probate advice please

[onetoomanytoo]

my mum recently passed away, she appointed me her executor,
how easy is it to do probate without using a solicitor?
its only a matter of a few thousand pounds, no property, just savings and a few shares.

when i say no property, that brings me to my other question, my dad owns the house outright, but would my mother's estate have any claim on this, seeing as they were married for nearly 60 years and she contributed to it considerably.

any advice would be most helpful.

The first part is quite simple, here's the details you would need: www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Death/Preparation/DG_10029716. For the second, you would need a solicitor as you would be making a claim which will more than likely be contested.

Ignore your father's property. It doesn't form part of your mother's estate.

Sorry about your mum.
A quick call to the probate registry. Ask for a probate pack. If you have death certificate you could start the process of gathering infor such as date of death figures.
Tell the concerns holding assests that there is only a small estate and you should access small estates procedures.

My mum died recently too. My sister did the probate, very easily. She had to be thorough but we did not use a solicitor, and everything was straightforward although the form is a little daunting but not difficult to complete. The probate came through very quickly after completion of the documentation. The probate office were very 'user friendly'. Hope your mum did not suffer.

DH recently did the probate things for his mum and didnt need a solicitor.

He just googled 'probate'

Just a little probate tip. If the death is the first death between a married couple or civil partners. Keep a record of the nature and the extent of the estate and a copy Will if you have one of the of the first to die, together with a copy of the marriage or C/P certificate. This will help if on the second death the estate exceeds the IHTallowance of £325k . If whole passes to the surviving spouse or C/P then 100% allowance is available. £650k allowed before any IHT becomes payable.