Probate company help/advice please

If you're not comfortable with who is a named contact then I would get it changed before anything is signed or agreed.

I would have thought an executor would have been the point of contact.

We went to the probate office, and dealt with it ourselves. My sister and I were executors and no one else was involved. So DHs DC etc had zero to do with it.

If there is a house to sell, investments, debt and inheritance tax to be managed most would need a solicitor to get it all sorted out properly.

It is the Executors that are responsible and they can choose whatever professional help they need, it may well be the Co-op are capable of doing a good job, whoever does it don’t expect it to be quick there is a 2 yr time limit.

Katie thank you I didn't know it was a 2 year limit.
I have no issue with using someone but as executors would have thought it would have to be us they contact not brother's partner. I gave permission for them to speak to him not her.

I would have thought you were right. A probate co. should surely be dealing with the executors, not just anybody. Personally I’d contact the Coop and say that as an executor you need to to be an officially named contact who will be kept fully informed.

Have you asked your brother why you weren’t consulted?

We were asked to give permission to speak to my brother and in writing which I did but all the log in is in his partners email and date of birth. That's why I was suspicious

I seem to think that only one person can apply for probate.

Myself and brother are both executors to a will but only one of us can apply for probate. Not sure if that's any help.

Up to four can apply for probate. The person the correspondence is addressed to is not an executor in our case.

It does seem very strange that a non-related partner of a sibling is named.

Why do you not ask your brother why this lady is the contact and then insist, unless the reason is very good, that her name be replaced as contact and that copies of all correspondance, emails etc must go to each sibling and anyone named as being responsible for anything in the will, must be a sibling.

If you can afford it, pay for a half-hour interview with a solicitor, any solicitor, as long as they specialise in wills and probate, and explain your concern.

You could also go to your local Citizens Advice office and they have people who may be able to help you.

But I do agree, with a will like this to have a non-family member as prime contact, sounds odd. A family member wanting a partner to deal with the issue on their behalf is one thing, prime contact is something else.

Oliversnana don’t assume there is anything underhand, your mother could just have added the name on a whim, now you just need to be quite firm that it is the executors are the point of contact.
The executors provide the probate company with all the information, pay all debts and expenses and make sure the estate is distributed, it is a legal responsibility. Executors are able to claim reasonable expenses to cover the time it takes, if they wish to do so.
There are a lot of complicated rules about inheritance and taxation not to mention, tensions within the family over bequests. Unless it is straightforward as a “mirror will” or a very small estate would be, a professional will save you a lot of extra stress.

I recently become the Executor to my late Father, and as per his instructions in his will, appointed a Solicitor to help with the legal side of things, including dealing with HMRC, Probate, and the sale of his property. Previously, My step brother had dealt with his Mother’s side of the estate, and had unfortunately made a few mistakes in doing so which were time consuming and costly to put right.
I’m so Glad that we chose to use the Solicitor, his service was excellent, he knew all the local services from the Estate agents to the House clearence company, completely took on the responsibility for dealing with all the financial affairs such as paying out utility bills, and the costs of legal fees and tax’s directly from the estate. This is something that an out of town company, or someone inexperienced at being an executor may well struggle with, his costs were reasonable and deducted directly without the executors having to pay anything out of their own pocket, IMHO he was well worth the money we paid him.

Thank you for your replies everyone. I do think it will be easier for a solicitor to help as there a couple of charging orders against the property from my dad. It is a mirror will and to be fair both my siblings work full time.
If my brother wishes his partner to be his contact that is fine but feel my DS and I should also be on the contacts. That is why i was concerned My DB partner knew more of the debt than mt siblings, I too knew there were financial problems but DM had paid most of it.

I' ve messaged the account manager to get more details. thank you all

It was a mirror will when father died, now it has all got to be wound up completely and gets complicated.

Mum passed away in July. She did have a mirror will with Dad but he died 6 years ago.
My sister and my husband were joint executors.
We filled in form in just in my husband name, sent via email, paid the fee it was acknowledged saying it can take up to 6 weeks , then believe it or not 15 mins later it will Granted!
So if its not too complicated do it yourself.

I would try Kings Court Trust in Bristol to deal with the probate process. its a fixed fee like the Coop, but far cheaper. they are a specialist in probate

Or try Farewill, they also offer a fixed price service

My sister and I were the contacts for the solicitors handling my Mum’s will, with agreement from the other beneficiaries as one executor had died, the second declined the position. So we were copied on paperwork/emails etc with me as primary contact. Probate took about 9 months, inheritance tax had to be paid within 6 months, the majority of the inheritance was distributed after 10 months. The solicitors are the ones our parents used, Mum was predeceased, mirror wills.

Almost the same as Jaxjacky- time wise.
Executor was the solicitor but anyone could have done the probate. One of the beneficiaries wanted to do it but rest were happy with the solicitor. It got complicated but the cost was very reasonable.

Thank again for your replies. The probate was only applied for last month and could take 10 weeks.
My brother's partner doesn't pass on any information. There was an issue with the first account manager to which the "sil" put in a complaint on our behalf unbeknown to me that there was even an issue.
I have since found out that she was contacted about inheritance tax but wasn't told about this until I ask for an update. They didn't insure the house until I sorted it and am now paying for it.then my sister almost had a break down as noone had sorted the house sale.
My brother makes very little effort to communicate with us. I have got the house sale moving and my sister has paid the deposit for the conveyancers no offer to share costs from our brother. I also noted on paper work that was left of the life insure was to be paid to my brother to be split 3 ways but I haven't heard anything about that either. Really fed up with I'd done this myself as all the coop are going to do is distribute the money and pay the utilizes as the conveyancers do the rest.
Sorry bit of a rant.