Solicitors and wills

[pedderwo]

My grandmother died peacefully in August last year. She was 99 and in a care home. She has left a will and the estate is worth about �4000.00. My mother and her 3 siblings all know they will not benefit a great deal financially and none of them are worried about that but the solicitor seems to be dragging heels sorting things out. My Grandmother had a small sum of shares, we are talking about a couple of hundred pounds worth. The solicitor had said from day one that it will not take long to sort out. They have provided a list of costs for writing letters, meetings, phone calls etc etc, My mum , in her seventies herself, is worried that they are just trying to build up the costs. They are telling her that they are dealing with the inland revenue.

My questions are. can anyone tell me what the procedure should be? and also;- Do you think she needs to get another solicitor involved?

[dzug]

To get another solicitor involved would be throwing good money after bad.

I don't think they are dragging it out to increase fees - I think they are dragging it out because it's too small to be bothered with. If it's as simple as you say, 3 months max is what it should have taken.

Unless the will named the solicitor, this is something you could have dealt with yourselves anyway. Probably without even going to probate.

[WendyS]

I suggest your mother writes to the solicitor asking specifically what is holding up settling the estate and telling him that she is very unhappy with the tardy manner in which the Will has been handled. Get your mother to issue a deadline by which she wants everything cleared and say that in view of the time that has already passed, she will complain to the Law Society. Advice your mother to request a reply to her letter within seven days.