Executor account - must I have one?

[squashyhat]

I am an executor for my late father, I have grant of probate and am currently dealing with collecting money from his bank accounts to pay legacies. I thought I could do this through my own bank account but have been told by my bank I can't because they are not licenced to cover funds generated in this way. I have spoken to another organisation about getting an executor account but it just seems like a licence to print money for them as they don't allow bank-to-bank transfers and charge for any cheque drawn. Is there any way round this or do I just have to suck it up?

Depending where you are and who you bank with, my DH opened an account with Nat West where his late mum banked. They were really helpful and it ensured that everything was kept separate from his own affairs. It took a while to gather in funds from investments, we searched for old accounts etc and paid all bills from the one account. It ensured everything was very transparent in the event of any questions from any source such as the tax office or beneficiaries.