What is probate?

Probate is a term used to describe the legal and financial structure for dealing with inherited assets. Use our guide to probate to give you a better understanding! Selling a house without probate can be difficult so use our guide to help sell your home. This will set out how the deceased person assets will be distributed. If someone named in a will would like to sell an asset or transfer anything, they probably have to apply for probate. If there is no will, the law will decide who receives each asset. Once probate is in place, you can move onto to dealing with the assets in any way you deem fit.   

When do you need probate?

Probate is a difficult thing to navigate. It can be hard to know when required if this is your first time selling a probate property. Usually required if the person that passed owned property, land or house. If anyone asks you for a Grant Probate or a Letter of administration, they are asking for probate. Probate may not be necessary if you had a connection (shares or jointly owned) to the deceased person’s assets. These will just be passed to you. If you have inherited some property, we recommend you go through a solicitor to see if probate is required on your property. 

How long does probate take?

In simple terms, probate is a document that binds you to the deceased assets. This gives you a legal right to the property, it will remain one of your personal assets unless you decide to sell it. Probate normally takes around 4-8 weeks providing there are no major complications. If you are looking to sell a property after probate, you may be better off choosing a company to provide a quick sale.

Is it difficult to apply for probate?

It is quite easy depending on the assets you are applying for probate for. You can usually apply quickly online. Click here for the governments website and advice about applying for probate. If you have any questions, we are not legal experts, but we will still be happy to assist you in any way we can. Don’t hesitate to contact us here!