I'm waiting for probate to be granted for my mum's estate. I held deputyship for her, and I'm also her named executor. It's simply a case of closing down and transferring bank accounts, and similar with a building society. There's only me and my sister due to inherit. The estate is very straightforward, so I was able to do the probate process online. I'd already submitted the death certificate to the financial institutions involved, so the accounts were frozen.
In order to get probate I had to submit the original will which I knew would be kept as a public record, so I wouldn't get it back. I thought it would be straightforward to deal with the bank accounts by showing the original Grant of Representation, which will be in my name, and my ID. I wanted to get probate sorted out so I could do my job as executor and distribute the estate. However, I'm now seeing (online) that (many) banks require sight of the original, or a certified copy, of a will if it exists, in order to close accounts and transfer money. The bank which holds three of my mum's accounts is one of these. This is alongside having sight of the probate grant. If I'd known that banks ask to see the original will, as well as probate documentation, in order to further process the transfer of accounts I'd have asked my mum's solicitor for a couple of certified copies when I picked up the will.
Can anyone advise me how closing down and transferring accounts works without the original will? Can they do it? They can hardly hold onto the money. On a purely emotional level, the idea that banks/financial institutions should demand sight of my mum's will, when those legally entitled to see a will are limited to the drafter(s) of it and the executor(s), just gets my back up; it seems intrusive. Surely if a government department has granted probate that should be enough to enable the banks, etc to accept the person who has probate has authority?
In order to get probate I had to submit the original will which I knew would be kept as a public record, so I wouldn't get it back. I thought it would be straightforward to deal with the bank accounts by showing the original Grant of Representation, which will be in my name, and my ID. I wanted to get probate sorted out so I could do my job as executor and distribute the estate. However, I'm now seeing (online) that (many) banks require sight of the original, or a certified copy, of a will if it exists, in order to close accounts and transfer money. The bank which holds three of my mum's accounts is one of these. This is alongside having sight of the probate grant. If I'd known that banks ask to see the original will, as well as probate documentation, in order to further process the transfer of accounts I'd have asked my mum's solicitor for a couple of certified copies when I picked up the will.
Can anyone advise me how closing down and transferring accounts works without the original will? Can they do it? They can hardly hold onto the money. On a purely emotional level, the idea that banks/financial institutions should demand sight of my mum's will, when those legally entitled to see a will are limited to the drafter(s) of it and the executor(s), just gets my back up; it seems intrusive. Surely if a government department has granted probate that should be enough to enable the banks, etc to accept the person who has probate has authority?