Probate delays

[PlanBea]

Hi all,

I sent my dad's will off to probate after doing an online application. It's straightforward with everything going to my mum/his wife.

Probate received the will on 3rd July according to Royal Mail tracking, but still haven't updated the case to say they've received it. Over 6 weeks when it states it can take up to 2. The web chat on probate is always busy, they won't speak to you until 16 weeks after applying, and my email from three weeks ago is still unanswered.

Has anyone else had this recently? I'm stressed that they've lost the original will and not sure what the next steps will be. Just looking for some reassurance that it's underway, however slowly it might be!

We've been told it will be 6 months before probate is completely sorted after losing Mum recently. But when my Dad died and everything went to Mum I'm pretty sure it was all sorted fairly quickly.

I've had to do two probate applications in the last year.

First one took six weeks.

Second one took nearly six months. They asked for extra information and never logged that they'd received it. I rang several times (first thing or late afternoon is best) and finally got it two days after I sobbed on the phone to them!

Thank you both, I hope you're doing ok. It isn't technically important as there isn't anything to divide up and my mum has funds available to her. But it's another mental weight to carry when I just want to finish off the to do list so I can grieve properly after a traumatic loss.

I've told my mum she's not allowed to die for at least 20 years as I'm not doing this paperwork again any time soon😅

Average is 16 weeks.
I did my mums and it took 8 weeks, but my solicitor did my dads and it took 14 weeks x

Recently it took 16 weeks for a simple probable to clear all handing from one spouse to the other

Thanks both. I'm aware the probate process as a whole can take 16 weeks. We're currently 7 weeks after they've received the paperwork and they haven't acknowledged they've received it (this bit should take "up to two weeks" basically for a note on the case to say paperwork received). I keep stressing they've lost the original will in a big pile somewhere 😩

Same here. It will be 7 weeks on Monday. Not a word. I had to do a postal application, so I'm know they have banked the cheque. But nothing else. It's crap.

When I did my mum and dads I literally got the acknowledgement the day before probate was issued.

I got online before 8 and kept on refreshing the chat until they got connected, and then pasted my pre-prepared message. They were slow and pretty rubbish. I knew they would want my marriage certificate because my mum’s will used my previous name, but there was no facility to send it until they asked for it, and they didn’t ask for weeks.

It’s a horrible process and the delays and lack of information feel contemptuous and disrespectful, but I suppose they too have had their resources cut to the bone.

@IrresponsiblyCertainAboutSexualDimorphism I was convinced the chat was switched off! Never managed to see it active and I'm on there a lot. Yes, it's the lack of information. If they said "we'll confirm paperwork in 16 weeks" I'd be fine with it, it's the being told 2 weeks then not hearing anything that makes it worse.

@CMOTDibbler sorry to hear that, but also your message has given me hope so thank you. I've got a calendar reminder for 16 weeks so I can phone them and hopefully they will then speak to me!

Ahh great. I just filled it in on Friday for my mum. I won’t be holding my breath then.

sorry for your loss ❤️

My Dad’s Will went to the Probate office in March. Last week his solicitor phoned me to say she had had an email to say that it had been granted. The certificate will take another 2 weeks to be issued. The wait is extremely long at the moment.

My mother's very simple probate took almost 2 years. That was last year when Covid was still being used as an excuse.

It's so annoying that they won't communicate before 16 weeks. I assume they will want my marriage certificate to verify I am my father's daughter given the different surnames. No doubt they won't ask for that until week 16 and that will add on more delays!

I am also having frustrating and worrying problems with my probate application for my aunt. I submitted it to HMCTS Probate by post, along with orginal Will, death certificate etc, at the start of August. Bank statement shows they cashed my cheque in September. I sent an email enquiry at the start of December, when it had got to the end of the advised 16 week waiting time. The email response asked me for my 16-digit reference number - I responded that I'd never been given one. No response. I emailed them again the following week - the same thing happened - give us your 16-digit reference number. I emailed back by return again stating that I'd never been given one and please could someone investigate this urgently. Again, I received no response. On 27th December, I emailed them for a third time stating that if I didn't get a satisfactory response by the end of the week, I'd make an official compliant. As usual, I have received no response. I have now made an official complaint via gov.uk. Whilst searching online for information on how to complain, I came across this gov.uk petition, which I have signed, and thought I'd do my bit by sharing it on any forums I come across where people are complaining about their poor experiences with HMCTS Probate. Review the Probate Registry to make it more customer friendly

Sorry you're also having trouble. In the end my mum had to call every week from week 16 to week 22 before they admitted they had lost my dad's will. It's been an absolute farce!

11 months now and still waiting……..
Been told it should be sorted ‘soon’.

I am just starting to gather info for DH to do probate (in effect I do it and he signs it). It will be relatively straight forward, no IHT, simple Will BUT a am not sure about the reporting estates outside IHT - I have emailed to ask advice but am concerned the reply will take weeks and cannot file probate without the answer. Basically it mentions life insurance, and deceased had life assurance - which is different (and under £7000). Anyone had any experience of this.

I am expecting probate to be at least 16 weeks and also for estate agents to try and get us to list property regardless…. I will delay them until we have made some headway!

preparing myself for long waits ….