Issues with new style grants

Hi all

I’ve just received a grant for an intestate estate. It is headed “Letter of Administration”. I sent the grant back to have it amended to read “Letters of Administration” and the Probate Registry has come back to say “this is the new format of a L of A Grant”.

Tristram & Cootes in their Statement of Truth state that the statement should be worded “[ ] make the following statement in support of this application for letters of administration”

Has anyone else seen the heading “Letter of Administration”?

(as an aside, they did not include the requested number of copies either the first time)

Sunil Vasisht
Lawrence Hamblin

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Whilst I haven’t received a grant of letters (sic, I presume!) of administration since the new system came in, the various changes that take place without prior notice can be irritating, particularly when they do not accord with the current edition of T& C. For example in an ‘excepted estate’ has the use of the words “the gross estate passing under grant does not exceed £325,000” ceased?

The reason I ask is because that figure no longer appears on grants and instead the actual amount of gross and net estates are shown. I also wonder why we are continuing to send two A4 copies of the Will with the original when the probate registry no longer includes one of these with the grant of probate. If it is to save them having to make a copy, can we not just send one? After all they are now charging £1.50 for a copy of the grant and incidentally can anyone tell me if they are able to distinguish the difference between the original grant and a copy of the grant.

I have failed so far but maybe it’s my eyesight failing at my age!

Patrick Moroney
BWL

I asked at another firm and they received a grant of “Letter of Administration With Will” so it looks like it is “Letter of Administration”. So, are all the textbooks to be rewritten?

Personally, I’ve not had any issues raised with the “does not exceed £325,000” (yet).

It would be nice if the probate registry shared information a bit more.

Sunil Vasisht
Lawrence Hamblin

Sunil

Yes they all now read ‘Letter’ of Administration. It is one of several grammatical errors that now appear on the new Grants. The use of capitals in particular is also very idiosyncratic.

Unfortunately, it is also very common to receive the incorrect number of copies. It often takes several goes to receive ‘sealed and certified’ copies.

Christopher Salomons

Russell-Cooke LLP

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