Probate & Estate Management Solicitors

It is never easy when someone close to you passes away, and the prospect of dealing with someone’s affairs as a personal representative can be particularly stressful when you are grieving.

When someone passes away there are a number of things which need to be carried out. These include registering the death within the appropriate time limit, securing any assets, arranging the funeral, settling any debts and applying for the grant of probate or grant of letters of administration.

At Glanvilles, our friendly probate solicitors want to make this time as straightforward as possible for you. We can handle the entirety of the probate and estate administration process on your behalf so that you can focus on taking care of yourself and your family.

We have been awarded the Law Society Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme accreditation for our consistent high levels of advice and personal service in the area of probate and estate administration.

Get in touch with our probate solicitors in West Sussex and Hampshire by giving us a call at your local branch in Chichester, Fareham, Havant or Petworth. Alternatively, you can fill in our online enquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch shortly.

How our probate solicitors can help

We understand that every individual is different and needs a different level of support. We can help with:

Obtaining the Will and lodging it at the local probate registry
Applying for the grant of probate (if there is a valid Will) or letters of administration (if there is no valid Will)
Ensuring the correct amount of Inheritance Tax is paid and/or filing the tax return at HMRC
Providing advice on your role and responsibilities as an executor
Carrying out aspects of your role on your behalf
Handling contested probate matters, such as inheritance claims and challenges to the validity of a Will
Contesting probate where there is no valid will

How else can we help?

Glanvilles can assist executors and, if appointed under a Will, we can act as executor and deal with a wide range of estates. We understand that every estate is different. Whether it contains a variety of assets and trusts or simply comprises a property and perhaps a bank account, we are happy to assist.

How does probate work?

If there is a valid Will

If the deceased left a Will, there will be one or more executors who have been appointed to administer the estate.

We understand that applying for probate can be a complicated process and so we offer various options for assisting with the application for grant of probate and with the ongoing administration of the estate.

If a Will does exist, the Executors may need to apply for the grant of probate depending on which assets were held by the deceased and how they held them. For example, if a property is owned as tenants in common between the deceased and their surviving spouse, grant of probate is required in order to transfer the property into the sole name of the survivor. This is also the case for properties in the sole name of the deceased which pass to the survivor under the Will. Also, some financial institutions (such as banks and building societies) may require probate to release funds over a certain amount to the executor, even if it is stipulated in the Will that funds are to pass to a particular beneficiary.

Issues can arise where there are disagreements between executors or where the executors are unwilling or unable to act. We can also provide advice if a situation such as this appears likely to arise in your case. Wherever possible, we can anticipate and avoid disputes. We also have a specialist contested probate service for where issues do arise.

If there is not a valid Will

If someone passes away without leaving a valid Will, the intestacy rules will apply. There are a number of situations where this can arise:

If the deceased did not make a Will;
If the deceased made a Will but it was later revoked or cancelled;
If the deceased made an invalid Will.

Who completes the process when someone passes away without a Will is determined by an order set out in legislation, this will depend upon who has survived the deceased. This person is called the ‘personal representative’ or ‘administrator’.

The personal representative must apply for the grant of letters of administration. This gives the personal representative the legal right to administer the estate, once the probate has been granted

Our Wills, Trusts & Probate team are experienced in dealing with applications for probate and dealing with the administration of an estate. We are happy to guide you through the process, whether you simply require help with the probate application, or whether you would like assistance with administering the estate as well.