How long it takes to finish the letters of administration application really depends on the size of the estate. For estates which are under the threshold for inheritance this process should only take 4-6 weeks. Although estates where inheritance tax is an issue it can take several months for letters of administration to be granted. Please read on to understand how long it takes to get a letter of admin.
Sometimes, when someone dies, it is not a grant of probate that is required, but Letters of Administration that need to be applied for. Whoever applies for this is called the administrator, and not the executor.
When will I need to apply for letters of administration?
When the following is the case then an administrator will need to be appointed, and letters of administration applied for:
- If there is no will left by person who has died.
- If there is a will but it is not valid.
- When there are no executors named in the will.
- If there are executors named but they are unable or do not wish to take on the role.
Not just anyone can take up the mantle of administrator of an estate. Just like with the rules of intestacy, there is a set order of priority for who can take on the task of applying for letters of administration. The first person to be considered will be the spouse or civil partner of the deceased (an unmarried partner will usually not be able to act as administrator). After that, in order, will be the children of the deceased; (in age order), grandchildren, parents, siblings, nephews and nieces, and other relatives.
Apply for probate at home
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After the application has been submitted
Once the letters of administration have been applied for to the local probate registry, it should take between three and five weeks to receive the grant and then be able to execute the will (assuming there is one). However, it can take longer is the estate is more complicated, if there is inheritance tax to pay, or if there are any errors on the forms.
To get start on the application for letters of administration, our team can give you more guidance. Or offer a fixed fee service to deal with the whole process for you. Call us on 020 3985 9555 or contact us.
