Probate delays have decreased, with the average time for the application process reducing from 14 weeks last July to 9.3 weeks this July, according to HM Courts & Tribunals Service figures published this month
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said the improvement was ‘promising, but more should be done.
‘Delays to the probate service can be devastating for families and loved ones during their time of grief.’
STEP, the professional body for probate practitioners and inheritance advisors, says probate ideally should be granted within 28 days of application.
In January, STEP published a survey of its members in which 100% of respondents said they had experienced a case of a cancelled house sale due to probate delays. Respondents said they advised their clients to expect at least a nine-month wait.
