Probate

[crapmemory]

Is there any reason a Will does not go through probate? My brother died in February and his wife said that her solicitor would deal with everything but wouldn't say what was in his will. I have checked with the probate registry and there is no Will there. TIA

[Buenchico]

See "When a grant of representation may not be needed" here:
https://www.gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritance/overview

[ubasses]

A Will should go to Probate, however generally if his Personal Estate was under £15,000 a lot of financial Institutions will pay out against an Indemnity. Some will insist on Probate for much lower amounts. If before death your brother put everything in joint names with his wife, it would all automatically be transferred to her sole name. This is quite common as people get older or ill and want to make things simple for each other.
Of course his widow is not obliged to tell you anything about the Will, although it will eventually be in the public domain. The Executors have a Duty to act in accordance with the Will and beneficiaries may not know they are to inherit anything until it is actually received.

[woofgang]

its a bit more than a duty Ubasses, its the law.

[ubasses]

Assumed the OP would understand that the Executors duty is to the law.

[woofgang]

It seems to me that many people assume that being an executor is....well not a favour exactly but something that doesn't need serious consideration before agreeing to do it. Mostly of course its fine, I just think that sometimes people don't realise that being an executor has some fairly stern legal requirements attached to it.

[dzug2]

6 months is a bit soon for a will being dealt with by a solicitor to go to Probate - maybe you need to be patient a bit longer.

[Peter Pedant]

Too early
remember to do it a little bit later.

They have a year to clear up the estate
so it is early days yet.

as an onlooker you have very few rights.
see other posts
you can apply for the will once probate has been granted