Applying for Probate

What do I do When Someone Dies?

Google Rating
5.0
Based on 159 reviews
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The loss of a friend or loved one can be a very stressful time with many people needing to be notified in the first few days.

In addition to the immediate tasks you need to attend to, such as arranging the funeral, there is a lot of paperwork to be dealt with and official documents which need to be completed over the next few weeks.

Let Us help

One of the duties you may have to undertake is applying for Probate. This can often be a complex and extremely time consuming process and needs attending to at a time when you may not feel able to perform this task.

Our preferred partner are experts in dealing with all aspects of Probate.

Their specialist Probate Team have a sympathetic and patient approach when dealing with bereaved relatives and will happily arrange a visit to discuss your requirements, in the comfort of your own home.

Our partners’ online system allows you to see the letters and documentation sent and received by the Probate team at any time and so, provides you with both up to date information and total transparency in all dealings.

Our partner provides a Fixed Fee Probate Service, which unlike Solicitors and many other Legal companies, usually charge an hourly rate, (typically from around £250 to £300 per hour), which is open ended, in addition to charging a fixed percentage of the gross estate value!!

This could be a considerable saving on the fees you would typically need to pay a High Street Bank or Solicitor

Some of our Google Reviews

Amazing team could not have done it without them.
Grace Kearns
Grace Kearns
1711487336
Excellent service from Charley on a non-standard building and contents insurance. She was prompt, and knowledgeable, and helped clarify various issues
Phenomenal service. I have and will recommend Frog Financial to everyone. Informative, helpful, great communication, so kind, and we really felt like the whole team cared about us. Took so much of the stress out of the process. We have no doubt that we will use Frog again! 🐸
Elena Prokopiou
Elena Prokopiou
1708805074
Arranged our mortgage deal and building insurance with Frog. They were really helpful throughout the whole process and we would have no hesitation at all recommending to others.
William Oakes
William Oakes
1708085925
Just the best, Greg helped me find a mortgage for my first property when other mortgage brokers couldn't find one to fit my needs. They were great answering any questions I had and helped me a lot throughout the house buying process. Also helped find and set up house insurance. Will be continuing to use them in the future and I highly recommend them.
K.K. Gres
K.K. Gres
1707130758
I was directed to Frog Financial in September 2018 and received excellent financial advice and general guidance. Since then I have requested them to investigate house insurance for me and have always signed up to the suggested policies.I would have no hesitation in suggesting they are approached by my friends to discuss their requirements.
Dave Shirvell
Dave Shirvell
1706109059
Charley was fantastic to work with. She was super efficient, working swiftly to find the best deal and to make it happen. I would be thrilled to recommend her and Frog Financial.
Jackie Samuel
Jackie Samuel
1705480246
The team at Frog did a stellar job of our remortgage, they took the stress out of the process with prompt, friendly and most importantly informative communication which made the whole process a breeze. We would not hesitate Frog to anyone. Thank you!
Lawrence Mills
Lawrence Mills
1705081739
I have been using Craig and Greg for 3 years and I have been very impressed with the service from Frog. The mortgage solutions that I required were fairly unusual and Greg was able to provide a bespoke service to suit my needs.
mark jordan
mark jordan
1704296797
Amazing financial service from Greg and his team.Really friendly, approachable and efficient. No waiting around for anythingGreat knowledge on helping me, they were also very patient and made the experience stress free. I will be recommending them to anyone needing help with mortgage /financial mattersFeel more secure now with help and advice given. Will be back again in 2 years
Amazing service...always a very professional and quick service. Would definitely recommend:)
Clare Over
Clare Over
1702496481
I had a great experience with Frog Financial Management. Right from the start Greg was super reassuring and knowledgeable. As first time buyers we had a lot of questions and the whole team were always on hand to answer them. Greg, Danni and Charley were beyond helpful, always responsive and got everything that we needed sorted out, which added some peace of mind to what can be a scary process!
Alice B
Alice B
1702387954
Frog Financial have been sourcing property finance for me for several years. Always on hand to offer advice in the ever changing and complex world of mortgages! Charley can also source competitive property insurance.
