Probate 9 month Delay!

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johnc2017

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Just received a letter today confirming there is 9 month delay in processing Personal probate applications. This is absolutely shocking. I've gone through a similar process in the UK and it took about 6-8 weeks in total.

Just a warning for anyone currently about to apply.
 
The letter I got the week after I lodged the application said 34 to 36 weeks to appointment. I lodged the application week 1 this year and was called for the appointment in week 41 and I believe my application was brought forward after I sent in a copy of Contract for Sale of family home. So I'd say you'll be very lucky if it doesn't go beyond the 9 months by at least another month. I believe that staff handling personal applications have been reduced, so the longer than indicated delay was not the fault of the staff in the Personal Applications section.
The meeting took less than 30 minutes and I was told to expect GOP within two weeks.
 
Hi i did this last year and it took 9 months, disgraceful, (probate was cash in bank - to be divided between two people - so simple but 9 months delay and 11 months all in all before we got the money - still glad I didn't pay a solicitor! Lady in phoenix House who did the appointment was lovely) and then 18 months from date of death for the inquest! Unbelievable as a taxpayer to have to pander that long to Govt bodies for something straightforward. (At inquest medical report which was carried out on day of death citing cause of death was read out and verdict given - took 18 months to get to a courthouse to hear it read out... nonsense)
 
Not sure how they are able to get away with it and don't understand why some new hires aren't added to the team. Surely it would help clear the back-log
 
johnc2017 said:
Not sure how they are able to get away with it and don't understand why some new hires aren't added to the team. Surely it would help clear the back-log
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With a solicitor as Minister of Justice now it's unlikely he'll increase qualified staff in Personal Applications Section. In fact I think it was after he became Minister the staff was reduced down to just one person handling the appointments.
 
Prosper said:
With a solicitor as Minister of Justice now it's unlikely he'll increase qualified staff in Personal Applications Section. In fact I think it was after he became Minister the staff was reduced down to just one person handling the appointments.
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There are a number of staff handling personal appointments.Are you seriously suggesting that the minister reduced staff to give his legal friends a helping hand.
 
lukas888 said:
There are a number of staff handling personal appointments.
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There is only one person dealing with personal probate interviews/appointments. When I had a Sale Agreed on the family home back in June, I went in to the probate office to sound them out on an expedite in the event of Sale contracts being signed. I was told that, as there was now one person handling personal applications, they couldn't promise anything. The appointment took 5 weeks longer to arrive than the upper limit lead time I was officially given in writing back in January. So rather than the expected shortened lead time due to signed Sale contracts, the lead time to appointment lengthened. The appointment was last Friday and the Grant arrived in the post this morning, which proves to me that the staff in the probate office don't hang about. Also, what was told to me back in June was also said to me now i.e. there's only one person handling probate interviews/appointments.
lukas888 said:
Are you seriously suggesting that the minister reduced staff to give his legal friends a helping hand
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One possible reason for this state of affairs is that the Minister responsible, in the middle of a housing crisis, doesn't appear to mind that a staff deficit in the Personal Applications section is resulting in houses remaining vacant while people wait almost a year for probate. The situation has to have been brought to his attention, but as to the reason for his inaction or the reason for the staff shortage - I don't know the answer.
 
I also brought a personal probate application last January/ February and dealt with different personnel on a number of visits where queries arose.
I fully accept what you say about the current staff shortage
 
Yes there are a number of other staff dealing with desk queries but there's only one dealing with the appointments.
 
"
New
Just received a letter today confirming there is 9 month delay in processing Personal probate applications. This is absolutely shocking. I've gone through a similar process in the UK and it took about 6-8 weeks in total. "

That is indeed shocking.. You be guaranteed though. if you owed the Government tax, they would give you a deadline to pay by, and charge you interest if you were late....
 
johnc2017 said:
Just received a letter today confirming there is 9 month delay in processing Personal probate applications. This is absolutely shocking.
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Use a solr to handle probate application. If they get the info for the Revenue Affidavit from you quickly and lodge it promptly with probate office then, based on what others have said above, it's bound to be a lot faster to get probate granted.
 
Julius said:
Use a solr to handle probate application. If they get the info for the Revenue Affidavit from you quickly and lodge it promptly with probate office then, based on what others have said above, it's bound to be a lot faster to get probate granted.
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Unfortunately I have already lodged my application. Its a very non-complex case that just involves bank accounts, so hiring a solicitor seemed unnecessary and wasteful. Laughable that using one somehow gets your application processed quicker and shows what a sham the whole process is.
 
Prosper said:
Did you go the personal probate route in the UK or did you use a solicitor?
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I went through the personal route, it's a lot easier, which has been highlighted recently in a report by a life insurance company on the impact of these long delays.
 
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