Probate anxiety

[MrTch]

Probate was applied for at the beginning of June. The estate consists solely of savings, with no property involved, and there is a valid will that clearly sets out how the shares are to be distributed.

From what I have read online, probate can take up to 12 weeks to be granted. Has anyone been through a similar situation, and if so, how long did it take in your experience?

Mine was less than 2 weeks for a relatively simple estate but was 2 years ago. Yours is so simple I shouldn't think it'd be too long, unless there's a backlog.

Even once probate is granted it will be some time before estate funds are ingathered and distributed

Don’t at any stage.

I don’t understand this. As executor, I’ve gathered all the funds before/while probate was going through, so money was distributed immediately after probate was granted - with both my dad’s and my mum’s estates. Obviously the property took longer as it had to be sold.

I think you just have to be careful not to distribute savings etc before you've settled any outstanding bills or debts..when you're certain there's nothing left to pay then money can be distributed to beneficiaries.

How did you gather funds while probate was going through, as all bank accounts etc are frozen until you've got it granted?

The banks all transferred the money to me and closed accounts. I held the money in a separate account. All the bills etc were already paid/transferred to my name as executor. I needed to know all totals in banks and amounts owing on bills to fill out the probate form anyway. Probate was granted and a small amount of money kept back for council tax/utility bills until house sold. There were only two beneficiaries anyway - myself and my brother. One estate was90% in my favour, the other 90% in my brother’s favour, so pretty easy. One probate was done by a solicitor as there was land and IHT, the other I did myself.

My experience was that the bank needed to see the probate form with me named as executor before they would let me have access to accounts.

Mine took 5 weeks but there was property involved.

It varies from bank to bank. When my Dm died I received money from some banks without the grant. Just required proof evidence that I was the executor. This was Royal bank of Scotland.
edited - typo

I didn't have to send a death certificate with either of the probate submissions I've done, but I think it depends on how quickly after the death you apply. I may be wrong but I think details of deaths are only uploaded to the GRO by the local registrars at the end of each quarter, so if it;s before then they can't check the details electronically.

They may also want to see a death certificate if the person died abroad....

Unfortunately it was a year, paper application.

Very interesting. I have dealt with NatWest, Virgin Bank, Tesco Bank, Aviva and Prudential for both my parent’s estates, and all just wanted proof that I was the executor and to see the death certificate. Aviva were a bit awkward because there was an interim death certificate initially, but that’s the only blip I had. I applied for probate four or five months down the line once I had final figures from banks and bills.

Thanks for comments

It depends how much money we are talking about - all the banks have individual limits on the amount they will release without probate. I had to get probate for my dad simply because he had a savings account with a building society that had more than £20k in it, and that was over their limit. I believe NS&I have one of the lowest limits at £5k.

My mum had less than £1k left on each of her bank accounts (they had paid the funeral bill). Paid out to me before probate. There are limits and you sign an indemnity in case anyone else claims the money.

We applied for probate in February. Death was August last year so had to pay IHT. Probate granted late April. Properties now on market and 3/4 have sold. Solicitor in no hurry to distribute yet as so many expenses still to come though may do interim payment. Complex estate so needs careful handling.

It took 5 months for me. Online. No idea why it took so long. Straightforward estate with property and savings only.