2. The law and practice in connection with an application for a grant of representation Flashcards
Who does the term PR relate to?
Executors AND Administrators
What is a grant of representation?
The collective name of a Grant of Probate if their is a will or a Grant of Administration if not.
If the deceased left a will, what representation will be used?
Grant of Probate
If the deceased left a will but there are no executors willing or able to act, what representation will be used?
Grant of Letters of Administration with Will annexed
If the deceased left no will, what representation will be used?
Grant of Letters of Administration
When does the ownership of a deceased’s assets pass to the administrators?
Not until the grant of administration is made.
When does the ownership of a deceased’s assets pass to the executors?
They are the legal owners from the moment of death, but still vital to obtain grant of probate to show they have eviddence that they are able to deal with the deceased’s property.
Banks and LR are unlikely to deal with the executors without sight of a grant of probate
Who issues the common form grants?
The Principal Registry of the Family Division, or by one of it’s district registries (s105 SCA 1981)
What does common form mean?
That there is no dispute associated with the will
Who issues the solemn form grants?
Chancery Division of the High Court, Family Court.
What does solemn form mean?
That there is a dispute about the will
Can the PR’s obtain a grant without submitting a IHT return with HMRC?
NO!
Must file evidence showing they have submitted their return, alongside a legal statement verified by a SoT.
If the tax has not been paid, the grant will not be issued.
What must the lodged legal statement confirm?
- That the deceased has died, the date of death and the deceased’s domicile.
- Whether the deceased died testate or intestate.
- In what manner/on what grounds the PRs are entitled to the grant.
- How much the estate is worth (gross/net)
- That IHT has been paid (submitting HMRC receipt).
What must additionally be submitted at the probate registry for a grant of probate?
The whole ORIGINAL will (including any codicils).
May only accept a copy if there is good sworn evidence that the original will has been destroyed.
What must additionally be deal with for a grant of administration?
The proposed administrator will have to deal with closing off.
What is closing off?
- The proposed administator will explain to the probate registry either that they are the first appropriate person to be admin uner rule 8(4) of the NCPR 1987; or
- That those ahead of them are either unwilling or unable to act, and why.
What can someone who is suspicious about a will do?
Enter a caveat
What does Enter a Caveat mean?
Raising a red flag with the probate registry.
Once raised, registry cannot issue a Grant of Probate until caveat is removed or expires.
Lasts 6 months, but can be renewed.
Once entered, the exectuors will respond with a warning.
What does a warning in regards to a caveat do?
Obliges the caveator to do one of the following within 8 days:
- Enter an appearance: respond, setting out their contrary interest. Must state the date of the will that their is based.
- Summons for directions: if they dont have a contrary interest - asks the court to consider whether the named executor is the appropraite person to act.
What happens if the warning is not responded to by the caveator within 8 days?
The caveat will be removed and the process can go forward.
What NCPR rule relates to Letters of Administration with will?
NCPR 20.
What NCPR rule relates to Letters of Administration without will?
NCPR 22.
When may the grant be more limited at not cover all of the assets in the deceased’s estate without limitation?
- Where there are difficulties with the proposed PR and no other PRs are available. (de bonis non administratis grant)
- Where the deceased’s property is going to waste or being list in the same way and some immediate steps needs to be taken (ad colligenda bona grant)
- When some or all of the parties intersted in the will are fighting about it in court (pendente lite grant)
What happens if a grant is de bonis non administratis?
De Bonis Non, meaning goods not administrered
Generally means that a PR has disappeared from the scene before they could complete, or start, administering the estate
Common examples where both executors have died, or a sole executor has lost capacity.
To resolve another can be appointed as either an executor or administrator.