Genealogy Chat

Does anyone know how long after placing an order you would expect to wait to receive a copy of a Will and Probate. I visited the London Chancery Lane Probate Office on 11th April and ordered a Will and have not received it yet.

Thanks

The ones Ive ordered have taken between 2 and 4 weeks

Recently, one took 21 working days. However, after that, I ordered one from one of the other probate offices (not London), and it arrived just over a week later.

i sent off for one on the 18th april....Nothing yet.....
:-(

Thanks Joy-Kentish Maid, Cane and Ginny. Soulds like I am not the only one waiting in vane.

I have decided to write (as was unable to get a reply on the various telephone numers on the website) so hopefully that will gee them up

Many thanks

Sue

Do you know for certain that a PROVED Will exists?

Well, I dare say you will find out if there is a will or not...they will write and tell you either way

I'm not sure Flick what a proved or proven will means? Does this mean something other than a straight forward will?

Ginny

If a Will does not go to Probate, it is not proved - or proven.

In which case, there is no record of it at a Probate Office, and a copy cannot be supplied.

'They' do not notify applicants if a Will is not found.........

Hope this is helpful

I last went to the Chancery Lane Probate Office about three months ago. I handed in my form and picked up the Will 2 hours later. I'm sure you can always do that.

It's what the "Heir Hunters" do.

Thanks for all your additional comments everyone

I wrote to York and asked what the delay was in sending the Will had ordered and upon my return from holiday , there was the Will!!ot sure if they just needed a gentle reminder or if they normally take this long.

Flick

Does that mean if you wrote a will yourself and it didnt go to the authorities?

Sorry for sounding dumb....that would make sense for a couple of wills in my family. Written but not on the official records

When a person writes a Will, it is usually lodged with the Solicitor who draws it up, with the person writing it having a copy. Or, if the person does it without a Solicitor, he/she keeps the original.

When the person dies, the Will may or may not go to probate.

Simple, straightforward Wills often do not go to probate............even more complicated ones, if no-one involved actually asks for probate......

I can tell you what happened in my husband's case, to illustrate the point (I hope)

He died in 2009 - his Will was clear and unambiguous.........none of the parties involved requested that probate be applied for..........by that, I mean, his Bank, his Insurance Company, and his Pension Provider. And that, I thought, was that.........

Some months later, an Insurance Company against which, at the time of his death, he had been pursuing a claim for compensation, came up with a settlement offer.

On being advised of his demise, they insisted on Probate being applied for..........so now, instead of my having his original Will, it is in the keeping of the Probate office in Winchester, and is in the public domain.

Hi All

Just seen this post re Probate - I thought that if the total 'estate' left by a person, (with or without a will being written), was valued at over £5,000 then the executor (or the relatives sorting out the deceased's affairs) had to apply for Probate, through a local court. Only then can you start sorting out the person's bank accounts, insurance policies, etc.

I think it goes by the value of the estate, so if sums of money accruing to the estate reach over the fixed value, none of the money can be released till you get the letter of Probate.

That's what happened when my Dad died in 2002, but that amount could have been altered by now.

Just thought, does this mean we can only get copies of wills where large estates are left? That is, only those that have 'gone to probate'??

Think we need Jonesy here!

Vicki X X X

Well, Vicki, I thought I'd explained very clearly....Wills which do not go to Probate are NOT in the public domain.

Obviously, I didn't explain clearly enough, so I'll try again, and hope I can make it straightforward enough to understand.

Q. Where do you apply for a copy of a Will?

A. At a Probate Office.

If a Will does not go to Probate, how do you imagine the Probate Office would have the Will?

Using my own case (as already outlined above) as the illustration, when my husband died, I had the Will in my possession, and it wasn't until several months later, when one Insurance Company decided to be awkward, that Probate had to be applied for. It was at that stage that the Will went to the Probate Office.

If they had not been so b****y-minded, I would still have the Will in MY possession.....

I hope that I have now made it clear enough for you.................