Probate Services
Sutton Coldfield
Dealing with the loss of a loved one can be difficult, let us ease the burden of dealing with their estate.
Our Probate Services
We understand that dealing with probate can feel overwhelming, especially at this sad and difficult time.
We offer two clear, flexible probate services, allowing you to choose the level of support that’s right for you.
Grant Only Service
This service is ideal for executors who are comfortable handling the estate themselves but want expert legal support where it matters most.
We prepare and submit the HMRC account (if needed) and prepare the application to the Probate Registry, helping you secure the Grant of Probate quickly and correctly, while you remain in control of the administration.
Full Administration Service
For those who want complete peace of mind, our Full Administration Service handles the entire probate process on your behalf.
We manage the legal, financial, and administrative work from start to finish, removing stress, reducing risk, and saving you valuable time.
Our Full Administration Service includes:-
- Clear, practical guidance so you understand your responsibilities without being overwhelmed
- Identifying and valuing all estate assets accurately
- Preparing and submitting inheritance tax and probate documentation
- Applying for and obtaining the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration
- Paying outstanding debts, expenses, and liabilities correctly and on time
- Managing estate funds securely through a dedicated estate account
- Preparing detailed estate accounts for beneficiaries
- Distributing assets efficiently and in line with the will or intestacy rules
- Ongoing communication, updates, and support throughout the process
By choosing our Full Administration Service, you gain the confidence of knowing everything is being handled professionally, compliantly, and with care. We work proactively to avoid delays, prevent disputes, and ensure the estate is settled as smoothly as possible.
If you’re unsure which service is right for you, we can discuss the options with you and recommend the most suitable option.
Contested Probate
If you want to dispute a Will or the distribution of an Estate under The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 or due to concerns as to the testators capacity or undue influence at the time the Will was made, then please contact us to discuss your case.
We will advise you on the merits of any application you have and guide you through the legal process. We offer an initial fixed fee appointment to assess your claim.
Some common concerns surrounding probate are:
- Contesting the Will of a loved one
- If you are involved in a dispute over how a Will should be put into place
- If your loved one has passed away without leaving behind a Will
- If you are an Executor of a Will
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Probate Services FAQs
What is probate?
Probate is the legal right to deal with property, money and possessions (called their ‘estate’) of a person who has died.
Probate is the process of proving that a will is valid (if one exists) and confirming who has the authority to administer the estate of the person who has died.
If the person who has died left a Will, it will name someone that they have appointed to administer their estate. This person is known as the executor of the Will. Before the executor named in the Will can collect in, sell, transfer or distribute the estate they might have to apply for a grant of probate.
Do I need probate?
You do not always need probate. If the size of the estate is small, i.e. there is no property and less than £5,000 in the bank, probate might not be required.
If you are dealing with anything other than a very small or simple estate, it’s likely that you will need to apply for probate. This is especially likely to be the case if the person who has died was single, or if their spouse or civil partner died before them.
You will definitely need to apply for probate if you need to sell property on behalf of the estate or where the banks/organisations the person who died held accounts with inform you that they will need to see the grant of probate before releasing funds.
What are executors?
The person who has to carry out the steps in the probate process is the executor.
Usually, the deceased will have named this person in their Will, and they can choose up to four people to share the responsibility.
Incidentally, this is why it’s always important to choose an executor (and to make a Will in the first place), because the next of kin won’t necessarily the best person to take on this responsibility.
Do I have to pay inheritance tax?
There is normally no Inheritance Tax to pay if the value of the estate is below the £325,000 threshold, if the person who has died leaves everything above the £325,000 threshold to their spouse, civil partner, a charity.
How long does probate take?
The probate process takes around a year on average, from the date of the person’s death to the estate being distributed.
It may take less time, but even simple estates usually take a minimum of six months to complete probate.
Do I need a solicitor?
You are free to apply for a grant of probate on your own or to engage a solicitor to handle the application for you.
For simple estates where you feel you can manage the winding-up process yourself, you might feel confident about applying without specialist help. However, in many other cases you may want extra support as the process involves a considerable amount of paperwork, so you will need to be comfortable dealing with legal, tax and other administrative work.
If you are responsible for administering a more complicated estate, it often makes sense to work with an experienced probate solicitor. This includes high value estates, estates including foreign property or assets, estates that involve trusts, or estates where there is uncertainty regarding the Will.