Avery Associates

House Clearance & Probate Valuation Services


  • HOME
  • HOUSE CLEARANCE
    • Probate House Clearance
    • House Clearance
    • FAQ
    • Hoarder House Clearance
    • Garden Clearance
    • Charity Donations
    • Recycling
    • House Clearance Gallery
    • Our Locations
  • PROBATE VALUATIONS
    • PROBATE HELP
      • Probate Valuation Guide Fees & Advice
      • Probate House Clearance
      • Executor Assistance
      • Solicitor Assistance
      • Our Locations
    • Probate Valuation Explained
    • RICS Property Valuation
    • Classic Cars
    • Jewellery
    • Coins
    • Books
    • Stamps
    • Vintage Toys
    • Records
  • REVIEWS
  • NEWS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT

How to D.I.Y. and Do Probate Yourself

April 19, 2020 By Richard Farrell

It’s not the nicest thing in the world, but many of us will help sort out a deceased estate at some time in our lives. We prepared this article to open a window into the world of probate, which is what lawyers call paying debts and sharing proceeds with the heirs.

Your first step is to get permission from the government to sort things out. If there is no will, you apply for letters of representation to administer the estate in accordance with law. If there is a will, then the executor under it applies for a grant of probate and carries out the wishes of the deceased.

Is That Probate in a Nutshell? Not quite …

Yes it is. Except in Scotland they call it confirmation because it affirms the right of one or several people to close out the estate. In England and Wales there are three things to do in headline terms:

1… Identify all the assets

2… Settle any bills / debts

3… Pass the rest to the heirs

Not everybody needs to follow this process exactly. If the assets are all jointly owned with a married partner, then probate is unlikely to be necessary. Ask HM Revenue and Customs to confirm.

Probate or administration approval takes between one and two months. After that, the time to completion and dissolution of the estate depends on how complex it is. There’s a small £215 fee to apply for approval. If the estate is uncomplicated you may not need a solicitor or probate specialist, as the broad process is easy to understand.

Eight Steps to a Successful Probate Process

1…Register the death at the register office within whose remit the death occurred. You will require a medical certificate plus NHS card or marriage / birth certificate

2… Look for the deceased person’s will. Do this as soon you can. If you can’t find one, the deceased died intestate and their closest relatives will share the proceeds

3… Complete the paperwork for the probate / administration and inheritance tax. We plan to go into more detail about this a little later as it is quite complex

4… Tell everybody you can think about the death, especially government bodies, financial providers, and utility companies. You must arrange to settle accounts

5… Pay all money the deceased estate owes. Settle secured debt first, followed by funeral fees, then other debt. You may have to sell assets to finance this

6… Claim all life cover due, including that related to mortgage / loan insurance. As long as you know the provider, they should be able to track them down

7… Value the estate. You may need professional advice from a provider such as us, as you will be sharing the value between the heirs and you must be fair

8…Distribute the remainder of the estate between those heirs. If there is no will, follow the rules of intestacy. This means married partners and natural children come first

More Advice

If you decide to appoint a probate adviser to help you instead, give us a call on 0800 567 7769, or 0208 640 00 44 if using mobile. You can also write to admin@averyassociates.co.uk whichever suits you best.

Further Reading

My Uncle Left Me £150,000 Can I Demand It Right Away?

Preserve Your Property after Death with a Life Interest Trust

Related

Filed Under: Chattels Valuation, Probate Valuation

Our House Clearance Services

We provide a full house clearance and property management solution:

  • We clear hoarded houses, regardless how big or how cluttered
  • We clear all types and sizes of property, irrespective of location, or access is restricted or where parking is difficult or not available.
  • We can help avoid water damage by draining the central heating system.
  • We can secure the property and change the locks.
  • We can reinstate the gardens and maintain them whilst the property is empty.
  • We can provide 24 hour security to eliminate the risk of squatting or unlawful occupation.

As well normal house clearances we specialise in clutter clearance and we can clear a hoarded house which may contain years of accumulated possessions, or which have abnormal amounts of general household items, sometimes as a result of compulsive hoarding syndrome.

Equally we can help to clear a property where the occupants were previously unwell and unable to care for themselves or their property which sometimes results in insanitary, dangerous or just plain unpleasant conditions.

More info

About Richard Farrell

What We Do

Get A Quick Quote

Client Reviews

Patrick Macavoy
May 20, 2022
 by Patrick Macavoy on Avery Associates
A Seamless Experience

I had my late mother's flat to clear out. The contact with AA was a pleasure from day one, starting with the receptionist. Jeffrey then came out to look... Read More

Jenny Schon
Dec 3, 2021
 by Jenny Schon on Avery Associates
Well done

This truly is a 'one stop shop' for all things relating to Probate valuations and clearance. Jeffrey is a 'facilitator' and full marks to him for finding... Read More

Kevin Anderson
Oct 26, 2021
 by Kevin Anderson on Avery Associates
Fantastic and Reliable

Our aunt was a recluse and hoarder. She died leaving two properties in London that were dilapidated and completely hoarded. Unfortunately, because everything... Read More

It was a pleasure to assist Kevin

Page 1 of 44:
«
 
‹
 
1
2
3
›
 
»
 

Share, Email or Print

Looking For Something?

Our Latest News & Advice

  • Tackling Litter Louts with Digital Maps in North Ireland
  • Certified Copies of Documents in England
  • Thought I Had Seen Everything Until I Visited Walsall


Avery Associates
291 Mitcham Rd
Tooting SW179JQ

Tel: 0800 567 7769 or 0208 640 0044

Services provided throughout London and the Home Counties. View our clearance case studies.


Website Terms | Privacy Policy | Sitemap | Copyright © 2005-2018 Avery Associates
Website Development by Avara Web Media