The executors get grant of probate, which is only granted after HMRC have had a first lot of inheritance tax paid; a sum will be calculated for that (on a house any inheritance tax is payable in 10 annual instalments). The house won't be the beneficiary's until grant of probate, when it is the executors' to transfer in accordance with the will. Even if the estate is quite complicated, the grant can usually be obtained fairly quickly, once the Revenue have had their first chunk of tax. The delays are generally in the years to follow, with arguments about what is and is not taxable and for how much, sorting out companies the deceased owned and so on.