Probate - do you have recent experience?

26 months after my father’s death and 23 months after my mother’s their so-called simple Wills still haven’t been finalised. And that’s with employing solicitors to execute the Wills!
Awful and unacceptable.

Perhaps their estates weren’t so simple after all, Blue. Unkind to say awful and unacceptable without the details.

BlushingSheep

I don't understand why my experience shows that probate is so much longer than everyone else's.
There's me thinking that a year was a standard length of time, but clearly not.
Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what probate means, in that we gave all the info to the solicitor, and a few weeks later she told us that everything had 'gone to probate' but perhaps she meant that everyone who needed one had a copy of the deed of probate.
All I know is that it took a while before everything was sorted out and received.
It's a bit depressing that we're having to go through it all again so soon.

It seems from hearing what other people have to say that straight forward probate is a lot quicker on line than in the hands of solicitors. I may be wrong but it is definitely the impression I have got.

Yes I would agree doing it on line seems to be quicker as the online form seemed to do most of the work. Dh did it all on line and had to ring the probate office once as mil had a trust fund set up. Person in probate office was really helpful so even that didn’t cause problem. Others folk seem to have more of an issue.

My Mum died in September 2019, her estate went through probate and was dispersed by November 2020. It was handled by a solicitor with a final bill of £7k. Considering this was through Covid we were satisfied.

£7k solicitors bill for sorting probate ? That can not be right, I employed a solicitor for DH'S estate and it cost me £ 450.

Your solicitor’s charge is incredibly low harrigran.

The estate had complex investments; bonds, shares and life policies harrigran.

I went to probate for a small amount of money that I was entitled to from from late husband ... not that much but had to do it ... my cousin helped me to fill in the forms, can't remember how much, I gave her £50 for helping me ... if I had gone through a solicitor would have cost about £1K I think as just over 6 years ago , not too sure but £7K is extortionate ! Also no where near 1 year ... perhaps a month or two ... not that long at all ... perhaps with the cost & how long some are taking perhaps more complicated & complex

Jaxjacky has explained the complexities Beautful. It sounds as though a lot of work was needed. Remember solicitors have studied for years to qualify and are entitled to a decent income, they have to keep up to date which costs money, they have to be insured and to pay for an annual practising certificate (not cheap), have office overheads and staff to pay and there is a compulsory 20% vat on top of their fees.