Any ideas how long probate is taking at the moment?

[SB1712]

Just that really. We are buying a house that and are waiting to probate to be granted. We were told they applied very early January.
Had anyone got experience of this in the last few months? I know it’s all quite subjective.

Our mortgage offer expires in a couple of months 😞 so we’re just really worried.

A family member died early december and her estate went to probate and we were told its approximately 20 weeks at the moment.

16 weeks is what the probate registry quotes. If it was a simple online application it might take less. This is no help to you but your sellers were daft to market so early. When did you put your offer on?

Fingers crossed for you.

Simple one for my Nan that we did ourselves took 12 weeks including over Xmas when I guess they shut down

I did the probate for my late mother - applied online at the beginning of October 2023. My application got stopped in December as they wanted more information. Didn't find out what information they wanted until end of January. Provided it within a day and got the probate approved on 10th February. Still waiting for the actual certificate to arrive. The probate office discourage anyone from chasing until 16 weeks have passed.

Thanks for your replies! I know it can be a real mixed bag. Have read that about 16 weeks. I am hoping miraculously it could even come through before then but I know that’s probably less than a 5% chance!
It feels insensitive willing it to be further along and getting impatient because of the very nature of it, but our selling/buying process has already been very drawn out. It feels like torture.

I have read that if the sale of a house is at risk sometimes you can ask them to prioritise an application? Our solicitor has informed theirs of our mortgage situation. I don’t know how complex the estate is, so many unknowns.

@CharlotteStreetW1 we actually put an offer in on the house before the owner very sadly passed. The house was empty and I think family selling on behalf, but sadly they passed away during the conveyancing process.

If the seller died after accepting your offer whoever submitted the probate application can definitely ask for it to be expedited. They need to email the Probate Registry quoting the reference number, explaining the situation and requesting it's expedited. They should then follow up with a phone call (mornings only) a couple of days later. They will probably get the grant within a week or so if they do that.

Oh, and they'll need to attach evidence to their email, like the estate agent's memorandum of sale or similar.

This is really useful information thank you.
The only issue is our solicitor isn’t very good really, and we’ve emailed the estate agent and they barely get back to us.
I feel like the urgency for everyone else isn’t there. Because the house was empty if they lose our sale I feel like it won’t matter to them (I could be jumping the gun here) they’d just put it back up when they eventually get probate.
I’m not actually sure who applied for their probate, as in if they did it direct or went through their solicitor.

I’ll call our solicitor in a day or two and see if he got a response re our mortgage offer expiring. Perhaps he could suggest what you have mentioned there. Thank you!!

We were told minimum 20 weeks post application currently for probate.

MIL died in August last year and probate isn't yet complete. FIL is not happy.

Do you mind me asking when you applied for probate? Was it quite soon after she passed away?

Answer is, it depends. If the estate is treated as exempt, with no need to submit IHT forms, my applications are currently taking around 8 weeks. Portal still saying we cannot ask for updates before 16 weeks.

If it requires IHT forms, they have just slowed down the process as you have to wait for hmrc to issue a code, so who knows how long that will take. At least another 4 weeks, optimistically.

I'm getting a lot issued on weekend days at the moment, but a lot more mistakes , so I think they have new staff in, at a guess.

I am waiting for probate to be granted for a House I want to buy. The Sister of the person who has passed away just does not seem to have any urgency at all. I have been waiting 12 Months and still don't know when probate will be granted. I'm not in a rush but still can't believe it's taking so long.

Thanks everyone!

@Frostynight do you work in the probate office? I’m not sure on the IHT situation with the house we’re buying, sadly don’t know many details and i am finding it difficult having no control over the situation. Very hard!
It will be around 7 weeks this week since it was submitted but we do not have any ref numbers or info so we can even see if it’s been looked at. The seller said he will update when it comes through. Don’t want to be annoying asking all the time but it’s giving me sleepless nights!

Sorry to hear that! Is there a possibility you can/would pull out due to how long it’s taking? Perhaps that might help push things along if they need chasing?

it was about 8 weeks for us just before Christmas for my grans relatively simple estate

16months
absolute shambles of a system

Here's hoping they get it expedited and apologies for my previous assumption. That was really bad luck for you.

Obviously it depends on lots of factors. I'm waiting for my parents estate to clear. After my lawyer finished doing all the forms and so forth, which took literally 6 months, she submitted it and the govt dept processed it in 3 months start to finish. Now back with lawyers, but my parents estate was completed. It seems like there is no urgency at all so I do understand why people get frustrated. I feel like I'm in limbo.
Good luck I hope you get your property!

Money Box on BBC sounds did an article about probate a few days ago:

We've just done one and been told currently 6-9 months. It is ridiculous, what can possibly be taking so long? They also have the cheek to say you have to pay interest on anything owed to the HMRC unless you pay upfront.

@SB1712 no, I'm a probate lawyer. I've been doing this for nearly 30 years, and I've never known a time like this. Imagine having 200 clients, all desperate to get probate sorted. My staff are spending hours chasing the court and hmrc, which means we can't do our work and we then get behind. It's ridiculous.

Thankyou. I really want to buy this House so my parents are near me. I think if I say I'm not interested they will just say that's fine. Houses on this road don't come up for sale that often and get snapped up quickly.
I have probably contacted the Lady about 3 times in the 12 Months to ask for any update. But everytime all she says is the Solicitor is onto it🙄

Just incase you still need it probate went in first week of January and got it back today!

My mam died Feb last year and we got probate granted around October I think.

House I am buying is in probate, owner died in June and they say it will likely be a few more months before being granted.

I assume it will be granted in under a year from death so I'm hoping that we will have the keys by July.