Probate

The pain of losing a loved one, be it family member or friend, is hard enough before taking on the task of administering their estate. Being named executor of a Will and receiving a grant of probate is a great deal of responsibility, and often handling the estate and dividing the assets alone can be complex and distressing, especially if you are in the process of grieving.

Download our guide with steps on how to deal with probate here.

Download our administering an estate leaflet here.

For this reason, many find it beneficial to seek professional assistance from a trusted probate solicitor who can either offer partial input and advice or essentially administer the estate under instruction from the client. Using an experienced probate solicitor can make the probate process much simpler and less stressful for you, while giving you the peace of mind that all of the legal details are being handled correctly.

Fishers team of knowledgeable probate solicitors have vast experience in dealing with a range of estates, and can provide a tailored service depending on the level of assistance you require. We regularly work with all sorts of people, including those who require specialist support, such as people with dementia and other vulnerable people.

Get in touch with our expert probate solicitors in Tamworth and Ashby de la Zouch

For further information regarding any of probate services, or to arrange an initial appointment, please contact your nearest Fishers office or complete our enquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch.

If you have been named as the executor of a Will, have a relative who has died without leaving a Will, need to contest a Will, or have any other issue relating to Wills and probate, please get in touch with our specialist probate solicitors in Tamworth or Ashby de la Zouch today.

Our probate services in Tamworth & Ashby de la Zouch

We offer a comprehensive probate service for people in Ashby de la Zouch and Tamworth, as well as throughout the rest of Leicestershire, Staffordshire and the surrounding area.

Our probate services include:

• Assisting with probate and administration
• Notifying organisations of the death
• Obtaining the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration
• Reading the Will and distribution of the estate
• Disputes against an Estate or Will (Contentious Probate)

The benefits of using a specialist probate solicitor

Trusting a specialist with your loved one’s estate is highly beneficial in ensuring that all loose ends are tied up; as executors will be held personally liable for all mistakes, deliberate or accidental. As thorough as you may be, our expert probate solicitors have many years experience dealing with estates both simple and complex, and will be at hand to help speed up the process and resolve any disputes that may arise along the way.

Why choose Fishers for your probate?

We understand how confusing and emotionally draining dealing with probate can be, especially at an already difficult time. That’s why we are committed to offering a sensitive but practical approach to handling your probate, making sure the process moves ahead in as straightforward and stress-free a way as possible.

Our team includes members of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE), ensuring that we have the specialist expertise to handle your probate effectively while adhering to the strictest professional standards. Our team also includes a specialist Dementia Friend, part of an initiative by the Alzheimer’s Society aimed at giving insight and support for those living with dementia.

Fishers is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Frequently Asked Questions about probate

What happens if the person did not leave a Will?

If the deceased did not leave a Will or named no executors in the Will, the family member or friend who takes on the estate will have to apply for ‘letters of administration’ in order to legally be allowed to administer the estate. This is something that our probate solicitors can assist you with.

If this is the case, the assets of the estate will be distributed according to the rules of intestacy, which means the law will decide who will inherit. If the person has a living spouse, then they will automatically inherit all the personal belongings of the deceased as well as the first £270,000 from the estate, or all of the estate if the deceased had no children.

What if there are several executors named in the Will?

If all executors named in the Will wish to administer the estate, then up to four executors will be able to apply for the grant of probate. Of these four executors, it is possible to act jointly in administering the estate, reaching agreements together on important decisions.

The issue with this approach is either that disputes may arise between executors or that executors will not always be living in the same area. Either way, it tends to lengthen out the process. Another approach in this situation is for the executors to decide amongst themselves who will lead the process.

This can be decided based on their line of work, level of expertise in the field or perhaps the executor who was closest to the deceased. Alternatively, the multiple executors can instruct a solicitor to provide legal advice and handle all the paperwork.

How long does the process take?

It all depends on the complexity of the estate, but for the average estate the process should only take around 6-9 months. In cases where there are complications, for example delays in obtaining valuations for assets or if the deceased’s financial situation was not straightforward, it can take up to a couple of years.

We recommend that in any case you instruct a legal professional who is experienced in estate administration to advise and assist you, as it will usually result in a smoother and shorter process.