Probate - Diy?

[yelenots]

My Mother has just passed away at Xmas and I have her property to sell. It is already up for sale as I had power of attorney but now I have been told I need to get probate??

Has anyone applied for probate without going through a solicitor? Is it easy to do?

Thanks.

[shoota]

Yes, I did, it's a bit of a faff but easy enough.
There are plenty of 'how to' guides around and I, a hater of paperwork, had no problems.
Save your money, do it yourself.

[dzug2]

The Power of Attorney is defunct and can no longer be used.

Probate is easy enough without a solicitor - at least with simple estates. You will not be able to sell the house without it.

It's really just a question of gathering information and filling in forms.

[gness]

Yes! Very, very easy and no need to go through a solicitor. They are very expensive for doing something you can do so easily yourself.

Just get the forms and settle down with a cuppa and fill them in.

If you use a solicitor you will have to find out all the information to give to them anyway....which seems daft to me.

[Peter Pedant]

No do it yourself
agree shoo'a

Lots of threads and advice
a lots of us have done it ourselves without losing sanity

[tamborine]

Fill in forms here

http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/probate/obtain-probate

[woofgang]

yes definitely possible to do yourself. take your time and don't try to do too much at one go.

[yelenots]

Sounds easy then! I'll have a look tomorrow...... Thanks x

[FredPuli43]

I assume that you are an executor or administrator too. You will find "What to do when someone dies" published by Which? extremely helpful and easy to understand, if so.

Getting the probate itself is easy, as is administering a simple estate. You can do both without a solicitor. It's only when matters are complicated that you really need a professional.

[yelenots]

Yes, I am the executor and I have sorted all her finances out it is just her property that I have been told I need probate for. She only left a small estate.

[factor-fiction]

As others have said, it should be easy. I've done it several times without problems. If you pay a solicitor you'll still have to dig out much of the information/paperwork so won't save much work but it will cost money.

[factor-fiction]

If she has a property, though, it won't be considered a small estate- full probate will be needed

[bednobs]

As factor says the house will be considered part of the estate and will almost certainly take you over the amount so that you have to get probate even if the council are takig the money back for care home fees. It is easy though.

[jake-the-peg]

Just finished doing this for my father

Sounds like a simple case you should be easilly up to doing it - just a case of filling in a few forms.

You have to swear an oath (very quaint I know) most solicitors will do it for a few pounds.

You have to value the estate and you'll get a grant of probabate for an amount in that sort of range. That will allow you to disperse assets as per the will (I'm presuming there is one - if not there's some other questions)

That's basically how they check up on death duties when you get access to bank accounts sell houses etc that amount is reported back to stop you saying that your millionaire relative only had twenty grands worth of assets.

As others have said your power of attorney ceased when she died.

You'll find banks vary significantly in how efficient they are in these situations - I found HSBC very good Santander less so.

It should be pretty easy come back if you have questins there are a lot of people that can help there's absolutely no need to pay solicitors thousands of pounds to do this

[yelenots]

Thanks for your replies.
I have dealt with her bank account/policies etc. without the need for probate as they weren't much and the bank was happy just to see the death cert and Will. However, because she has a retirement flat apparently I need it for that so I can sell it - I've looked into it today and printed off the necessary forms so i'll give it a go!
Anything to save a bit of money :-)