EXECUTRIES
You've lost someone. The legal side shouldn't add to the weight
We handle confirmation and the full winding-up of estates, keeping you informed without overwhelming you with paperwork. Bring us the death certificate and any Will — we'll take it from there
THE SITUATION YOU’RE IN
Someone close to you has died, and alongside the grief there's suddenly a job to do — one nobody trains you for
Banks freeze accounts and start talking about "confirmation." There may be a house, a pension, insurance policies, debts, maybe inheritance tax. If there's a Will, you may have discovered you're the executor without ever really being asked. If there isn't a Will, you may not know who's even entitled to act, or to inherit.
You don't need to work any of this out yourself. Winding up an estate — an "executry" in Scotland — is what we do, and the whole point of instructing us is that the process moves forward properly while you deal with what actually matters.
EXECUTRY (PROBATE)
Handling the estate from start to finish
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Then the paperwork starts: banks that won’t talk to you, forms that ask for things you’ve never heard of, and a legal process — confirmation — that nobody explains.
You don’t have to work it out alone. We deal with the winding up of estates every week, and we will handle the whole estate from first phone call to final distribution.
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In most cases, before banks and other institutions will release the deceased’s money and property, the executor needs confirmation — the Scottish equivalent of what people in England call probate. Getting confirmation means identifying everything the person owned and owed, valuing it at the date of death, preparing an inventory, dealing with any inheritance tax, and applying to the sheriff court.
If there is a Will, it usually names an executor. If there is no Will, the court must first appoint one (an executor-dative) — an extra step at court we can handle for you.
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Confirm whether confirmation is actually needed (small estates and jointly-held assets sometimes don’t require it)
Notify banks, insurers, pension providers and others, and obtain date-of-death valuations
Prepare the inventory and the confirmation application, including inheritance tax forms where needed
Obtain confirmation from the sheriff court
Ingather the estate, settle debts and legacies, deal with legal rights claims, and prepare a full estate account
Distribute the estate to the beneficiaries
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Call 01389 756785 for a no-obligation conversation about the estate. Bring whatever paperwork you have — or none at all. We’ll tell you exactly what needs to happen next.
WHAT WE DO
The services we provide
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Confirmation
The Scottish equivalent of probate: preparing the inventory of the estate and obtaining the sheriff court's grant that gives the executor authority to gather in assets
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Executor appointment where there's no Will
Petitioning for an executor-dative and obtaining the insurance bond usually required
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Full estate administration
Notifying institutions, ingathering funds, selling or transferring property, settling debts and funeral costs, preparing final accounts and distributing to beneficiaries
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Intestate estates
Applying Scotland's succession rules (prior rights, legal rights, and the statutory order of inheritance) where there's no Will
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Legal rights claims
Advising spouses and children on the entitlements they hold regardless of what a Will says, and advising executors on handling such claims
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Inheritance tax
Reporting to HMRC where required, and payment logistics
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Small estates
Where the estate is modest, a simplified procedure exists; we'll tell you if it applies and whether you need us at all
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House sales within executries
Handled by our conveyancing team under one roof
THE NEXT STEPS
How we work
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Bring the death certificate, the Will if there is one, and whatever paperwork you have — even a carrier bag of statements is fine. We'll identify the assets and liabilities, confirm who the executors and beneficiaries are, and tell you what happens next and roughly how long it will take.
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Institutions, forms, court, HMRC — ours. You'll get clear updates at each milestone, not a blizzard of copied-in correspondence.
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A straightforward estate typically winds up in around 6–12 months; property sales, tax complications or family disputes extend that. We'd rather give you a realistic picture on day one than a cheerful guess.
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Contested Wills, legal rights claims, executor disagreements — we advise on all of them, and we'll always tell you what a dispute is likely to cost against what it's likely to achieve.
OUR COSTS
What it costs
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Costs are agreed clearly at the outset
And are normally met from the estate, not from your own pocket. No surprises in the final accounting — you'll see every figure.
WHAT TO DO NOW
What to do right now
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Register the death
We can order several extract death certificates — institutions each want one.
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Locate the Will
Check with any solicitor the deceased used — we hold Wills for our clients and can check our own safe custody records.
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Don't distribute or spend anything
From the estate yet, and keep receipts for funeral and immediate costs — they're recoverable.
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Call us on 01389 756785
There's no deadline pressure in the first days — but banks move faster once confirmation is underway.
FAQ’S
Question? We have answers
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Confirmation is the court's grant of authority to the executor. Most estates with significant assets need it — banks typically insist above their own thresholds. Very small estates may qualify for a simplified procedure; we'll tell you straight away if yours does.
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No. You can decline, or you can accept and instruct us to do the work in your name. Executors are personally liable for mistakes, which is the main reason many people instruct a solicitor.
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You can decline, or you can accept and instruct us to do the work while you make the decisions. Most executors choose the second.
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If grounds exist — lack of capacity, undue influence, improper execution — and separately, spouses and children can claim legal rights regardless of the Will's terms. If you're an executor facing a claim, or a family member considering one, take advice before positions harden.
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It adds steps — the court appoints an executor, a special insurance policy (a bond of caution) is usually needed, and the intestacy rules decide who inherits — but we deal with intestate estates regularly and will guide you through it.
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Scotland's intestacy rules apply: the surviving spouse or civil partner has prior rights up to set limits, legal rights come next, and the remainder passes down a statutory family order. Cohabitants have no automatic entitlement but can apply to the court within strict time limits — take advice quickly if this affects you.
CONTACT US TODAY
Dealing with a loved one's estate
Bring us the paperwork — we'll handle the rest
GET IN TOUCH
Let's talk about your case
A confidential first conversation, at no obligation. Tell us what's happened — we'll tell you exactly where you stand and what happens next.
CALL
HOURS
Monday-Thursday 9am - 5pm | Friday 9am - 4pm