Ben
Ben
1700132135
Craig,Ruth and the team have been fantastic.After a bad experience with another advisor, I contacted Frog.From the start Craig explained exactly how he would apply for the mortgage.My application was not straightforward as I had been Ltd for only one year.Craig, Ruth and the Frog team were extremely persistent at getting me the mortgage and always kept me updated and informed ,even calling out of hours for some reassurance.They are very professional and genuinely nice people, and great at what they do.I cannot recommend them highly enough.
D Farrow
D Farrow
1699305350
Excellent service, very proactive and quick to source our insurance policy renewal options from the market. Would highly recommend them. Charley has been providing great service to us.
Girish BP
Girish BP
1699089350
I’ve used Frog Financial services for nearly 3 years in a row for my home contents insurance. Charley is beyond professional and helpful and is always willing to to go above and beyond with any questions I may have. I would high recommend their services!
AK
AK
1698947412
I have just used frog financial management for equity release. They were helpful and informative. They helped me every step keeping me well informed. Thankyou to all the team, I would definitely recommend them.
Mandy Kent
Mandy Kent
1695728117
I wouldn't go anywhere else for mortgage help than Frog Financial. They are so helpful throughout the whole process and no question is too big or too small for them. I'd recommend them to anyone.
Megan Booth
Megan Booth
1695214306
Couldn’t recommend higher. Fantastic team from beginning to end. Managed to secure me a great mortgage even in these tricky times.
Grace Kearns
Grace Kearns
1693823190
Usually, I am always reluctant in giving out services base on google search as I believe in referrals for certain important & delicate things like getting a mortgage application done perfectly well. However, I will say my opinion has now changed based on the professionalism and way my application was handled at Frog! I am grateful to Craig, Val, and the whole team at Frog- You all have made me realise that a client does not need to be seen face to face before a great client base work can be carried out! Well done for the fantastic job done in getting my mortgage application through, hitch free. I am happy I made the decision to bet on you when my initial broker disappointed me :). I will recommend Frog to friends, family and anyone reading this.
Frog are completely on the ball. They source competitive rates and email us when our insurances need renewing - ensuring year on year that we get the best deal. They have sourced our mortgage for over 6 years and given us financial advice regarding our Wills and life assurance. We wouldn’t be without them. Thank you to Craig, Charlie and the team. You have made a huge difference to reducing our stress with financial worry.
Clare Denny
Clare Denny
1693417647
Friendly and helpful from the get go - thank you Greg & the team for all your help securing our mortgage as first time buyers! As a self-employed business owner (with a part time job) it was really difficult to know how lenders would take my different income streams into account. Greg explained everything with clarity and made an overwhelming amount of facts and figures seem simple and coherent. If I could give more than 5 stars I would!
Laura Owen
Laura Owen
1692658222
I couldn’t recommend Frog enough. Our advisor Greg’s advice is always thorough and up to date with the latest market trends. Greg has been meticulous in explaining the nuances of my partner and I’s financial situation with clarity, which has empowered us with the confidence to make sensible informed decisions. I’m not confident that we would have managed to secure the mortgage offer that we have had we gone elsewhere. Everyone at Frog has been very friendly and approachable and are a pleasure to work with!
Dan Muckle
Dan Muckle
1692380143
We have used Frog since our first house move in 2007. We have continued to use them on subsequent moves and when we remortgage - they take the hassle out of everything and are very quick to address things that come up before they become issues. We recently used frog to help identify the best house insurance - Charley was excellent! We are very happy with the service and continue to use them. Friends and family have been satisfied with Frog too and we will continue to recommend their excellent service!
Anthony Gilbert
Anthony Gilbert
1692354736
I Highley recommend Frog! I dealt with Craig and Charley mostly who where very patient with me explaining the process in detail as this was my first time securing a mortgage. Great communication with emails and calls answered speedily. Thank you Frog!
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Read through our short guide to the Grant of Probate

When someone dies, it can be a very difficult and confusing time and you cannot be expected to do everything right away.

