Category Archives: Probate

Wills and probate – proper regulation of non-qualified providers on the way

By Tim Bishop | Published: April 24, 2012

Good news on Tuesday from the Legal Services Board [the regulator created recently by Legal Services Act, which is responsible for regulating the provision of legal services nationwide]. The LSB currently oversees a range of legal services regulators, which in turn, are themselves responsible for the regulation of individual law firms and lawyers. For example, [...]

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Alternative business structures – the first three are revealed

By Tim Bishop | Published: March 30, 2012

Groundbreaking news yesterday when the SRA (the Solicitors Regulation Authority whose role, up until now, has simply been to regulate Solicitors) revealed the identities of the first three businesses to become alternative business structures (ABSs) authorised by the SRA. This follows the grant of the first ABS licence last October, when Premier Property Lawyers were [...]

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YouGov survey on probate services

By Tim Bishop | Published: March 20, 2012

A recent YouGov survey published earlier in the year by the Legal Services Board makes interesting reading. Amongst its findings was the discovery that 86% of those people using professional probate services actually use specialist probate solicitors. Therefore the unregulated market for probate is relatively small in comparison with the market for non-solicitor will writers [...]

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Frequently asked questions about making Wills

By Tim Bishop | Published: March 19, 2012

Where should I store my Will? In a secure place at any Probate Registry in England and Wales, the Principal Registry Office of the Family Division, the Bank (some offer secure storage facilities for an annual fee of £10.00 to £25.00), with Probate solicitors (some solicitors – like us – do not charge for secure storage [...]

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Understanding The Role Of The Executor

By Tim Bishop | Published: December 23, 2011

Acting as the executor for a will is not something to be undertaken lightly. It’s a critically important role, carrying a great deal of responsibility. If you’re appointing an executor for your will, or if you’ve been named as somebody’s executor, then you need to understand exactly what’s required. 1. Naming an executor Most executors [...]

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Warning on DIY Estate Planning

By Tim Bishop | Published: November 14, 2011

While there is nothing to stop anyone doing their own estate planning or seeking advice from other sources it is still advisable to use the services of specialist wills and probate solicitors. While solicitors are still used by most of the public to advise on inheritance tax and making financial gifts, an increasing number of [...]

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Probate and how Assets are distributed

By Tim Bishop | Published: October 27, 2011

The role of probate is to distribute your assets to those named in your will following your death. In the absence of any will those assets will be distributed by the UK probate court in line with the so-called “intestacy rules”. The distribution of the assets contained in your estate will be handled by the [...]

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Your will and the appointments you need to make

By Tim Bishop | Published: October 25, 2011

When preparing your will, you will need to give thought to 3 sets of people that you may need to appoint to deal with the probate of your estate • Executors – your executors are those responsible for ensuring that your will is followed and your property collected together, debts paid and assets distributed in [...]

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6 simple steps to Probate

By Tim Bishop | Published: August 26, 2011

When a loved one dies, it is an extremely stressful time. In addition to this, it can also be complicated to make the necessary arrangements such as registering their death and organising the funeral. The following simple probate guide should help:  1.  Register the death The deceased’s GP or the doctor at the hospital will give [...]

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Fixed-Fee Probate Services Combat Rip-Off Bank Charges

By Tim Bishop | Published: August 11, 2011

Who would wish to see the value of a deceased friend or loved one’s estate diminish substantially?  Sadly, many are forced to stand by and watch this happen, falling foul of the extortionate UK probate fees charged by high street banks, because they are either unaware of the fees involved or make the assumption that [...]

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