has heard anything from them.

OP posts:
Chasingsquirrels · 09/02/2021 18:11

I read DH's (to myself) that evening, and shared it with others quite quickly.
Do they still do formal "readings"?
Can you ask the solicitor for a copy?

CMOTDibbler · 09/02/2021 18:12

Theres no such thing as reading a will in the UK. Is the will lodged at a solicitor, or are they an executor?

mootymoo · 09/02/2021 18:13

Unless you are landed gentry there's rarely an official reading of the will. The solicitor, if the executor, simply writes to beneficiaries once they have settled the immediate debts eg funeral expenses,

boredwiththeoldname · 09/02/2021 18:14

Perhaps the next of kin needs to contact the solicitor and ask what happens next. They will need to find out who has been named as executor.

SlatternIsMyMiddleName · 09/02/2021 18:15

There is no formal reading of a will - unless you are in an Agatha Christie novel.

Make contact with the solicitor (who may or may not know person is deceased) who can advise who the Executor is. The will is discussed with the Executor in the first instance,

TreacleHart · 09/02/2021 18:16

I take it that you have given the solicitor a copy of the death certificate ?
And appointed them to carry out the business of probate and the distribution of the contents to the beneficiaries once grant of probate has been given.

olderthanyouthink · 09/02/2021 18:17

It's taken a couple months to find my grandads will, my nans was found along with it, she died 5 years ago

NoSquirrels · 09/02/2021 18:20

Do you mean the solicitor is dealing with probate?
Or that the will is at a solicitors but no one has seen it yet?

I think you’ll need to give some more info - do you know what the will says, or are you just hoping you’re named?

titchy · 09/02/2021 18:21

Nobody reads a will!

Has the executor actually instructed the solicitor or is everyone hanging around thinking the solicitor will be in touch to arrange a big reveal?

Topseyt · 09/02/2021 18:26

We began sorting out my MIL's will very shortly after the funeral. There was no official reading. It was simple enough and simply said that her estate (her house, in her case) was to pass in equal measure to each of her three grown up children.

DH was the executor. We just told the solicitor (who had a copy of said will) that we were clearing her house and that it was on the market. Probate was obtained, the sale went through, funeral expenses were cleared and the remainder split equally as per her wishes. No more than that.

caringcarer · 09/02/2021 18:26

When my Auntie died, I got a phone call about a week after her funeral from her solicitors office asking if I could drop by. Her sister, another Auntie, sorted out her funeral. Solicitor just handed me a copy of her will.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 09/02/2021 18:30

Where do you live? If you're in a country that actually has formal readings I'd say ask the solicitor.

Kitkat151 · 09/02/2021 18:30

Nobody reads a will....as soon as a person dies whoever is executor can begin proceedings...if the Executor is a family member you can ask them..... Or maybe the executor is the solicitors?
Do you think you are a beneficiary?

Original poster
MummypigDaddypig · 09/02/2021 18:37

I’m guessing the will is with the solicitor and they are sorting everything out. His daughter was his next of kin but knows nothing about the will. Or so she says. She planned the funeral but just told them to sort with the solicitor to pay for it from
His estate.

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 09/02/2021 18:43

If you’re a beneficiary you’ll no doubt be notified in due course but probate is taking a long time at the moment - it always takes a long time but pandemic delays mean it’s much longer than usual - so if the solicitor is dealing with it as executor it may not be granted for a long time, particularly if it’s a complex estate.

Either you’re in good enough terms with t daughter to ask if you’re a beneficiary or you’re not! When probate is granted you can look the details up of the will online via the government checking service.

Kitkat151 · 09/02/2021 18:44

If she not the executor then maybe she doesn’t know anything.....that’s quite normal for the funeral to be paid out of the estate...then any debts then shared out among the beneficiaries.....does it need to go to probate?

PivotPivotPivottt · 09/02/2021 19:07

My uncle (by marriage) read my Papa's (his FIL) about 12 hours after he died Hmm.

Kitkat151 · 09/02/2021 19:16

@PivotPivotPivottt

My uncle (by marriage) read my Papa's (his FIL) about 12 hours after he died Hmm.
What he got all the beneficiaries together and formally read the will out to them?
PivotPivotPivottt · 09/02/2021 20:30

My mum and I went round to see my gran in the morning he was already there with my aunt (mum's sister). We walked in the door and sat down and he told my mum to come through to the other room to look over the will Sad. My mum was too upset and shocked at the time she never said anything but I remember thinking ffs her dad has been dead for 12 hours.

PivotPivotPivottt · 09/02/2021 20:33

Sorry I've just realised this thread was asking about an official reading.

Starlive23 · 09/02/2021 21:40

Well...firstly the exectors to the will need to work out which solicitors the will is stored with. Then will need to advise the firm the person has died, provide a death certificate etc. Then its up to the executors to either take the will and try to sort out probate on their own, or will instruct solicitors to administer the estate.
All executors will be notified of the will and its contents but beneficiaries may not know until later and will almost certainly not know the amount they will be left (if its a share of the estate say) until the estate has been administered and everything is paid/ collected in.
I've been a solicitor for 16 years and have never heard of an actual reading of the will like they do in eastenders etc! Doesn't happen in real life as pp have said.
Hope this helps.

shinynewapple2021 · 09/02/2021 21:50

I'm not sure why that would be such a shock Pivot ? I would think it would be quite normal for a person making a will to share with relatives what was in the will and where it could be found . My dad showed me where his will and funeral details were kept and the will itself he has shown me some years before when he and mum had written it.

Sorting out a person's financial affairs is sadly something which needs to be started quite quickly after death and very often the executors are relatives rather than a solicitor . The relatives can then engage a solicitor for sorting probate if they do wish .

I think the OP's idea of a formal will reading is something of films .

Besom · 09/02/2021 21:50

When I've been named in wills where I wasn't executor it has taken a few weeks, maybe a couple of months or so to be notified by solicitor. I've been told informally by executor that I was named but it takes a while to get everything sorted out.

lyralalala · 09/02/2021 22:02

@MummypigDaddypig

I’m guessing the will is with the solicitor and they are sorting everything out. His daughter was his next of kin but knows nothing about the will. Or so she says. She planned the funeral but just told them to sort with the solicitor to pay for it from His estate.
Has she informed the solicitors that he’s died? Sounds silly but someone I know waited weeks before chasing the solicitor, then it turned out everyone thought someone else had spoken to the solicitor to get the ball rolling
cabbageking · 09/02/2021 22:07

It only needs sharing with those named

If there in money in an account the funeral director can send the bill straight to the bank to pay. No solicitor is needed.

Does a will exist?