It's a will one

[girlfriend44]

Does anyone know?
Can anyone phone the solicitor if they are a beneficiary of a will and ask questions about when it's ready and how much is due etc?
Or do you have to wait for the executor to deal with it and notify you?
Do you get a breakdown etc of an estate.
In other words do the beneficiaries just have to wait for the executor to get in touch and pay the beneficiaries?
I am helping a lady at the moment in a kinda support role and she says she is due for some inheritance. Her brother who she dosent really speak too is dealing with it. Can she find out anything herself.?

She has the solicitors name and she knows she's a beneficiary.
I have no clue about this and its upsetting to her to keep waiting for her brother to get in touch. I tell her he will when the time is right but does anyone know can she do more?

Not 100 % sure but I think you have to wait for the probate to be granted.
The will then becomes a public document

Didn't mean to quote the op sorry

Please @girlfriend44 be aware there is a Legal matters forum where these questions can be posted

YABU

She can register her interest in the probate, and will then be notified when it is issued. At that point, the will becomes public and she can apply for a copy.
probatesearch.service.gov.uk

Sorry did not know of a legal board.

How does she register her interest? That would be good.

If they're a residuary beneficiary (i.e. they're getting a share of the residue) they can ask to see estate accounts but they're not usually available until towards the end of the matter. A pecuniary beneficiary (e.g. "I give x £5000) wouldn't normally get to see them.

They can always ring the solicitors for an update. They might be helpful, they might not.

If a solicitor is administering the estate, they’ll be in touch and it will be no problem for your friend to contact them to confirm details of the inheritance due.

So the solicitor notify everyone do they not just the executor ie her brother.

The executor (brother) does not have to use a solicitor, he can do probate himself. However, as she has the solicitors name she can contact them, they may or may not answer her questions. The key one is to ask if she is executor too as it’s not been unheard of for one executor to cut another one out despite being unlawful.

@Soontobe60 has given you the link to search if probate has been granted. It’s very easy to do if you follow the link. The link also allows you to pre-register so if probate is granted in the next 6 months they send your friend a copy.

It can take a long time for probate to be applied for and then be granted so if the bereavement is recent that can explain the lack of info.

OP - you (and your friend) need to clarify who is doing what with the Estate.

Who is the Executor - the brother, both siblings (not unusual) or the solicitor?

If there is a solicitor involved, is it purely because they hold the Will for safe-keeping (and presumably they drew up the Will), are they advising and assisting the brother about what to do (and if the sister is a joint Executor they should also be advising her) or is the solicitor actually the Executor?

Whatever the circumstance, an initial enquiry to the solicitor would clarify the situation - and your friend could ask what (if anything) she needs to do, who is responsible for keeping her informed of progress and what timescales are likely to be involved.

The brother is the executor, he's in touch with the solicitor. Solicitor is not executor but is administering.

@girlfriend44

Sorry to labour the point, but in your OP you say that your friend doesn't speak to her brother much and has not spoken to the solicitor. In which case how does she know for certain who is doing what with the Will?

At the very least she needs confirmation from the solicitor as to who is the Executor. Just because the brother is handling the correspondence with the solicitor and has suggested to her that he "is dealing with it" does not mean that he is actually the Executor named in the Will (or that he understands his obligations if he is in fact the Executor).

"In which case how does she know for certain who is doing what with the Will?"
Indeed. Or will she inherit anything? Wills can be changed.

Yes, she is a abeneficiary, they do talk abit but not much and he is in control of it all. He dosent explain much and she dosent like to ask.

He is the executor for sure she says, the sole executor but a solicitor is dealing with it.

Try asking brother for an update first then call solicitor direct if you're not getting anywhere. Most solicitors will be helpful but if they want to be awkward they can say you are not entitled to info as you are not their client (correct).

Sorry ive looked up the link given and will show her tomorrow.

Do you have to pay and does it tell you your share please.

What details will she get?

Is it free?

It costs £1.50 for probate and £3 for the standing search.

You get a copy of the Grant of Probate which sets out the total value of the estate and a copy of the will which sets out who gets what.