Providing Probate Services on the South Coast, in London & Further Afield

Although our firm was originally based in Bournemouth we now also have offices in Poole (Canford Cliffs), Ringwood, Swanage and London.

This means that we arrange to meet clients across the South Coast and in the capital but additionally we can also provide services remotely via telephone, post and internet.

This flexibility is often a revelation to clients and particularly to Executors or Administrators of a deceased’s Estate.

Executors/Administrators are the people charged with dealing with the deceased’s assets and liabilities. This is often a huge, time consuming and multi-faceted responsibility. It is no wonder that Executors and Administrators often require assistance in applying for Probate, submitting Inheritance Tax returns and distributing the inheritance.

We can assist many clients with this process whether they are based on the South Coast or elsewhere.

For example:

Executor lives away – deceased had property in Poole.

I have a client who is based up North. He is the sole Executor of his late aunt. She lived in Poole and her flat had to be sold following her death. The Executor decided to instruct me to act in the administration of her Estate because I am based at the Poole office and therefore the property is just down the road. I am closer to the property than he is and I have local knowledge of the property market and could recommend excellent estate agents who quickly found a buyer. In the case of a problem (such as a leaking pipe) or a meeting which it would be difficult for him to attend, I could visit in his place, thereby saving him a long and frustrating journey.

Executrix lives in London – deceased had no property to sell.

It can also work well the other way around – with my being instructed to act simply because I am not based in the same area!

Several years ago I was instructed to act by a lady who lived in London and was the sole Executrix of her late aunt. Her aunt had sold her own flat previously, when she had moved into a nursing home. The Executrix had visited several firms in London and had found them to be quite expensive. The Executrix realised that there was no real need to instruct a lawyer in London, and so she contacted my firm instead. She was thrilled to learn that I could administer her aunt’s Estate remotely for a third of the fee that the firms in London had quoted.

There really is a range in the fees that can be quoted for Probate work and it is worth shopping around to check that the firm (or bank/ company) with whom you are dealing provides the best value.

There is also no reason why I couldn’t act in the administration of an Estate which did contain a property in London, if the Executor (or another family member) lived nearby and could attend the property as required.

Working remotely – phone, email and post.

I usually liaise with clients via phone and email so there is no real difference to me in acting for someone based in Poole or someone based in London. Things are a little different when clients are based abroad – simply because I need to make allowances for time difference and the length of time items take to arrive in the post. I have worked on UK Estates with Beneficiaries and Executors in Australia, Thailand and all across Europe.

When I need an “ink signature” from a client – I simply email the document to them and they can print, sign and return it in the post. Some documents can even be signed by electronic means for which our firm uses DocuSign to enable clients to sign on their computer, tablet or smartphone without having to print or scan anything.

Sometimes I never actually meet a client in person. I can verify their identity by asking them to send me copies of ID documents which have been certified by a law firm close to them –so there are no Money Laundering issues.

If you would like to talk with one of our lawyers regarding Probate services, please call one of our offices:

Bournemouth 01202 525333

London 0203 440 5716

Poole (Canford Cliffs) 01202 709898

Ringwood 01425 484848

Swanage 01929 422233