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Question about probate - not appearing on register search.

3 replies

Acacia123 · 02/12/2020 15:56

I've been estranged from my father's side of the family since his death in 2004, however I still think of them fondly from time to time and remember how things used to be before it all went wrong..

His father (my grandfather) passed away in 2016 and his mother (my grandmother) passed away in May of this year. They would have had a substantial estate - I would think between £1m and £2m. The estate I would imagine was left to my father's siblings (my aunts x2 and uncle).

Just out of curiosity, I looked them up on the probate register and there is no record. I don't know why I looked them up, I certainly don't feel entitled but I am curious as to how things would have been sorted out.

Why would neither of them be on the probate register? My aunts and uncle are very business savy so is there some way it could all have bypassed the probate system ie been put in their names before my grandmothers death, or put in trust or something? There would have been a house that would have to be sold and I know my grandma was still living in it this year so it hadn't been sold previous to her death.

The surname is very, very unique - I dont believe there are any others with this surname in the UK now, other than my uncle, so I know that I've not missed it on the register.

I wondered if anyone who know the system might have any ideas?

OP posts:
Bells3032 · 02/12/2020 16:08

The min you need for applying for probate would be about £5k so very low. You wouldn't need it if the spouse inherited everything so your grandfather wouldn't be on there. your grandmother only died in May and the probate system is taking a long time so it may be it hasn't been granted yet (my grandfather died in December and we have literally been granted it this week) as there's a massive covid related backlog. It can also take several months for paperwork to pulled together.

Acacia123 · 02/12/2020 16:48

Ah, well that would entirely explain in then. Thanks so much for your reply x

OP posts:
thecognoscenti · 02/12/2020 16:53

I would assume everything was in joint names and passed by survivorship on first death, and on second as PP says it may well be that Probate hasn't been granted or even applied for yet. Nothing sinister.

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