In the first five days, it is important that you do the following:

  • Notify the deceased’s family Doctor.
  • Contact a Funeral Director to commence funeral arrangements (you will need to check any Will for any special requests or Pre-Paid Funeral arrangements which may have already been made).
  • Register the death at The Registry Office.
  • Advise any departments who may have been making payments to the deceased, such as tax credits, benefits, pensions, etc.

As soon as possible you should:

  • Contact the Executors of any Will to enable them to start the process of obtaining Probate.
  • If there is no Will the you should decide who will apply to sort out the deceased’s affairs and apply for Letters of Administration.

You will also need to contact relatives and people close to the deceased, for a full list of who to contact go to http://www.direct.gov.uk/ select Government Citizens and Rights – then Death and Bereavement and What to Do After a Death.

In this case one or more Executors may be named in the Will to deal with the person’s affairs after their death. The Executor applies for a ‘Grant of Probate’ from a section of the court known as the Probate Registry. The Grant is a legal document which confirms that the Executor has the authority to deal with the deceased person’s assets (property, money and possessions). They can use it to show they have the right to access funds, sort out finances, and collect and share out the deceased person’s assets as set out in the Will.

If there is no Will, a close relative of the deceased can apply to the Probate Registry to deal with the estate. In this case, they apply for a ‘Grant of Letters of Administration’. If the Grant is given, they are known as ‘Administrators’ of the Estate. Like the Grant of Probate, the Grant of Letters of Administration is a legal document which confirms the Administrator’s authority to deal with the deceased person’s assets.

If someone dies without making a Will, they are said to have died ‘Intestate’. If this happens, the law sets out who should deal with the deceased’s affairs and who should inherit their estate (property, personal possessions and money). This information covers England and Wales only.

When someone dies without leaving a Will, dealing with their estate can be complicated. It can also take a long time; months, or even years in some very complex cases.

Usually a close relative like a spouse, child or parent will have the legal right to sort out the estate of the person who has died.

In order to be able to administer someone’s estate, you normally need to apply to the Probate Registry for a ‘Grant of Letters of Administration’.

On receipt of the Grant you become the ‘Administrator’ of the Estate. The Grant provides proof to banks, building societies and other organisations that you have authority to access and distribute funds that were held in the deceased’s name. The overall process is often referred to as ‘obtaining probate’, though technically, this term applies where there was a Will.

These Grants appoint people known as ‘Personal Representatives’ to administer the deceased person’s estate.

A Grant is almost always needed when the person who dies leaves one or more of the following:

  • £5,000.
  • Stocks or shares.
  • Certain insurance policies.
  • Property or land held in their own name or as ‘Tenants in Common’.

In most cases above, the bank or relevant institution will need to see the Grant before transferring control of the Assets. However, if the estate is small, some organisations, such as insurance companies and building societies, may release the money to you at their discretion.

If the deceased’s estate is below £5,000, and doesn’t contain any land, property or shares, then it may be possible to deal with it without obtaining a Grant. Also, a Grant might not be needed if the whole of the estate is held in joint names and passes automatically to the surviving joint owner.

In some cases, for example, where the person who benefits is a child, the law states that more than one person must act as the Administrator.

To establish whether the Assets can be obtained without a Grant, the Executor or Administrator would need to write to each institution, informing them of the death and enclosing a photocopy of the death certificate (and Will if there is one).

The personal representative won’t be granted Probate until some or all of any Inheritance Tax that is due on the estate has been paid.

Applies to England and Wales.

If the person who died lived in Scotland, you must apply for a ‘Grant of Confirmation’.

To discuss how we can support your Probate needs